Page 76 of Cocky Jerk

He contemplates the order. If he’s plotting to pull a fast one on me, so be it. I don’t give a fuck anymore. I’ll go down as the cop who botched Sergeant Floyd’s operation and still be gifted a key to the city for my efforts. Maybe DeLuca ain’t that off. We live in a world fueled by corruption. It doesn’t matter which side of the law you’re on, there’s always an out somewhere.

Perhaps I’m the weak link in this story.

“As you wish,” he finally says and turns around.

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath, waiting for him to make his move until I exhale and the weight on my chest subsides.

Closing the space between us, I grab his hands and slap the cuffs on him. I read him his Miranda rights and drag him out of the room. We hit the hallway and I try to focus, but all I can think about is Antonia.

Please let Richie find her.

Please let her be okay.

Entering the main room, my feet come to a halt and I take in the carnage around me. There are bodies on the floor and cops everywhere. In a sea of blue, I spot a mass of wild curls and all the air leaves my lungs as Antonia turns. Her eyes don’t meet mine, though. Instead, they lock with Tanks.

“Dad?!”

He doesn’t say a word, but judging by the way his shoulders slouch, I know he’s just as relieved I am. Even with tears streaming down her cheeks, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and when her eyes finally do find mine, I realize she’s also the picture of heartbreak.

“No,” she cries in disbelief.

“Antonia,” I say, but my voice gets lost as Tank talks over me.

“I told you never to trust a pig,” he tells her.

I flinch at his words and try to muster the courage to look her in the eye. Just when I think I can do it, Tony steps forward, blocking my view of her and takes Tank out of my custody. Antonia watches as her father is roughly dragged out of the clubhouse and I take the opportunity to make my way to her.

I reach for her hand, but she pulls it back and steps out away from me. I meet her gaze and it’s a punch to the gut. I’ve never seen eyes so dull and lifeless before.

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not what it looks like. I had no idea I was coming here today—”

Cutting me off, she spats, “Get away from me.”

“Antonia…”

She wipes her cheeks with the backs of her hands and steps closer to me. Her dark eyes lock with mine and my heart hammers against my chest.

“I hate you,” she whispers.

That’s funny.

Because I could swear, I love you.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Marco

Standing beside me, Richie offersme a Styrofoam cup of coffee.

“How’s it going?” he questions as I tear my eyes away from the glass separating me and Antonia’s father. I look down at the sludge swirling around in the cup and back at my partner.

“He won’t talk,” I reveal, diverting my gaze back to the glass.

Inside the interrogation room, Tank sits at a metal table handcuffed and across from Tony Dinaso who has been questioning him for the last three hours.

When we arrived at the station, I was finally clued in on what the hell was going on. As it turns out, Bendetti didn’t actually lead Floyd to the Corrupt Hellraiser’s. You see, even after months of investigating the notorious gangster, all their evidence is circumstantial. They got a couple of bodies they can pin on him but without his prints on the weapons or an eyewitness, Bendetti walks. That’s where Tank comes in.

Tony wants him to testify and say he sold the guns to Bendetti. At least that’s what I got from this whole fucking thing. I wasn’t paying all that much attention to the briefing, I was too busy licking my wounds over Antonia.

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