Page 21 of Bittersweet Endings
The car launched out of the driveway and across the city. Weaving in and out of traffic as we made it downtown in record time. The line for the club wrapped around the entire block. Flying past the idling cars, I pulled up right out front and tossed my keys to the valet.
Lorenzo grabbed the kid in the vest by the neck and growled, “Damage her and we damage you. Permanently.”
Then we walked past the large crowd. Security opened the ropes and ushered us forward. We didn’t fuckin’ wait—not in our city.
We made it halfway inside when a group of scantily-clad waitresses flocked us. They held blinking signs, sparklers, and a whole bunch of other shit to announce to the entire club that we were high rollers. Pictures were snapped—no doubt the club would profit on our attendance—and posted all over social media. We gave our version of a smile, and Lorenzo draped himself with women.
It was fuckin’ dumb, but it was the show I needed to cause. Tonight, I was pretending I’d be able to bury my dick in some unsuspecting socialite, to also bury the memories of a peculiar brunette.
I never thought you’d let me get hurt. Not by him.
I forced back my agitation as we headed straight to theirVIP balcony above the crowd, droves of women following us wherever we went. The security kept most of them at bay, knowing we didn’t let a lot of bitches close. I licked my teeth when a blonde glanced in my direction and gave her my trademark smirk. She returned the gesture with a bite on her supple bottom lip, and I knew I had her. It was easy. Too easy. Almost boring.
There’d be no fight. There’d be no fire between us. Sometimes we didn’t get what we wanted. A certain doll was back at home—safe—and I had an aching cock that needed to be shoved down someone’s throat.
“Can I have a vodka tonic, please?” The blonde leaned between Lorenzo and me to address the bartender. “Oh, sorry.” She smirked, resting closer to my open legs.
“I don’t think you are,” I grunted.
She stared at me for a moment, taking her drink and sucking on the straw. “No, I guess I’m not.” She giggled.
“And why is that?”
“A gentleman would’ve offered to get me a drink. Sometimes a girl has to take care of herself.”
I leaned into her. “I don’t see any gentlemen, do you?”
Her eyes heated, and I could hear the intake of her breath. It was moments like these that I thanked low self-esteem and daddy issues. Her guard dropped, only for a second, but it was enough to see the broken woman hiding under a painted exterior.
Problem was, I was bored with easy whores. I wanted fight. I wanted fire.
A random club photographer passed by, snapping photos, and the bitch was all too quick to jump onto my lap. I stood and let her fall onto her ass before grabbing her wrist to straighten her.
“Get the fuck out of my face,” I growled, and she scampered off as the door to the VIP room opened.
“You ain’t hitting that?” Lorenzo interrupted. “Let me then.” He went to walk past me.
I grabbed his arm, nodding at the man in the doorway. “Neither of us is. Not right now.” I motioned for him to get going while ignoring his whines.
A few girls catcalled him, and my brother promised he’d be back. At least one of us would be getting laid tonight. We exchanged handshakes before the man motioned for us to follow him to the basement.
The club owner was one of my captains. He was loyal to me and not JP, which meant we washed a lot of cash through this club. He was also one of the best in business when it came to getting me answers.
The moment the door opened, the metallic smell of blood spilled over us. The weight of the three of us made the stairs groan loudly as we charged down them.
A sultry brunette slid off the table beside the club owner. “He’s working with Peiro,” she said, licking a smear of lipstick off her thumb.
“Oh, really?” I glanced at the asshole tied to a chair.
“Yup. Paid for a few of the girls for the night.” She rolled her shoulders. “Had a lot to say about his new boss, the future of the mafia in Cali. Some shit about New York and some girl he was trying to find.”
“And his new boss?”
“Peiro.” The brunette stood up with her palm out, and Matteo put a stack of cash in her hand. “That’s all I know. I don’t have specifics. When I asked more questions, all I got was that I should suck his cock because soon you’d be dead and he’d take over Cali.”
I turned to the bastard slouched in the chair, all smug andwarm with someone else’s confidence. “Tell me everything you know about Peiro.Now.”
He smiled like he thought this was still a game—lip split, teeth stained from whatever cheap wine he’d been guzzling—and I cracked him across the face with the full weight of my fist. Bone snapped and his howl of pain had me smiling.
