Page 22 of Dagger in the Sea

The Boss. Mauro Guardino.

My breath throttled in my weary chest. I’d recognize that bulky form, that smell anywhere. I pushed the girl into the elevator and she squeaked out a yelp as the doors closed in her face.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“To interrupt you. Seems like I did.”

“No, you didn’t. Sorry to disappoint you.”

He brushed past me, entering my apartment. “Get some clothes on, wash your hands, and pour me a drink.”

Motherfucker.

I let out a sigh. “I’m going to take a shower.”

I showered, put on a cotton robe, and returned to my living room where he waited for me on the sofa, his coat thrown sloppily on a nearby leather armchair.

“Whisky? Brandy? Cognac?” I asked.

“Brandy.”

I poured the liquor into a snifter and handed it to him. Water for me, I’d had enough.

“You found another way to amuse yourself after what you did today?” he asked, gripping the crystal glass.

“Had to pour all that energy into someone else, didn’t I?”

He threw the glass at me, I ducked, and it missed me, crashing on the floor at my side.

“That was Baccarat,” I muttered.

“You trying to make some kind of point today?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“Your daughter has always had a crush on me, Mauro. I, for one, have always stayed away.”

“Today you encouraged her. She’s your sister!”

I let out a breath. “I apologize, it was stupid. I allowed all that shit with Val to get the best of me.” I handed him a new glass with more liquor.

Mauro took it and dipped his head. “All right.”

“Val’s jealousy and resentment are a fucking problem, and you need to deal with it,” I said. “He’s starting to interfere with my business, the very successful business I run for you, and I don’t like it.”

He took a gulp of his drink. “I’ll handle it. You watch yourself.”

“There’s something else I need to discuss with you. Something important.”

“Other than that biker mess? I have to hand it to you, Turo. I’m glad you made that fucker tap dance all this time, making the Tantuccis scramble. Well done. Very well done.”

My pulse thudded in my neck. He’d been impressed? It certainly hadn’t seemed that way earlier in his office. Once again, he’d never acknowledge his approval and pleasure in front of Val and all the rest of them, would he?

Was this why he’d come over here? To pat me on the back as well as slap me upside the head for my confrontations with his children? I used to like it, love it, in fact, his special attention to me when I’d perform well; taking me aside and complimenting me with a quick slap on the back, a wink across the room, a quick call hours later. But I wasn’t a kid eagerly climbing up the ladder anymore. I was stuck on the middle rung, and getting stepped on by assholes who were hustling to the top.

I said, “It’s about my mother.”

“Erin?” he narrowed his eyes as he took another swig of his brandy.

“Why are you fucking with her? I thought that was done the minute you got me over to the dark side.”

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