Page 112 of Tease Me (Dark Odyssey 1)

I’m definitely heeding that reminder. She doesn’t need to know anymore. Honestly, what she knows is more than enough and if she’d told me this weeks ago I would have had some direction.

She did say however, that she figured it out as the weeks went by.

“Thanks for telling me. I just really wish he’d come to me.” It would have made everything so much easier.

“Me too. I really wish he did. The shooter, I didn’t see him. I wish I had though.”

“No, no doll. Be grateful you did not,” if she did she wouldn’t be alive.

See a face and be allowed to live?

No way.

This all just makes me want to find the asshole even more. Not just him though, all of them.

The whole Fontaine clan.

That’s the bigger picture and I know trouble is on the way.

* * *

I staywith her for another hour then Vincent calls me, summoning me to the house.

I get there around seven and everyone is there waiting.

They’re all in the hall were we gather for family meetings.

Pa sits at the head, on the large throne-style chair with Ma at his side. Salvatore, Gabe, and Vincent are here too on his other side.

The guys don’t look at me fully which expresses the extent of trouble I’m in.

It’s not good, I know this. I know when Pa just stares at me that he wants to beat the shit out of me.

Vincent is the first to move. He takes off his jacket then his watch and rolls up his sleeves.

I get to the center and as he rushes at me I duck and he rolls over me. My reflexes are excellent but he’s a demon when it comes to fighting.

He rolls over and springs back up, landing a fist in my face that cracks my jaw.

It should have sent me down but it doesn’t. I go for him and throw a one-two punch he dodges and sends a kick to my stomach.

Fucker, he’s not holding back and neither am I.

All the while everyone watches.

This is how we deal with someone who falls out of line. And shit, I only just remember that I didn’t check in with Ma last night.

I can’t spare the second to look at her. Vincent will mess me up. He absolutely fucking will.

He comes at me again with both fists and I get him this time. It gets real now, as we give blow for blow like we’re going to kill each other.

That’s how it works. Giordano men are like the Spartans, they fight dirty even when, like this, it’s brother against brother. It doesn’t matter. He won’t stop until he has me on the floor and I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t give him the pleasure of doing that to me.

I give him a left hook and he stumbles and falls backward but springs up and lands a right in my stomach. He gets my side too, where I got sliced up yesterday.

Boy have I seen a lot of action this week. Apart from the fight at Snade’s, this really gives me a run for my money because Vincent is one of the most feared capos on the street. He’s no pussy and neither am I.

He grabs me, circling around my neck and the fight gets worse. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ma tense and place her hand on Pa’s arm, signaling him to tell us to stop but he shakes his head. I see that as Vincent pounds into my face again and again.

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