chapter 46

Angelo It’s been a long day, and I feel so fucking agitated I could kill someone. I’m staring blankly at the TV screen, not really watching the movie as I sip on a tumbler of whiskey. Suddenly, my phone starts to vibrate, and letting out a sigh, I pull the device out of my pocket.“Rizzo,” I mutter. “It’s Eddie. I thought I’d let you know Giorgio’s running another tab in the casino. It’s already sitting at eighty thousand. Do you want me to cut him off?” Unreasonable anger flares through my chest as I growl, “I’ll handle it.”“He’s also been harassing the strippers and bragging about being your brother-in-law,” Eddie adds fuel to the fire. I should’ve killed the fucker already. Ending the call, I down the rest of the whiskey before I get up and walk to the bedroom so I can change out of the sweatpants. The fucker seriously has a death wish, and I’m done playing with him. When I’ve changed into a suit, I tuck my gun into the waistband of my pants as I head back to the living room.Vittoria is lying on one of the couches, and Tiny is sitting by her feet. He probably moved closer to her the moment I got up. They’re busy watching a romantic comedy while Rita keeps bringing them food and drinks. Vittoria’s eyes flit to me as I lean over her. Pressing a kiss to her mouth, I say, “I’m just heading out for an hour. I won’t be long.”“Ah…okay.” Without having to say a word to Big Ricky, he follows me out of the house, and only when we’re both in the SUV does he ask, “Where are we going?”“Find Romano.” After he starts the engine, he makes a quick call. “Hey, is Romano at the club?” A moment later, he mutters, “Thanks.” Big Ricky’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. “He’s not at the club. Should I swing by his house?” “Yes.” During the drive, I fist my hands on my thighs as the fucking stress and worry of the past two days pour over me like boiling water. I can’t kill my uncle for what he said and did to Vittoria. I can’t kill my aunt for trying to take a shot at me. But I can fucking kill Giorgio Romano for everything he’s done to Vittoria and for being a piece of shit who doesn’t deserve to breathe. I’m going to take out all my anger on the fucker.When Big Ricky stops the SUV in front of Vittoria’s old house, I shove the door open and climb out. I stalk up the pathway and take the steps to the porch. Big Ricky pounds on the front door before he glances around the area.The moment the door opens, my arm pulls back, and I slam my fist into Romano’s nose. The fucker staggers backward before falling flat on his ass. He lets out a groan as his hand covers his nose, blood quickly trickling through his fingers. There’s a mixture of confusion and fear on his face as he says, “I didn’t do anything.” Big Ricky quickly checks the living room, and I hear him growl, “Get out.” A moment later, a scantly dressed woman scurries past me, and I recognize her as one of the strippers from the club. Sucking in a deep breath of air as I drink in the sight of Romano’s blood, I shrug my jacket off and pass it to Big Ricky to hold. I also remove my gun, which has Romano’s eyes going wide as saucers. I hand the weapon to Big Ricky because I won’t need it, and I want it out of Romano’s reach. “Get up,” I order in a low tone. Romano quickly climbs to his feet, and he looks at the blood covering his hand before his confused eyes fly to me. “What did I do? I’ve been working twice as hard.”I shake my head at him, and glancing around the shitty little house, I mutter, “I hear you’re harassing my strippers and telling everyone you’re my brothers-in-law.” I let out a dark chuckle. “Either you’re fucking stupid, or you have the biggest pair of balls I’ve ever seen.” Panic flashes over his face. “I was just playing around with the girls. It was harmless fun.”I suck in a deep breath of air as I look at the piece of shit. “You have shares, but instead of cashing them in, you traded your sister to settle your debt.”“But that’s in the past. We…”My eyes lock on the fucker. “It’s not,” I snap. “This is about the eighty thousand dollars you owe me after your last fuck up. This is about you mouthing off to everyone who will listen. This is about you fucking with my business.” A growl rumbles from my chest. This is about you abusing Vittoria!” I take a step closer. “This is about you sacrificing her for three hundred thousand dollars, and then you dare to run another tab at my casino.” I take another step, and he staggers backward. “This is about you wanting to control her until she turned twenty-five so you could get your grubby fucking hands on her inheritance.” Romano’s eyes widen even more, and I let out a dark chuckle. “I know everything.”“Mr. Rizzo…p-please,” he stammers as he takes another step backward. I shake my head slowly as my eyes pin him with all the brutality I possess.“You hurt the woman I love more than anything on this godforsaken planet and then dared to fuck with my business.”He falls to his knees and begs, “I’m sorry. I’ll never do anything to hurt her again. I’ll stay away from the strippers and casino.” “No, you won’t,” I growl. I impatiently gesture for him to get up, but when he gives me a pleading look, I unleash every ounce of rage on him. With a vicious growl, I kick him against the side of his head. Romano sprawls backward, and before his body stills, I’m on top of him, my fist slamming into his face.I remember every bruise on my wife’s body. I remember how she flinched away from my touch. I remember her fear. I feel the skin break over my knuckles as I keep smashing my fist into the fucker’s face. I remember the fear I felt when I couldn’t find Vittoria. I remember the fucking terror when she ran into traffic. I remember the rage when she told me what my uncle did to her and how she almost died. All I see is blood. I feel the bones in his face break beneath my fist. It’s not enough. Getting up, I grab my gun from Big Ricky, and aiming at the fucker’s head, I pull the trigger. A pool of blood quickly forms beneath Romano’s head, and as I look down at his lifeless and swollen eyes, I finally feel a sense of relief. I hand the weapon to Big Ricky again as he asks, “Do you feel better?”“No, but it’s a start,” I mutter as I walk to the kitchen. I open a faucet and wash my hands, watching as the red water spirals down the drain.“Want me to call the cleaners?”I nod, my eyes still on my busted knuckles. “Yes. Have them dissolve the body and replace the floor.” I dry my hands on a dishcloth and turn to look at Big Ricky. “I want this fucking place cleaned from top to bottom for Vittoria.” Walking out of the kitchen, I step over Romano’s body and head down the hallway. I check every room, and when I open the closets in the main bedroom, I say, “Clear out the fucker’s shit and remove any trace of him from this house.” “Okay.” As I head back down the hallway, I order, “Pay Damiano the five hundred thousand Romano owed him.” “I’ll take care of it, boss.” I stalk out of the house, and when I climb into the back of the SUV, Big Ricky asks, “Home?”“Yeah.” I let out a deep breath. Home. To my wife. He hands me my jacket and gun before starting the engine, and as he drives away from the house, I dig my phone out of my pocket. I open the screen and send a text to Damiano. Angelo: Giorgio Romano is dead. His debt will be settled. A moment later, his reply comes through.Damiano: Thanks for the good news. How’s Vittoria doing? Angelo: She’s better. Damiano: Did she tell you what happened?Angelo: My uncle tried to get rid of her. They struggled and went over the side of the balcony. He fell to his death. Damiano: Jesus. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you. Angelo: Thanks.