Page 11 of Ruin Me With Lies

I GLARE AT THEglisteninggold chess piece nestled inside the black giftbox.

A rook.

THE O’s way of confirming I was right about Renato Mancini.Head of a small-time mob family, one that only operates because Iallowit.This ismycity.And he’s never hid his resentment over that fact.Hates that every major deal, every retaliation hit, has to go through me first.

It wasn’t hard to guess he’d be the first to align with my unknown rival.

Fueled by frustration atTHE O, I snapped.Handled Renato Mancini the way theoldStefano Castello would.

Messy.Bloody.Loud.

A message, not just to the others in the coup against me, but toTHE O.A reminder of what happens when held under the gun.Of the inhumane savage I was before they stepped in to keep me in line.

A statement wrapped in a question:Are wesurewe want to do this?Because left to my own devices, there might not be a Vegas left foranyoneto rule when I’m done.

I pick up the note at the bottom of the box…

You can either throw a tantrum like a BOY…

Or you can use the chance we have given you wisely.

Keep it CLEAN from here on out.

-JB

“Stronzi,” I mutter under my breath and backhand the box off my desk.

Lorenzo strides into my office, bringing the rich aroma of coffee with him.

His attention flicks to the overturned giftbox and the rook now lying on the floor.“FromTHE O, I take it?”

Gio walks in behind him.

“Confirmation that we got it right with Mancini,” I say.“Along with a warning to ‘keep it clean.’”

Lorenzo sighs.“To be fair, Ididtell you that handling Mancini like that would likely piss them off.”

His tone alone pisses me off further.

“That’s not us anymore, brother,” he continues.“That’s notyouanymore.We’ve got nothing to prove anymore.We’ve come a long way.We’re the kings of fucking Vegas.It was only a matter of time before some ambitious fucker rose up.

“Does it suck thatTHE Ois letting it happen?Yeah.But let’s be clean about it.Let’s not unravel.I’d bet that’s what they want.For us to revert to how we used to be.For us to go full on savage and burn it all to the ground.Let’s not give it to ‘em.”He sips his big-ass mug of coffee.“And to be honest, brother?I fuckinghatebeing the calm one these days.Feels weird as shit.So just…take a breather.Go back to beingyou.Calm, levelheaded, unruffled, and self-obsessed.So that I can go back to beingme.”

I glare at him.

Then launch my crystal paperweight at his head.

He dodges it, then looks to Gio.“See what I mean?”

“He’s right, Stefano,” Gio chimes in.“We’re not used to you like this.You’re our steady and fearless self-absorbed leader.When you’re like this, everyone’s on edge.Don’t know what to expect.Especially since no one but us knows aboutTHE Oor what’s going down.”He jabs a thumb toward the door.“Out there?It’s starting to feel like a nation on the brink.Whispered theories.Misinformation.Paranoia.”

All this fucking talk…

“It’s easy to talk about ‘calm’ when you’re not the one on a kill list,” I grind out, slamming my fist on the desk.“Easy to be calm when you aren’toneslip-up away from being taken out.Done.Gone.”My gaze flicks between them.“What the fuck will you do when I’m gone, huh?This one’s already whining about having to be the ‘calm one.’What will you do?Decide among yourselves who will take over in my place and bring it toTHE O?”

I let the silence stretch.“That isnothow it works.Theychoose.Theydecide.Theymake the rules.And if I’m done, you’reallfucking done.”I grip my cellphone so hard my fingers ache, barely holding back from hurling it at them.“I’m not worried about my life.I’m worried aboutyouhopeless idiots.Youshouldbe on edge.Youshouldbe rattled.Youshouldbe worried about what the fuck happens next.”I blow out a sharp breath.“If you two have nothing better to say to me than to ‘calm down,’ then get the fuck out.”

Gio holds his hands up in surrender, backing down.