Page 91 of Next Level
Ma has seen some shit and been around when my dad has handled business, but I don’t want to follow in his footsteps. I don’t think our women should be exposed to that kind of shit.
I head over to sit with Sammie until I get the text from Jay that the van is here.
I need to kill this motherfucker so I can focus on my Blossom’s recovery. Everything else can wait. Garrett is in jail, and he’ll be dealt with later. Then I think of the boy Jared and look at my daughter. I’m still pondering his future.
DEAD MAN
Walking into the warehouse with Ma following me just felt wrong. Especially knowing I was going to kill this man. I’ve never killed a man in front of her before, and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it now. I’ll have her taken out to the van to wait.
Joe’s guys left when Lip and Nut arrived—leaving us to deal with the aftermath. I see they have George tied up to a chair. No one has roughed him up. Good. I get all the fun.
George notices us and leers. “Aw, Vicki. I see you’re looking fine as ever.”
Ma laughs. “Hey, Georgie.”
Georgie. What the fuck.
I move to stand in front of him, folding my arms. “How does it feel to know your plan failed?”
“Who said it failed?” George baits me.
“Well, you’re about to die, and my girls are safe.”
George looks around me to my ma.
“How could you pick him over me?” he shouts.
I smack George’s face. “I’m talking to you. You can talk to my ma in a minute. It’s my turn. Why would you leave Jared—your only son—all alone, and only care about my father’s kid?”
“My kid is going to be fine. I have people who will protect him when he gets inside.”
“I would think you would hate Garrett since he’s the spawn of my father, who you hate.”
“Garrett came to me. When he found out your dad was his father, he wanted revenge. When I learned he left Garrett money, I knew I needed to get that from him and leave Garrett to rot in honor of your dad.”
So he was using Garrett.
“So you’re using Garrett to get his money and frame him for all this shit.”
“It would have worked if he hadn’t fucked up and gotten arrested. I told him to dump the girl long ago. They weren’t supposed to take her. They were supposed to kill her. Garrett fucked up and got my kid involved, and I guessmyboy fell in love.” George leans to the side to look at my ma. “Kind of runs in the family, don’t you think, Vic? Funny, I fell in love with you, and my boy falls in love with your granddaughter.” He sits up straight to look up at me. “Boy’s just like his dad.”
Jared kept Garrett from killing her. I remember how she said they would fight over her, and he never left her side.
“Your boy’s a good kid.”
George’s face softens. “I wanted to keep him out of this, but he’s had a fucked-up life. I thought Garrett would at least take care of him, but instead he fucked him up even more.”
“Why try to kill my daughter when you could have just tried to kill me?”
“I wanted the Amato men to suffer like I did. I lost both loves of my life to your dad. So I wanted you to pay for it since he’s dead.”
“Well, Sam is safe and will always be safe.”
George spits. “Not while Garrett’s alive, she’s not. Even with me gone, he’ll still keep coming. I think he hates you more than I do. He feels you stole his life, and he wants you to pay, and he’s got the money to do it. Thanks to your dad.”
I punch him square in the jaw.
I walk away from George, rubbing my fist and letting it all sink in. I intertwine my fingers behind my neck, getting my thoughts together. I call for Zoom.
