Page 75 of Flawed

As if Angelo can read my mind, he states, "Brody did what he had to do."

I glance at him. I'm unsure how he knows what I'm thinking.

He chuckles and points to my fist. "Best to calm down, Luca."

I take a deep breath, take out a joint, and light it up. After a couple inhales, I finally sit across from the O'Connors. "Thanks for shooting me, you motherfucker," I seethe at Brody.

Brody grunts, claiming, "Somebody had to save your life."

Still not wanting to admit anything, I grumble, "Bullshit. You owe me one now."

Tully clears his smoker's voice. He declares, "I think it's the opposite. I think you owe us a favor."

"Excuse me?" I snarl.

Angelo holds his hands in the air. "Nobody owes anybody, Tully. This isn't one of those times you can claim a debt."

He grins, and I want to smack him. He replies, "Come on now. My son saved his life. If he hadn't shot him, there would have been a price to pay with Jacopo. We all know it would have been his life... or at the very least, a limb."

I scowl in disgust. Tully O'Connor is not a man I've been in a room with very often, but whenever I have, something about him rubs me the wrong way. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, so that includes his sons.

Angelo firmly repeats, "There's no debt owed on this for either of you. Got it?"

Tully shrugs. An arrogant grin overpowers his face. He takes another puff of his cigar then says, "All right, I'll let this one slide."

I grunt, responding, "Like you have any authority over me."

"All right. This conversation is over," Angelo orders.

I take another hit then focus on Brody, pointing out, "You're lucky Jacopo hasn't killed you by now."

"Not really," Tully asserts in his cocky voice.

I turned toward him. "What are you talking about now?"

He pins his beady eyes on me. "Threats go both ways."

"Meaning?" I ask, already tired of this entire situation.

He takes another puff, exhales, then takes a mouthful of whiskey. He casually answers, "I sent the fingers from one of Jacopo's nephews to him in a box."

I freeze. The last thing I need is Jacopo all riled up. I inquire, "And why did you do that?"

"Let's just say there was a warning with it."

"Mind spitting information out faster?" I sneer.

Tully smirks, adding, "He knows the rules. A hit on my son's life equals a hit on his. If any of my sons wind up missing or dead, his little prince Biagio will also be missing... until I send his head to his father in a box."

I stare at Tully. The man's as insane as Jacopo, but he is smart. Still, I ask, "So you think Jacopo's not going to hurt Brody? Or come after him?"

Tully knocks back the rest of his drink. He adds, "I also put a picture of his niece in the warning."

I gape at him. Adding women into the crime family feuds is another huge no-no. I hurl, "Are you crazy? You have a daughter."

Tully pins his hardened expression on me. "My daughter is safe and will remain that way. However, Jacopo's favorite niece—the one he promised to Eddie O'Leary—well, let's just say as long as my family is safe, so is she."

"You're crazy," I mutter. I've heard enough. I turn to Angelo, "Is there anything going on I need to know about?"

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