Page 63 of Sins of the Orchid

Both men started shaking their heads frantically. “W-we don’t know who you are.”

“Then why are you pissing yourself?”

I wanted to pop a bullet in both of their heads. I was so fucking done with the games. All these fuckers worked for the cartel but didn’t know the name of their boss.

“P-please—”

He didn’t get to finish. I hit him on the side of his face with the handle of my gun. The skin on his face cracked and blood poured down his cheek. Maybe I’d torture one while the other was watching. It could be a fairly good incentive. I hit him again at the images of my father’s frail body shot up with multiple bullets bleeding out on the concrete.

These bastards were scared to get out of the fucking car and pick a fight with a sixty-year-old man. I hit him again, and the rage that Amore calmed down now simmering back to the surface. I hit him again and more blood spilled out of his mouth.

“Santi, he won’t talk if he’s dead,” Adriano stated the fucking obvious.

“Luckily, we have two of them. We’ll kill one.”

I grabbed his face and held his jaw tight. I wouldn’t flinch if I cracked his jaw with my hand. It was everyday fucking business to me. He wanted pain; I’d be more than happy to oblige.

“The name,” I gritted out.

“I don’t have one,” he whimpered, while the other captive was literally shitting himself.

Landing another punch to his face, I felt his bones crack under my knuckles and a loud yelp fell from his lips.

“Give. Me. The. Name,” I gritted out again, too frustrated to deal with fucking morons. I grabbed him by his throat and squeezed hard, choking the life out of him. His face turned purple. “Address.”

“Bronx, zip 10456,” he wheezed out. I eased up, just barely, so he could finish the address. “East 167th St.”

I resumed squeezing his throat, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

“Stop!” It would seem the other captive couldn’t stand the idea of torture, and I hadn’t even started on him. “We weren’t even in town when they ordered the hit on your father.” He added frantically.

Anger crept beneath my skin, searing and clawing to make them pay. I swallowed down the burning rage while a red haze swam in my vision. Rage rushed through me, drumming in my ears.

I grabbed the chin again of the same guy who denied knowing me and tightened my grip. “I thought you didn’t know me.”

“It was meant for Bennetti,” he rattled out. “His bastard kid is next.”

A deathly stillness fell over me. They meant to hurt Amore.

“Bennetti doesn’t hang in the same neighborhood.” Adriano came forward, his eyes burning. He was protective of Amore. I allowed Pà to keep Adriano out of the family business, but I would need him now. More than ever. Besides, he wouldn’t keep to the sidelines when Amore’s safety was in question.

“He and the old Russo were going to meet. They were both supposed to be there.” The Venezuelan with the bloodied face frantically looked around, searching for help. There would be nobody to help him here.

With a lazy, autocratic stare, I pulled out my gun and put a bullet into their skulls. Two seconds apart.

They had fucked with the wrong family.

CHAPTER21

Amore

Isat cross-legged on the couch with Adriano next to me.

He played Warcraft on his iPhone while at the same time watchingAvengers. It was our go to movie, and we’d seen it at least a hundred times since we’d been friends. Dad was in his office, and Luigi was somewhere with Santi, probably hunting the cartel. It was the reason Adriano was pissed off. He felt he should be out there with the boys.

“Are you okay?” I asked Adriano. He seemed a bit off. But then, so did I. I was still high from tumbling between the sheets with the man of my dreams. Santi Russo. Just his name and I was swooning and sighing. Last night was so much better than I could have ever imagined. Amazeballs. Pinnacle. But it wasn’t just physical for me. My chest swelled with so many feelings for him. I loved him. Always have and I suspected I always would.

“No, I’m not okay,” Adriano gritted out his response, bringing me back to earth. “I should be out there going after those men. Not sitting here, twiddling my thumbs with you.”