Page 10 of Killer Daddy (Fendi Mafia Daddies #2)

Michael

A couple of days later and Michael was back in the city. Shit was about to get real, and all Michael could think about was putting an end to the two Inzaghi thugs who had so abruptly forced their way into his darling boy’s life.

With Benjamin safely tucked away in Matteo and Kyan’s townhouse, Michael knew that he could move with confidence.

Benjamin was as safe as safe could be. Matteo’s house was totally private and there wasn’t a single suggestion that anyone outside of the Fendi family knew he lived there.

And with Benjamin and Kyan no doubt getting up to all kinds of Little mischief and fun, Michael felt confident that he could do what needed to be done and then return to collect his baby boy with no concerns.

But before laying waste to the two thugs, Michael was very much in need of a coffee. And with his brother Faustino alongside him, Michael strode into the coffee spot with the quiet confidence of a man on a mission…

‘Triple espresso, twice,’ Michael said, nodding to the barista and walking to the end of the counter with his brother beside him. ‘You all set?’

‘I’m good,’ Faustino replied. ‘You know I don’t need an excuse to fuck up the Inzaghi clan. Those assholes have been causing us trouble for years. There’s something about them I don’t like. And there’s been a weird vibe toward them from the higher ups. Have you noticed that?’

Michael nodded.

It was true that they had been given permission to take out the two thugs, albeit with the caveat that the Fendi family took over protection of the business – a fact that Michael was still unhappy about.

However, there had been something very unsettling about the meeting with Tassimo.

Michael still couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something amiss.

‘If we’re both feeling that something isn’t right, then that’s a damn good sign that there’s something wrong,’ Michael answered.

The pair of them took their piping hot triple espressos from the counter and walked over toward a table in the coffee shop window.

‘But for now, let’s just focus on the task at hand,’ Michael said, his voice calm and in control. ‘If our spy is right, we should be seeing those two dead men walking arrive to make some collections here in the next hour.’

Faustino smiled and drew his finger across his neck.

‘I know we’re older than we were, but this still feels exciting,’ Faustino said, a wry smile on his face as he sipped on his Colombian roast. ‘People might call me a psycho, but pulling the trigger is a real buzz. You know?’

Michael nodded. It was hard to deny that death was an integral and sometimes adrenalin fueled part of their lives.

But taking out the two Inzaghi thugs felt different.

Perhaps it was the involvement of Benjamin, but this felt more like true justice rather than some kind of street feud or family business decision.

The boy deserves to be happy.

And he needs to feel safe.

If I can help, then that’s what I’ll do…

And just as anticipated, the two Inzaghi men arrived in their blacked-out SUV forty minutes later. It was time to move. And more than that, it was time to kill…

‘Just fucking talk ,’ Michael growled, kicking the fallen thug in the stomach as the bullet wound in his chest bled out. ‘Tell us why you were sent to that damn business.’

‘Fuck him, just put a bullet in his head,’ Faustino snapped, throwing a kick in the direction of the thug’s back. ‘We need to move.’

Michael looked around the wet, dark alley and saw that the coast was clear should he want to pump a silenced shot into the sole surviving Inzaghi man’s head.

With the first killing carried out quickly, Michael had hoped that the remaining thug would plead for his life and offer up all kinds of potentially useful information in exchange for his life.

Unfortunately though, it appeared that the Inzaghi man was going to go out with some honor…

‘Screw you, I won’t talk,’ the thug said, groaning in pain as his white shirt turned red in double-quick time. ‘But…’

‘Yes?’ Michael answered, crouching down close to the man’s head as he moaned in agony. ‘Give me some information and I’ll make it quick. Give me enough good intel and I’ll let you live.’

Michael had no intention of letting the man live no matter what he said. But that wasn’t the point. Michael wanted to see if a final offer of clemency could extract something worthwhile.

‘The… Inzaghi clan…,’ the thug said, gritting his teeth as if he was taking his final breaths. ‘… will rule this fucking city soon! And guess fucking what… the Fendi’s have a rat whose been running his mouth all the way to the bank.’

‘Fuck this,’ Faustino snapped, pointing his silenced pistol at the man’s head and firing off two quick shots, one to the brain and then the other to the heart. ‘Rot in hell, asshole.’

Michael shook his head and shot the thug once more for good measure.

The threat to Benjamin and Flowers on Fifth might have been removed in the short term, but Michael was all too aware of the fact that the Inzaghi family weren’t likely to take the murder of two thugs lying down.

And with the maneuverings that were due to take place within the Fendi clan itself very soon, Michael knew that life was only likely to get more complicated from here on out.

The suggestion of a rat in the Fendi’s might have been a final act of bravado from the doomed thug.

Michael wasn’t about to take the man at his word.

After all, it could have been nothing more than an act of provocation before his inevitable execution.

But that said, Michael wasn’t going to simply ignore it either.

At this stage, nothing could be taken off the table.

The question for Michael was what would be the best option for ensuring that Benjamin was safe and able to live his happiest, best life. The boy would need to choose what kind of future he wanted, and he would need to do it soon.

