Page 11 of Bittersweet Endings (Agostino Crime Family #6)

CARMINE RAGETTI

“ S hoot that motherfucker.” My gun went off in rapid succession.

Corpses littered the floor. My soldatos were spread around the room, creating their own carnage. And I was in the center of it all, covered in blood.

After killing that nobody and sending them to New York, a message was sent back. One of my restaurants was set on fire. It wasn’t a professional job. The kitchen had barely started smoking by the time my employees had it handled.

Video didn’t lie, though. Even if people did.

I dragged the bastard by his foot. He hadn’t even gotten around the block before we were on him. They always acted tough at first, but this little prick started shouting a name as soon as I unsheathed my blade.

Peiro.

The little bastard’s days were numbered. AJ was still watching Octavia, and so far, there was nothing from JP. That didn’t mean she was safe. Not until they were both handled .

My phone rang, and I dug it out of my pocket, our little fire-starter moaning as I moved. Seeing the area code, I smirked.

“Carmine Ragetti, king of the fuckin’ west. If you’re not careful, I’ll take the east from you two, baby devil.” My grin widened when Lucky started cursing.

I dropped my grip on the fucker’s leg and the soon-to-be-dead asshole slumped to the ground, blood and bruises littering his body. I snapped my fingers, and one of my men grabbed him, strapping him to a chair to wait on ice for me.

“I’m giving you one chance,” Lucky barked into the phone.

Two more gunshots went off in the background. Glancing over a shoulder, I saw it was one of mine, so I refocused my attention. “Enough of the fake-ass power trip. I’m a little busy.”

“Jesus Christ, you piss me off. You know that?” Lucky growled.

“Don’t bring him into this.”

“One chance. Why the fuck did you let her go?” He paused. “One chance, Ragetti.”

“That’s why you’re wasting my time, Agostino.” I turned the phone away from my face and called out to Matteo. “They all handled?”

He nodded.

“Good.” I moved the receiver back up to my mouth. “Okay, one chance, huh? Is it that hard to believe that I did it out of the goodness of my heart to create peace?”

Lucky cursed again, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Again. I dropped down next to the somewhat unconscious man and wiped my bloody hand on his shirt. Then, cigarette in my mouth, I lit the tip and leaned against the wall with a grunt.

Fuck, there was blood on my new sneakers.

“Okay, okay.” I chuckled humorlessly. “Fuck peace. If I wanted the east, I’d take it. But, Lucky, I get that you’re married and sentimental now.”

He started yelling, screaming at me to stay away from his adoring Bella.

“Please, the daughter of the motherfucker who killed my uncle…? Yeah, I don’t want that bitch.

” I blew out smoke and grinned at Matteo, who was watching me intently.

“Your sister’s pussy was addicting. So wet and tight for me.

Shame I couldn’t take her virginity. Heard I wasn’t the first to get to her. You let her down more than once.”

“You motherfucker! You’re dead,” he hissed.

“No, I ain’t. She won’t let you.” I laughed and took another drag of my cigarette as he slung a bunch of insults my way. “I’m not a one-pussy-man. Once I got those three little words and my cock got tired of that warm, wet heat… I sent her back to fuck with you.”

“I will fucking kill you!”

“Will you? Do your worst, bitch. But honestly, Lucky, Daddy has you on a tight leash so we both know you won’t do shit. Until he’s dead, you’ll be his little lap-devil.”

“You dumped her at our door. You knew we wouldn’t trust her,” he seethed. “You wanted to tear us apart from the inside out. You lost. She’ll always be family.”

“And my guys on the inside say otherwise. She moved out. She skips family dinners. She barely pays you any mind. I think I did tear you apart. And that’s why you’re calling.”

“I’m calling because I want to know why you let her go. And why JP wants her back.”

I didn’t speak. I couldn’t.

“Oh, shit.” Now he was the one laughing. “I’m on a tight leash but you’re at the end of a nine mil. ”

My hands clenched into fists. As much as I could see through his family, it wasn’t hard to read mine either.

“My Pops is still in charge, but at least he’s not insane.” Lucky paused to take a long breath. “Tell ya what… I’ll do us both a favor if you return one.”

I gripped the phone tighter.

“I’ll kill your father for threatening my sisters and help you not piss off your traditionalists… if you get to Peiro first. Then I want my pound of flesh.”

“A pound?” I exhaled smoke, my jaw ticking. “That’s it?”

His voice shifted. “Pops told me what you said at the hospital.”

I froze. Motherfucker was runnin’ his mouth. The truth had slapped me in the face, and my mind was thrown into chaos and deceit. Mario used that to make me appear weak.

