Page 214 of Vicious Saint
“No.”
That’s it. That’s the ice cold tea.
And it’s burning my patience worse than a piping hot one.
After an agitated grunt, I ask, “Perché, Carlo?”
The question as to why may come out frustrated enough but would feel a lot more satisfying if I added the Italian version of “fucking” before it.
Or maybe “Fuck you…and my mom…and her husband…and the guy I’m furious at but miss so much.”
“It’s-ehfor your own good, okay? This world…not for you to worry about.”
“Which world? Yours or Vic’s?”
That catches Carlo off guard, and I have to fight back the urge to “Uno Reverse” him.
Because here’s what my sweet, smothering Carlo fails to realize…the more time he spends keeping tabs on me, the more time I get to keep tabs on him too.
The heightened tension whenever a car rolls up on us. Phone calls of his I’ve eavesdropped on. The meetings I catch him joining in the parking lot through my classroom windows.
It took me less than a day after spotting him with Vic, Riggs’ political daddy, and Tony Porchelli, an apparent advisor to the Salvini Family, to realize Saint was right.
Carlois, albeit secretly to Google, affiliated with them somehow.
Which means it’s any man’s dangerous game.
“I…eh…not understand what you’re talkin’ about.”
I take a harsh drag of my Newport to gather my wits.
Here goes nothing…or possibly everything.
“I know you’re with the Salvinis.”
“Chi?”
“Don’t play stupid, Carlo. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
Silence. It’s spoken the same in Italian too.
“Figured as much.” Dropping the cigarette on the ground, I stomp it beneath the platform of my heels, then glare at him. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re either gonna tell me what shit the Lavells got us into, or I’m gonna make your life a living hell trying to keep me safe.”
No more kid gloves.
No more lies.
No more catering to anyone’s paranoia.
Carlo takes a beat to decipher the code as best as he can.
“Per favore, signorina, don’ttalk-ehlike this.”
“Why? Why the hell shouldn’t I?”
“Because…I will be happy to die to keep-ehyou safe.”
Holy crap. Talk about dedication to the job.
