Page 72 of Texting the CEO's Obsession
If she decides to tell Riley the truth like I asked her to, I have no idea how Riley is going to react. I’ll just have to deal with it as it comes.
“Mommy’s boy,” Bruno says with a snort when we can no longer hear anything from down the hall.
Ofcoursehe’s going to start in on me again. God forbid we have a single moment of kinship between us.
“Bruce, can you not?” Marcus asks, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
“Calling it like I see it,” Bruno says with a shrug. “Not so big and bad in front of Mommy Dearest, are you?”
I breathe out sharply through my nose, clenching my hands into fists beneath the table, careful to keep my posture loose and carefree where my brother can see it.
“Just because I don’t respect you doesn’t mean I don’t respect Ma,” I drawl with a bored arch of my brow.
Bruno’s scarred face goes a mottled red with embarrassment, and he sneers at me, crossing beefy arms over his chest.
“If you respected any of us, you wouldn’t be running away from your fucking duties, kid. Your little fortune isn’t worthshitwhen no one is scared of the D’Amico name anymore.” He leans forward, fingers clenched tight on the edge of the table, eyes laced with anger. “We used tobesomething, Nick. People respected us. Theyfearedus. And you threw it all away to go run a fucking investment firm.”
As much as I want to leap across the table and start a fistfight right about now, I have to remind myself that tonight isn’t about me, and it certainly isn’t about Bruno. Riley’s going to have enough to process after her talk with Ma without having to come out and see my brother and me with bloody knuckles and split lips after laying into each other.
“This is getting old.” I sigh harshly. “D’Amico Global finances the entire family, and people still have plenty of respect for thename. They just don’t have any respect foryou. Find a new schtick or shut the fuck up, Bruno.”
“I’m a bit busy running the family on my fucking own to do that,” he responds, sharp and angry.
“Careful,” I say, raking my gaze over him disinterestedly. “Wouldn’t wantMommy Dearestto hear you talking like that.”
She’d string him up by his toes for the implication.
Marcus slams his hand down on the table, snapping the two of us out of our staring match, rattling the dishes on the table.
“Shutup!” he snaps. “Can we just have a nice dinner for once? Stop arguing for five minutes,please. I’m tired of listening to this shit.”
Bruno turns his vitriol on Marcus without a moment’s hesitation, baring his teeth in a way that makes him look more like a rabid dog than a man.
“You’ve always been such a fucking pussy. You can’t handle an argument, much less a real fight,” he spits. “If you had any balls, I wouldn’t have to waste all my time trying to get Nick back in the fucking saddle. The biggest coward in this family is you, Marcus.”
Marcus shoves up from the table while Bruno’s still laying into him, sending his chair toppling over backward, before stalking out of the room without a single word, obviously done trying to play mediator.
I send a hateful glare Bruno’s way as I stand to follow him.
Marcus is the youngest of us, and it’s true that he’s the most sensitive. That’s the wholepointof having the rest of the familyaround, though. He’s supposed to be protected, not thrown into the line of fire just because Bruno doesn’t like getting his hands dirty alone. If anyone’s the coward here, it’s Bruno. The oldest of three, and he still can’t do his job without someone holding his hand.
Before I manage to catch up with Marcus, Bruno’s shoes clip behind me on the glossy hardwood floors. His massive hand closes around my bicep as he yanks me into an alcove off to the side of the hallway, pressing me up to the wall with his arm against my throat. My fingers itch to slam into his face, coming away bloody, but that would only be giving him what he wants. I force my face to stay impassive, only the slightest curl of my upper lip into a sneer giving away my annoyance.
“I’ve had enough of this game,” he snaps, biting the words out and spraying my face with spittle. “I’ve been patient with you for long enough, kid, and I’m over it.”
“You haven’t been patient a day in your fucking life,” I grit out, shoving him back so I can breathe properly.
“Enough with the attitude! Get your shit together and act like an adult, Nick! You need to get over this stupid little distraction with your bitch and your bullshit fucking company and step up to the plate for the family.” My back hits the wall as he shoves me, his eyes meeting mine with hatred and annoyance in their depth. I know that he doesn’t like the fact that our mother gave me permission to get part of this family on the legal side of things, but he was always the hot headed one always choosing to get his hands dirty. “You want to let Marcus be a pussy? Fine. Let him run the company and come do your goddamn job. I’m having issues with suppliers left and right and I need the manpower.”
I don’t even think about it before answering him.
“No.” It’s sharp, succinct, and the only answer he’s going to get from me. “I’m done with that. The company might be run by me but it was founded for this family and with Ma’s approval. If you’re having problems, talk to her.”
“The fuck iswrongwith you?” he hisses, stepping back to push an agitated hand through his slicked-back hair, staring at me like he doesn’t understand the problem. “You can’t tell me you really don’t miss getting your hands dirty. You lived for it when we were younger. Come back and have some fucking fun, kid.”
My lip curls in disdain, and I shake my head.
“Bashing in skulls isn’t my idea offunanymore,” I say drily. “Solve your own problems. This isn’t my life anymore.”
