Page 30 of Waiting Game

Dad raised an eyebrow, and turned his attention back to me with a smirk on his face.

“A girl, really?” he asked, leaning back.

“Valerie is back in town,” Larissa teased, elbowing me in the ribs.

Dad’s expression of amusement disappeared.

“You stay away from her,” he warned, pointing a finger at me.

“You don’t have to worry,” I yawned, trying to sound uninterested.

“That girl has some nerve showing her face in this city again. She’s a fucking disgrace.”

I felt my eye twitch slightly, but tried to keep my cool. Me getting angry would only arouse more suspicion. The elders would not forgive Valerie for leaving.

Deserting The Family was the most atrocious act of betrayal in our world, and if she were not the daughter of the late Don, she would be hunted and killed for disloyalty. It was too risky to have people who were once involved with us mingling amongst civilians.

It was dangerous for us, and for them.

You never knew what they would do, or who they would speak to. I knew that Valerie was not like most who decided to leave The Family. It wasn’t so she could join a rival club, or be involved in other dealings - she just wanted a normal life.

Anyone should be able to understand that.

One of the biggest regrets of my life was not following her when I had the chance. But once I swore my oath to serve The Family, I lost my chance to change my mind. It was a lifelong commitment, more sacred and binding than marriage or blood relation. It didn’t help that my boss was also my best friend. And it also didn’t help that the girl that I loved was that man’s little sister.

“I mean it, Lorenzo. That girl is trouble. Her father should’ve dealt with her long ago,” he continued.

“That’s enough,” I said, reading between the lines.

It was no understatement when they said that the oath to The Family was stronger than blood. I knew that if he were not imprisoned, and if I were to do what Valerie did, that my father wouldn’t hesitate in killing me.

He was suggesting that her father had done the same to her.

Dad leaned back in his chair again, laughing at me.

“You’re a fucking fool, Lorenzo,” he said, “I only hope that Antoni figures it out before you ruin him.”

With that, I got up and left, the chair crashing behind me as it fell backwards. I left Larissa behind, but I heard her clacking heels close behind me. I got into my car, slamming the door shut and revving the engine.

“Why the fuck can’t you keep your mouth shut, Larissa?” I spat, as I pulled out onto the road before she had the chance to put her seat belt on.

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” she pouted.

“Sure you didn’t.”

The rest of the drive was silent as I stewed over my father’s words.

I pulled into the underground parking lot of my apartment building and slammed the door, heading for the elevator up to my home. Larissa made her way over to her car, shouting “bye,” in a cranky tone as if I was the one who had caused the trouble.

It seemed that Larissa got off on causing problems in other people’s lives.

It was almost as if her life was so boring, that she had to cause this drama for some amusement. She had been this way since we were kids, and I never understood it. I saw the relationship that Antoni had with both of his sisters, and his brother, and couldn’t help being envious.

They fought, sure, but they always had each other’s backs.

I got changed and strapped up, putting my holster on under my shirt. Getting back in my car, I drove the winding road out to the little cabin in the rainforest. Antoni and Angel’s cars were already parked out front. The guy had been tied up for days now, with Dimitri checking in on him every now and again to make sure he didn’t take the easy way out and drop dead on us.

I stormed into the house, and the boys were standing around.

---