Page 61 of Bittersweet Endings
Lucky went dead silent for a second. “Oh, this is rich. You need somethingfrom me?”
“Yeah, yeah.” I took another hit off my cigarette, letting the words settle. “As much as itfucking kills meto extend an olive branch… If I don’t, it’s Octavia who’ll get hurt.”
That shut him up. For about two seconds. Then Lucky’s voice came back, sharp and pissed. “Goddamn it, Carmine. What the fuck did you do?”
I chuckled. “Nothing I wouldn’t do again.”
Lucky was breathing hard, like he was trying not to punch something. “Iknewyou were gonna drag her into this shit.” He paused. “You never planned to let her go, did you?”
“I didn’t drag her into anything.” My jaw tightened. “JP did.”
Lucky swore under his breath. “You dragged her into it by stealing her in the first place.”
“If I didn’t take her, JP would’ve. And she enjoyed her time much better with me.” He started shouting into the phone, and I cut him off again. “Stop. I meant JP would’ve raped, tortured, and killed her.”
He sighed. “You know, if Ieverget my hands on that old fuck?—”
“He’s dead,” I said flatly. “That’s the plan,cazzo.”
Lucky let out a humorless laugh. “Well, at leastoneof your brain cells is still functioning.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Eat shit.”
I grinned again, but it faded as my mind circled back to the real problem. “JP’s threat was clear. He wants Octavia. And as much as she’s gonnahateit, I need you to lock her down until this is handled.”
Lucky was silent for a moment. “You really think I’d let anything happen to her?”
“No, not intentionally,” I admitted. “But she’s a stubborn pain in the ass, and you and I both know she’ll run straight into danger if she thinks she can help.”
Lucky groaned. “Fucking hell.”
“Exactly.”
“Is this you callin’ a fuckin’ truce or something?” he asked. I wasn’t sure how to answer. “Pops told me about your uncle. Sounded like a solid guy.”
Acid furled up from inside my gut. “He was. The best.”
“I’m… sorry for your loss.” In our world, that was as good as a truce.
“Thanks.” I paused. “I have no interest in New York. I just want her safe. And I think I have a way to solve all our problems.”
Lucky exhaled, frustrated as hell but already resigned. “Fine. But if she kills me for this, I’m haunting your ass.”
I smirked. “Yeah, yeah. Just keep her safe.”
“You betterendthis shit, Ragetti.”
“Oh, I will,” I said, flicking my cigarette away. “One way or another.” And then I hung up.
It was time to finish what JP had started.
Chapter Nineteen
OCTAVIA AGOSTINO
The glow of my laptop screen illuminated my desk as I adjusted my posture and forced a smile. Across the Zoom call, Sybil looked as polished as ever—thick-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, her signature all-black attire somehow entrancing and not morbid. Her whole aesthetic was a vibe, and I loved the direction we were taking her marketing.
