Page 37 of Crazed

A mixture of emotions passes through me. On the one hand, I'm glad he's dead. On the other, I regret I'm not the one who watched him take his last breath.

"How did you get his ring?" Papà repeats.

I match his stare but stay quiet.

"Massimo!" he shouts.

I run my hand through my hair. "Katiya had it. It needs to get offloaded. I'm not telling you anymore except that she's innocent."

Red rage fills Papà's cheeks. He points at me. "You took that Abruzzo woman to our family jeweler. Do you know what you've done?"

"She's not an Abruzzo," I insist.

"You don't know that!"

"Being raped and held hostage by an Abruzzo doesn't make you one of them! If that were the case, Bridget would be a Bailey and Rossi," I blurt out, tired of this constant battle.

"Watch your mouth," Dante sneers.

"God, you're all hypocrites. And why are you here, Tully?" I hurl.

"Do not disrespect Tully!" Papà barks.

Tully holds his hand in the air. "I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" I say in disbelief. Tully would help my father out instantly, but if my brothers and I are involved, there's always a price to pay.

"Yeah. Get you out of your mess before the Petrovs get wind of what you're up to," he claims.

I shake my head. "No, thanks. Ettore can help me."

"Ah, but how long will it take?"

I pause, study Tully, and my suspicion grows. "Why are you even interested in this?"

His charming grin grows. The green in his eyes glows brighter. "I have my reasons. I'll buy it off Ettore today, but not for what he wants."

I scoff. "And there it is, my brothers. The real Tully is shining through." I step closer. "No. You can't have it."

Papà interjects, "It's yours. I'll tell Ettore to take the full commission out of whatever you give him."

"No. That money is Katiya's. No one is cheating her."

Papà slams his hand on the desk. "Goddammit, Massimo! Do you know the risk you've put this family in by taking her to Ettore's?"

"She isn't an Abruzzo," I maintain for the hundredth time.

"The ring goes to Tully. End of story. And all of you better listen closely," he says, motioning around the room. "No one,and I mean no one, is to take any woman or man around our contacts without my approval. Is that clear?"

"Fine. Are we done?" I fume.

Papà shakes his head. "No. There's one more thing."

"What?"

"You're suspended."

The blood drains from my face. "Excuse me?"

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