Page 118 of Bad Medicine
Would Jasper?
“I get what you’re saying, Enzo. And I appreciate you looking out for me. But I gotta tell you, I’m still gonna go through with it. Even if they hate me for it. Because there is no place on this earth that they would be safe from Gregor. And in ten years, if Jasper is wondering where his father has been all this time, I’ll be the first one to tell him he’s in the ground. Because if he lives? He’s gonna ruin that boy and every good and sweet thing about him. Every part of him that Mia has nurtured would be wiped away if Gregor got his hands on him.
“So, they can hate me all they want, but I’m still gonna kill that bastard, because I love them both enough to sacrifice everything for them.”
Staring at me in silence, Enzo threw back the rest of his drink, then stood, his face in shadow as the sunlight reflected off the surface of the pool behind him.
“Well, alright then, you fuckin’ knight in shining armor. Tell me your plan, and let’s finish this once and for all.”
It was a few hours later when Mia arrived back at Enzo’s house with Benny in tow, having been forced to work the third shift because she’d wanted to spend Christmas morning with Jasper.
“Any trouble at the hospital?” I asked Benny while Mia was showering off her shift.
“Nah,” he replied. “There was another doctor sniffing around her, but she shut that shit down pretty quick. Couldn’t hurt to have some words with him, though. Make sure he knows the score.”
“That Edwards prick?” When Benny nodded, I scoffed. “Yeah, I’ll see that he understands how things are. Good lookin’ out, Benny. See you tomorrow night?”
Benny nodded, then climbed back into his Camero and took off, headed back to his place to sleep.
After Mia finished her shower, we all gathered in the kitchen, watching Francesca make pancakes under Jasper’s expert guidance.
Standing there, with my arm around Mia’s shoulder as she sipped her tea, avoiding caffeine because she planned to get a few hours sleep, I knew I was making the right choice. This moment, this average, everyday moment with my woman, our boy, and my best friends in the world? It was fuckin’ everything I had ever dreamed of as a lonely punk kid who’d been thrown away by everyone who’d ever mattered.
I was gonna do everything in my power to protect moments like this.
Even if it meant getting my hands really fuckin’ dirty.
Chapter fifty-five
Rocco
“Andlastly,I’dliketo thank the good citizens of Las Vegas for entrusting me with your city. I know, together, we can bring a new level of prosperity and happiness to everyone. Thank you all!”
The crowd of sycophants cheered, clapping for that smarmy fuck like he’d just won a Grammy instead of a seat on the Las Vegas city council.
Made me fuckin’ sick.
As Enzo had predicted, Greg Belmont had won the election, securing himself the seat that was only currently open because he’d killed the last man who’d sat in it, but hey. Details, right?
Leaning against the wall at the back of the stuffy little hotel conference room, trying to ignore the smell of damp and vomit that seemed to permeate the carpet no matter where I tried to stand, I watched as Gregor shook hands and posed for pictures, his smile looking like it was in desperate need of my fist, but unable to do anything about it.
For now.
As Gregor made his way off the stage, I backed out of the room, not wanting him to see me before it was time. He had been a hard man to track down, but there was no way a narcissist like him was going to miss his own campaign party, so this was gonna be the best shot I had to accomplish what I wanted to do.
What Ineededto do.
Hands in my pockets, I toyed with the item I had borrowed for this evening’s festivities, grateful that Enzo was kind enough to lend it to me, but seriously considering acquiring one of my own.
I’d see how the night went before I shelled out any cash, though.
The lobby of the hotel had a shitty little bar, and I found a table in a shadowed corner, one that allowed me to see the only exit Gregor would be able to take out of the room, ordered a drink, and settled in to wait.
Three hours later, he sauntered out, arm around some young chick who was probably an intern, looking down the front of her dress as he led her out of the hotel.
Tossing a twenty on the table, I followed them.
I trailed them into the parking lot, watching as they claimed into an ugly Mercedes G Wagon, the garish brown color making it look like a giant turd. After about a fifteen-minute drive, they pulled into a residential street, parking in the driveway of an end unit townhouse where this chick obviously lived. It was perfect; her place being at the farthest end meant that there was also a large concrete wall that ran up the one side of the driveway, blocking the view into his vehicle from that direction.
