Page 8 of Bittersweet Endings (Agostino Crime Family #6)

CARMINE RAGETTI

“ H ow nice of you to call, son.” JP sounded distracted, loud music and laughter filtering in through the phone.

“Cut the shit. I’ve been calling for weeks. The feds are crawling all over us.”

He was silent for a moment.

“You’re destroying everything you built.”

“Yeah, what I built. Me. Not you. Not your rotting fucking uncle.”

I gripped the phone to keep myself calm.

“Me. So, I’ll do whatever the fuck I want with it.”

“Really? After all these years, you want to burn it to the ground?” I scoffed.

“Think you’re ready to take over? Planning to put a hit out on your dear ol’ pops, son?” he snarled. “I still control the world you live in. So I’d be careful, because my reach is longer than you think.”

“You threatenin’ me?” I grunted, and he started laughing like a lunatic. “You’re losing it, old man.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m getting older, but I can still put you six feet under.” It had been a long time since he tried to physically come at me—he knew he’d lose. “And besides, I’m having fun in my old age.”

And then someone in the background shouted something that made my blood freeze in my veins. “Octavia! Holy shit, you look amazing!”

“You’re in New York?” I barked into the phone, spinning towards Diego. He gave me a tight nod and started dialing AJ. “The fuck are you doing there? I had New York right where?—”

“Right where?” JP cut in. “Mario’s daughter? His whole damn famiglia ? All smiles and espresso this morning. No panic, no loss. Just another day to them. Sounds like your grand little plan fell flat, figlio mio. ”

I paced the length of my office, my jaw tight and my heart pounding. “Don’t start with me, old man. You know I cracked the foundation when I took her. I let her go because now I?—”

“Because you fell for the girl?” His laugh sliced right through me, sharp and cruel. “That why you sent that sweet piece of pussy packin’? Because you caught feelings like some fuckwit with a hard-on for a bitch?”

I clenched my fist, my knuckles popping. “You watch your fuckin’ mouth.”

“Oh, I hit a nerve? What happened to the cold bastard I raised, huh?” he sneered. “Now things are slipping through your fingers ?cause your dick’s making your decisions.”

“Unlike you , I’m not a reckless piece of shit who burns the whole neighborhood down to kill one rat,” I growled.

He went silent. That kind of silence that meant nothing I said was landing. Didn’t matter. I finished anyway .

“You got balls, JP. Just admit the crown don’t fit anymore.”

For years, I’d played the dutiful son, loathing my father as I grieved my uncle.

JP thought control was a game only he could win, that his money and connections made him untouchable.

But everyone had a weakness. And his was how much people despised him.

How easily they’d turn on him if offered protection.

I rolled my shoulders, the weight of inevitability settling heavy. JP didn’t realize that his reign was ending. And I’d be the one to bury his sorry ass.

“I’m reckless? I’m a fucking god. The only reckless part of my existence was not wrapping my cock. Then maybe I would’ve saved myself the embarrassment of a son like you.”

“You’re an asshole. Where are you? Face me,” I challenged, wanting to send him over the edge. “I know about Uncle Sal…”

His voice was dangerously calm. “No, son, you don’t.

Look at you, eating the lies you’re being told straight from Mario’s hands.

” Another bout of laughter. “If you were half as smart as you think you are, you’d realize that girl is a death sentence.

And instead of threatening me, maybe you should protect her. ”

“Stay the fuck away from her.” I showed my cards once and for all, laid the hand down knowing the game was over.

“No one appears to have lost any sleep over your little abduction. Completely unconcerned and unharmed.” He paused. “For now.” And then I heard her voice, shouting for her sister.

“Don’t fuckin’ touch her!” I barked, no longer giving a fuck about hiding what she meant to me.

“ Tsk, tsk. ” JP laughed. “She is a hot piece of ass and you just made the chase that much sweeter, son, ” he said before cutting the call.

“Where the fuck is AJ?” I called out. Diego looked sick. “What? ”

“He followed her to Lucky’s club. She made him, and the bouncers aren’t letting him in. I’m working on it.” He tapped on his phone as I resumed my pacing.

Without thought, I flipped the table over. My rage was making things unclear. How the fuck did JP slip past security? How the fuck did no one see him?

Grabbing my phone, I dialed her number. It rang out. I waited thirty seconds and tried again. This time, I heard the sound of the club behind her long before she said anything.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

I’d expected anything other than this agitated tone. And I smiled as my palms tingled. “Now, why would I do that? You belong to me.” I could practically smell her through the phone. “Where is your guard, Octavia?”

