Page 146 of Bitter Poetry

“Cosmo made an error of judgment. I killed him for her. What more could she want from me? I killed my brother. For her.” His eyes glitter with a mania. “Maybe she went to you. Got a message to you through her sister or Cedro. I’m aware that you’ve been expanding the business and gaining power. Even my own brother Bosco is singing your praises. Maybe you helped her to fuck with me.”

“Hell no,” I shake my head, a deadly level of calm. “You don’t get to pin this on me. I was fucking happy as the consigliere, but you took that away from me over a woman, like I wanted a child bride anyway. Why do you think I insisted on delaying the marriage until after she was twenty-one? No, you displaced me because you could. I’ve turned the business around. Nowyou bring this to my door. Are you looking for an excuse to take Jimmy’s concerns back from me? Is that what this is about?”

“I want her back.”

“I don’t fucking have her.”

His anger drains. “You’ve gotten bold, Dante.”

My smile lacks any warmth. “Becoming a capo has been a character-building exercise.”You sent a bunch of thugs to me with a hammer. “Whatever I am is what you’ve made me.”

“I need help.”

He looks broken.

I can’t lie; I’m enjoying this exchange a lot more than the last one in this room.

“And I’m at your disposal if you tell me what you need.” Time to act magnanimous. “So far, all I’ve gotten for doing a good job is a reaming and accusations.”

“I’ll give you everything I have. Just help me get her back.”

If he knew, I’d be in a room downstairs where he’d be liberating me of body parts.

I leave his office with the promise to quietly mobilize as many men as possible, which gives me the perfect cover to do so for my own reasons.

Christian is still with Mateo at the bar. As I approach, I can hear them talking about football.

Mateo rises from the stool, his eyes searching mine. I allow my lips to curve the tiniest amount.

“Dante,” Christian says, lifting his chin and slipping his cell phone into his pocket. He leans in toward me. “She’s got a prescription for birth control in her purse. She’ll hide it. See if you can find where she stashed them. I know someone whomakes placebos. I’ll get you duds to replace them with, yeah?” Then louder. “Laters.”

The way my brother’s mind works is truly alarming.

I think about what he said during the long drive home, then manage to push it to the back of my mind as Mateo and I meet with Leon in the club office to adapt our plans.

But much later, as the club is ramping up and I can finally leave to check on Carmela, I’m thinking about it again.

CHAPTER 44

DANTE

She’s asleep, laying on her side with her knees bent, all tucked up and looking cute.

I’ve spent a year wondering what she’d look like in my bed. Except it was never this bed. This apartment isn’t mine. I rent it. I’m not attached to it, anyway. It’s just a place I stay while I implement my plans.

But it’s still my bed, and she’s now in it. Right where she belongs.

Her vulnerability slams into me. A pawn in the games of made men.

My dick grows hard and strains against my zipper, coaxing me to take what’s mine. For too long I’ve watched her from afar. I thought there’d be a greater sense of satisfaction. But it’s lost under the bitter rage at how long it took, how much suffering happened in between, and in being denied what was mine.

No more.

Do I hate her for what she unwittingly drove me to do and to be?

None of this is her fault. Why do I want to exact my revenge on her? Maybe not revenge, more payment due. It doesn’t make much sense and I’m better than this.

She deserves better.