Page 52 of Driftwood Daffodil 3

This time it was my brow that arched. “Didn’t you beat the crap out of some guy yesterday for laughing the wrong way?”

“Hey, that prick was up to no good.”

“He was serving ice cream to children.”

“Exactly. What kind of perv drives an ice cream truck?”

And he wanted me to talk to him about my feelings.

“So…”

“So what?”

“Come on buddy,” Atlee pulled the car to a stop in front of my house and looked over at me. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Did I start with the afternoon detention Nova got us for a week, the fact that I had to ride with him today because Romeo needed my car for some reason, or that my uncle was now in town.

“I’ll tell you what, the day I wake up with a pussy, I’ll tell you all about my feelings.” If that should ever happen the only feelings I would have would be where the fuck is my dick, but at least Atlee could sympathize with that.

“Deal. But just so you know, if you ever woke up female, I’d pop that cherry so fast.”

And this was why women were winning the gender war.

“Stay the fuck away from my pussy.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”

I snorted, “who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”

Gentle wasn’t in Atlee’s vocabulary.

“Better me than Aldo. That sick fuck would probably enjoy raping his niece.”

That one I’d give to him. Family meant shit to my uncle. The only thing he cared about was himself. I was pretty sure he hated every other Mancini. Me in particular, but I had no problem snubbing him. Respect was earned not given, and Aldo hadn’t earned shit. Even Romeo blew him off, which pissed Aldo off because he couldn’t do shit about it.

My brother was next in line for the throne, and therefore had a higher position in the food chain than my uncle. He was probably not impressed that I was taking the oath this weekend.

That would knock him down a peg in the line of succession, to right under me. A fact that both amused me and made me cautious. If Aldo wanted to make a play for power, I’d be the first person he took out.

Atlee leaned forward to look out the windshield. “I don’t see any of Aldo’s goons lurking around.”

“They’re probably on the Olive.”

Aldo liked to spend his first night in town gambling and whoring on my dad’s riverboat. I used to wonder why he didn’t go to the casino, there was more underground entertainment there. Now I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a silent stab at my father. The riverboat was named after my mother.

“At least you won’t have to put up with him today.”

There was a bonus. I was not looking forward to playing nice, but I would have to. At least until I could find evidence that Aldo couldn’t argue and that my father would believe. Of course there was always the chance that my mind was playing tricks on me, but something in my gut told me that wasn’t the case.

“We could still call in a hit.”

Tempting, but… “If Aldo is taken out, then I want to watch him die.”

Atlee tipped his head. “What are you not telling me?”

“You’ll know when you need to.” I couldn’t tell Atlee or Darry about my memory. They wouldn’t wait for proof.

I opened the door and stepped out. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

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