She scoffed. “Where is AJ? There’s a song about that you know— lookin’ outside the club ?cause he can’t get in. ” She laughed.

“This isn’t a game, Octavia! JP is in New?—”

“Octavia!” a deep voice shouted. “We need to go. Now! Ragetti downstairs.”

“You’re here?” The hope that lifted her words was like a knife to the back. It was also the last thing I heard before the line went dead.

“Tell AJ they’re leaving and to fuckin’ find her. Now.”

It felt like days as my brothers sat in the office with me, silently waiting. In the back of my head, I was berating myself for ever letting her go.

JP saw it. Fuck, everyone saw it. The moment he wanted her, I let her go. I should’ve known she’d become his target.

AJ’s name flashed on my phone. I answered it to the sound of feet running and guns firing. He was panting as he barked out orders. “She’s. Safe,” he heaved. “They got her out. JP is shooting up the goddamn club. We bounced before he saw us outside.”

I commanded him to follow her and report back, before hanging up. My phone rang again a minute later. “What?”

“Did you send him? Did you fuckin’ send him, Carmine?”

“If you were home with daddy like you’re supposed to be, this wouldn’t have happened!” I shouted—my control gone. “Now be a good girl and go home to the compound. Because soon, Octavia…” I paused. “Soon, I am coming to collect.”

“I can’t believe you let him come for me. I know I’m dumb for thinking so many things about you. But I never thought you’d let me get hurt,” she huffed. “Not by him.”

And then the line went dead. I closed my eyes and dropped my head in my hands. JP needed to die. Horribly. Painfully. And I was going to stretch it out for days.

My phone chimed a second later and a devious sense of satisfaction washed over me. The old man thought he’d won—I knew it. He’d assume I’d fall back in line. So, I was going to paint a picture of indifference, give him the impression that his useless kids were back to being useless.

My brothers stared at me. “What the fuck is that look on your face?”

“Shut up, Lorenzo.” I tossed back my drink as we all stood up together. “Let’s go. I need to get drunk.” Matteo sat still, glaring. “We’ve got a present waiting on us.”

Maybe enough booze and loud music could drown it out—the guilt gnawing at me. For not protecting her when it mattered. For letting her walk away when every instinct in me screamed to keep her.

***

“We look like we’re ready for a funeral.” Lorenzo adjusted the buttons on his sleeves .

He wasn’t wrong. The three of us were in black slacks, black button-downs, and shiny black loafers. It wasn’t the type of club for jeans but also not upscale enough for jackets.

“Let’s go. I need to fuckin’ get laid.” Lorenzo clapped his hands, following me out the front door before sliding into my Maserati. Matteo and Diego hopped into one of the SUVs, followed by more men, and we headed off.

“Feels fuckin’ good to be back.” I smirked at Lorenzo, revving the engine.

The car launched out of the driveway and across the city. Weaving in and out of traffic as we made it downtown in record time. The line for the club wrapped around the entire block. Flying past the idling cars, I pulled up right out front and tossed my keys to the valet.

Lorenzo grabbed the kid in the vest by the neck and growled, “Damage her and we damage you. Permanently.”

Then we walked past the large crowd. Security opened the ropes and ushered us forward. We didn’t fuckin’ wait—not in our city.

We made it halfway inside when a group of scantily-clad waitresses flocked us.

They held blinking signs, sparklers, and a whole bunch of other shit to announce to the entire club that we were high rollers.

Pictures were snapped—no doubt the club would profit on our attendance—and posted all over social media.

We gave our version of a smile, and Lorenzo draped himself with women.

It was fuckin’ dumb, but it was the show I needed to cause. Tonight, I was pretending I’d be able to bury my dick in some unsuspecting socialite, to also bury the memories of a peculiar brunette.

I never thought you’d let me get hurt. Not by him.

I forced back my agitation as we headed straight to their VIP balcony above the crowd, droves of women following us wherever we went.

The security kept most of them at bay, knowing we didn’t let a lot of bitches close.

I licked my teeth when a blonde glanced in my direction and gave her my trademark smirk.

She returned the gesture with a bite on her supple bottom lip, and I knew I had her. It was easy. Too easy. Almost boring.

There’d be no fight. There’d be no fire between us. Sometimes we didn’t get what we wanted. A certain doll was back at home—safe—and I had an aching cock that needed to be shoved down someone’s throat.

“Can I have a vodka tonic, please?” The blonde leaned between Lorenzo and me to address the bartender. “Oh, sorry.” She smirked, resting closer to my open legs.

“I don’t think you are,” I grunted.