Page 24 of The Sicilian Bastard
"Some new players came from overseas. They are taking out lower-level gangs and their territory. Everyone has gone to the ground," Little Nicky panted.
He was looking left and right, like the boogeyman was going to pop out and cap him right here on the street. On my streets. The only person he should be afraid of was me.
"Who?" I shook him, but not too roughly. He was delicate in this state.
"I can't be too certain, but Russians."
As soon as he said it, I started cursing. These fucks were worse than cockroaches.
"We took care of them and sent them scurrying back to Russia," I told him.
"Naw, man, they had some dude come through here and try to wipe us all out. I only saw him from a distance. I wasn't at the spot when shit went down, but he made that Alexei look like a kitten in comparison. He wants Philly and before he took my brothers out, he said the streets were going to run red."
Little Nicky had checked out, his eyes glazed over and dull. Whatever else he could tell me was lost underneath the trauma he'd witnessed. I felt bad for him, so I gave him a second baggie in case I didn't have time to come back and get him his fix.
As I walked back to my car, I mourned the loss of a great resource. I knew that in the coming weeks, Little Nicky was either going to OD or he was going to get killed in the crossfire. I drove back to the compound and sought Agosto out. While I wasn't happy about this arrangement, he needed to know we had problems.
"What did you find out?" Agosto tapped a few papers.
I almost wanted to snap at him. I was certain he was sitting in this office doing nothing.
"You need to hit the streets with me next time," I suggested, but not really. I would never say I gave a true Picone an order. If Agosto wanted to survive this world and do well when he got back to Vegas, he needed to know how to only rely on himself. Vittorio couldn't teach him that; only I could.
What if he never goes back?A dark voice wrapped itself around me like the very vice I used on myfiore'slower jaw.
Agosto raised his brow at mysuggestion.
"The Russians are back and this time they are trying to take all our territories," I sighed.
I felt tired. The constant back and forth with myself was tough, the way I left my precious flower after I desecrated her. Doubts and insecurities were weighing me down.
"What else is bothering you, Luciano? You seem off," Agosto cajoled and leaned back in the chair, throwing off an air of ease.
"The girl…" I stopped, not even able to say it aloud, knowing Agosto would look at me with disgust. He knew my predilections, but he refused to acknowledge them or support them.
"The girl what?"
"I hurt her," I mumbled, tucking my head in shame. I have never felt shame a day in my fucking life. Now, this little slip of a thing was turning everything on its head.
"Then heal her, mentally and physically. She'll be fine." Agosto shuffled some papers around on the desk.
"What if she's not?" A brief flash of vulnerability hit me in the chest. Another feeling I have never felt before.
"Then you change course." His eyes wouldn't meet mine.
I wondered if he was giving me false hope. He was the one who said if I broke it, I had to keep it. I stood, ready to leave. An itch underneath my skin to lay eyes on Araceli and assure me she was still here, I stopped in the doorway.
"Do we need to call Vittorio?"
I glanced back at my baby brother. He chewed it over before giving his royal decree.
"No, let them have fun. It's only a month; we can handle it. Besides, he has his hands full babysitting the Falcone whelp."
I couldn't contain my laughter.
"He's like a decade older than you, brat," I admonished.
"Acts like he's even younger than me. I felt like an old man listening to the bullshit he's done. Rose doesn't deserve any more shit on her plate."
I nodded my head in agreement.
"I have a feeling dear Rosalina is about to show us all exactly what she can handle." With that cryptic remark, I headed out. Fuck waiting. The doctor was coming now to check myfiore. I never should have run from what I had done. The darkness was so dark, and her pussy was so tight, I couldn't control myself. She had every right to bite me. I'd kidnapped her. I forced my cock down her throat while she was sleeping. I hadn't treated her as anything other than a toy. Worse than the Don who acted like he was my father when everyone knew he wasn't for appearances.Fuck, I'm an asshole. I won't let her go. No, I need her. I have to heal the hurt first.