“It’s true, isn’t it? You care about her.”

I didn’t answer. Just took another drag. Another cloud of smoke.

“You gave her back to mess with us... but also to protect her.”

I could hear a child crying in the background.

“Yeah. Makes sense.”

“Does it now?” I mocked. “You think you’ll have it that easy killing JP?”

“You think you’ll have it that easy finding Peiro?” He sighed. “If you want peace, we can talk, Carmine. Just us.”

I waited to see what else he had to say. Fucker gave me nothing.

“Happy hunting, motherfucker,” he said, and then he hung up.

I relayed the entire conversation to Matteo. He shook his head, warning me that I was playing a deadly game with an enemy I didn’t understand. Did he really expect me to believe there’d ever be peace?

The world around me started to fade as I recalled my conversation with Mario.

“I should fucking kill you. Right now.” I should’ve pulled my gun.

“You won’t.” Mario paused before sighing. “Because she’d never forgive you. And she’d make it hurt.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to tell you why I covered up your uncle’s murder,” he said, and my fists clenched at my sides. “It was because your father was the one who ordered the hit. Your grandfather and I came to an agreement for peace because he didn’t want to lose his only remaining son.”

“JP wouldn’t do that.” Even as I said the words aloud, I knew Mario was telling the truth.

He shook his head. “He did. He wanted your grandfather to destroy my city. And when he wouldn’t… your father showed up in New York. Threatened me, my wife and my unborn son. But I got a leg up on him and was able to put him back in his place. My silence in exchange for him staying out west.”

“Why didn’t you turn on him? It would’ve started a war that you would have won, hands down. All the families would’ve turned on him.”

“Because of you. Your uncle and I were close. He knew Serafina and I were in love, but breaking my marriage proposal to Isabella wasn’t an option.

So, he promised to take care of her for me.

We did a lot of business together over the years.

He’d wished you were his son. Told me all about you.

How you were the right future for the family.

Your father was jealous of your relationship with Sal.

Yet the fucker didn’t have the balls to step up for you or to do the dirty work himself.

Anthony was greedy—the fucker got the cash and the girl.

And all it cost him was a single bullet. ”

“Again. Why didn’t you tell the families?”

“Like I said. Because of you. Your brothers. Eva. Even if I tried to protect you, the other families would’ve wanted you kids dead.

They’d come for you, no matter how old you all were.

Your uncle and I wanted peace between the coasts, always did.

We’d both done a lot of fucked-up shit to get to the top, and we didn’t want the next generation tainted by it. ”

“Why’re you telling me all this now?”

“I know you’ll hate me no matter what I say and I accept that. But your father needs to be dealt with. And then…” Mario glanced at his daughter through the door, and I followed his line of sight. “And then you need to take over… just the way your uncle taught you to do.”

“Keep your nose out of my business,” I commanded.

“We have a common enemy.” This had me stalling one more time. Diego and I pivoted back around. “I don’t know all of it, but I know I’ve failed her more than once,” Mario admitted.

She’d told him.

“Did she tell you who the other one was?” I asked, unable to stop myself.

“Handle your father. I’ve got this. For once, I will do what is right for my daughter,” Mario added.

“How do you know I won’t come back for you?”

“You carried the same pained look my daughter did when you handed her over.” He paused. “I know you’re more than willing to kill me the next chance you get, but not at the cost of losing her.”

Whatever it was he saw, he’d read me like a fuckin’ billboard. Even if I believed Uncle Sal wanted peace with Mario, it was his daughter who saved him that day.

** *

“Wake up, you motherfucker.” I slapped the asshole in the face, his binds the only thing keeping him upright in the chair.

“J-just kill me.”

“Oh, I will. Depends on how painful you want it to be.” I pulled my knife from my back and enjoyed the sound of his whimper. “Give me answers and I’ll make it fast. Don’t…” I shredded the flesh of his thigh. “…and I promise I’ll make it last for days.”

He cried while staring down at his bleeding leg. I wanted him to fight me as much as I wanted answers. But I was fuckin’ tired.

I lifted the knife, and he screamed, “Okay, okay!” Snot ran down his chin. “I set the fire for two grand. I didn’t realize who owned it. A-and when I did, it was too late.”

“Did you get the payment?”

“Half. Supposed to meet me tomorrow for the rest.”

I lifted a questioning brow. He knew what I was asking.

“My cell. In my pocket, address is in a text.”

Using his face, I unlocked the screen and then changed his passcode. “Thanks.”