Michael would respect whatever Benjamin chose – but he knew in his heart of hearts that only one response was going to satisfy him…

Michael stepped inside Kyan’s playroom and took a moment to look around. With the hand-drawn woodland scene adorning the walls and every conceivable toy and stuffy on display, it looked like a Little’s paradise.

‘This could be at your place one day soon,’ Matteo said, putting his arm around Michael. ‘Benjamin’s a great boy. Kyan says he’s a wonderful friend too. I’d say he’s a keeper.’

‘You know, you might be right,’ Michael said, his heart melting at the sight of Benjamin and Kyan over in the corner, sipping on juice as they put the finishing touches to huge coloring projects.

‘But… is this the right life for him? I mean, no offence to you and Kyan. But I don’t know if it’s right to bring an innocent boy into this life. ’

Michael looked at Matteo. He truly didn’t want to cause his cousin any offence whatsoever. But Michael couldn’t deny the truth that was standing right before them. They lived a dangerous life. It was a way of life that saw violence, death, cruelty, and Machiavellian plotting at each and every turn.

But if Michael was worried that his fellow gangster and cousin Matteo would take offence, then he was very much mistaken…

‘No, you’re right,’ Matteo answered, a knowing look in his eye.

‘Even now, I find myself wrestling with that dilemma late at night. But the heart wants what it wants. I know that Kyan loves me, and I love him. It would be crueler to deny that. Kyan might be a Little, but he’s smart as hell and knows his own mind.

And from what I know of him, Benjamin is the same.

All you can do is make the dangers know to him.

Whatever he chooses will be his decision, and his decision alone. ’

Michael could see that Matteo was being sincere. And he had a point too. Michael might not have known Benjamin for all that long, but he had certainly witnessed enough smart thinking and razor sharp sass to know that beneath his na?ve exterior, he had full agency for his life choices.

And with that thought in his mind, Michael watched as Matteo called Kyan over and the two of them left the playroom, no doubt wanting to give Michael and Benjamin their time together.

‘I’ve got good news, baby boy,’ Michael said, walking toward Benjamin and taking a seat on one of the big, bright-yellow beanbags. ‘Come and sit with me.’

‘Okay, Daddy,’ Benjamin said, an innocent smile on his face as he crawled over in his electric-blue romper and clambered up onto Michael’s lap. ‘D-d-d-d-did you make the bad men go away?’

‘I did,’ Michael said, nodding and stroking Benjamin’s silky-smooth hair. ‘They won’t ever come back into Flowers on Fifth again. But we do need to talk.’

‘It’s not all over, is it?’ Benjamin asked, showing that even when he was in Little mode he was able to bring himself back into real life when important matters were at hand. ‘Can I go back to working there at least?’

‘Not yet, darling,’ Michael replied. ‘But when me, Faustino, and Matteo are done, you’ll be able to go back there. Or even open your own place if you feel ready. How does that sound?’

‘It sounds good,’ Benjamin said, nuzzling into Michael’s chest and putting his hands across him. ‘Don’t worry, I can handle it. Kyan was telling me all about what it’s like to be with a Fendi man. I understand. And I promise I’ll behave and won’t let you down.’

‘You could never let me down, Benjamin,’ Michael said, a feeling of pride surging over him as he realized that his boy was even more special than he’d thought.

‘I know it’s early, but I’ve got a special feeling for you, boy.

But if something does build between us, I need to know that you fully understand who I am, and what I do. ’

‘I do,’ Benjamin replied, a look of real sincerity in his pretty eyes. ‘And I’m cool. Cooler than the coolest polar bear on the coolest iceberg.’

‘Ha!’ Michael smiled, leaning over and planting a kiss on Benjamin’s forehead. ‘I get it, I get it. You’re cool!’

‘So… are we going back upstate? Or your place in the city?’ Benjamin asked. ‘And… is that where I live now? With you?’

Michael knew that this was a significant moment between him and Benjamin. While it wasn’t like they were formally moving in with one another, taking Benjamin as his responsibility for the foreseeable future was a big deal.

And with the way that things were progressing between them on a romantic level, Michael knew that they would need a big chat about how that would play out too.

Michael wanted Benjamin to feel comfortable on every step of their journey, and with threats all around them, he knew it would be a tough ask at times.

‘Daddy?’ Benjamin asked once more. ‘Are you sure you want me to stay with you?’

‘Of course I am sure,’ Michael said, taking Benjamin’s small hands inside his much bigger hands.

‘We’ll stay in the city for now. I’ll keep you safe.

And we’ll have fun too. And I mean the kind of fun that you’ve probably only ever dreamed of.

But before all of that, we need to get out of here and leave Matteo and Kyan to get on with their evening.

It’s time to head home, boy. And I’m taking you with me all the way. ’

With that, Benjamin giggled in delight and squeezed his arms around Michael’s powerful shoulders.

Michael knew that the future would be full of twists and turns, but right now he had something very different on his mind – and it involved getting his sexy as all hell boy back to his place sooner rather than later…