Page 43 of Bullseye
“What do you want, Dad?”
“I wish you were happier to hear from me.”
Nodding, I keep my anger in check. “You and your choices stole my life from me.” Rather than having been in the Bordono family, working as a trained killer to pay off my father’s debt, I could have gotten my teaching certification. I’d be in a high school science room right now, explaining atoms and balancing chemical equations, and who knows… maybe even going home to Seneca after...
“I’m sorry to hear you say that.” I imagine him dropping his chin and rubbing his eyes. Those eyes that are so damned important in his line of work. “Listen, Avery, I’m in a bit of a mess.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight. There it is. The reason he called.
Dropping the tone of my voice, I speak slowly and clearly. “There is no way in hell I’m going back in for you…”
“I just need to see you, son. Please. I’m your father.”
His words form a lump in my throat, but I push it down, swallowing hard. My father? Yeah, he’s my father, and no matter what, I don’t want him to die this way.
“I just need you to come home. Just for a bit.”
Closing my eyes, I will my anger down. I’ve got to keep it under control.Okay, think clearly, Bullseye, if he wants you there, it means they’re not here.
That means they’re nowhere near Seneca and the Steel Knights. That’s good. But why are they being lazy? Yeah, sure, maybe Mikey and Tony don’t want to worry about taking me out when I have the protection of the Knights, and I can’t blame them, but there’s got to be more.
For some reason I can’t quite put my finger on, I know Don Bordono wants me back in New York and this is the way he’s letting me know. But if he wanted me to work for him, he would have just summoned me.
So, why?
The searing pain in my gut tells me that it has something to do with Ironclad. If Mikey and Tony have been given cred for doing time and taking the heat for an Ironclad deal gone bad, maybe they’re being rewarded. By him. Maybe Ironclad is a hell of a lot more powerful than he was when I left over two years ago.
But Don Bordono would never willingly let that happen. That means there will be war between the Bordonos and Ironclad’s gang in the clubs and drug rings of Manhattan. And just for fun, as a show of appreciation for Mikey and Tony, they’ll bring me in for a sacrifice. Just like Don Bordono’s show of appreciation toward me was to get me out of a three-year sentence after only six months.
“Why, Dad? Why do you need me to come home?”
“Because I’ve been taken prisoner.” His voice is strained now. Like he’s in pain. They must have given him a warning punch.
Christ, Dad.
“Avery, you’re the only one who can help me. Come to New York. See Don Bordono. He wants to talk to you.”
“Okay, Dad. Okay. I’ll come.”
“That’s my boy, and Avery?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. Remember when we used to shoot together when you were a kid? Remember what I always told you?”
“Sure, Dad.”
“Never step out of the lane with your finger on the trigger, Avery. Remember that—”
Never step out of the lane with your finger on the triggeris code for “stay put”. They want me in New York. They’re trying to kill me, and he’s willing to sacrifice his life for mine.
Fuck. Who knew he could be this selfless? Now, I feelobligatedto help him. No, he wasn’t a great father, but he’s the only one I have.
“Hey, Bullseye?” A thin, raspy, ugly voice cuts in on the line.
“Who’s this?” I know damned well who it is, it’s one of the three voices I constantly hear in my head.
“Move!”
