Page 23 of It Hurts Me
“He can be as cautious as he wants, but I’ll still find that motherfucker.” Dante had opened up a can of worms when he’d recruited his friend from the north. Draven thought he could take my drug business from me like I was giving out candy on Halloween. “He knows this isn’t over, so either he’ll strike or I’ll strike. There’s no way one of us isn’t dead by the end of this.”
Octavio smashed his cigar into the ashtray to put it out. “I’ll keep looking.”
“I know you will, Octavio. We’ve got eyes everywhere.”
“Just remember, he’s got eyes everywhere too.”
I was spread in multiple directions every day, but declaring war on the Brotherhood for my brother’s death had spread me even thinner. I always had enemies, but now I had big enemies.
Scarlett’s eyes lit up at the sight of me. “Haven’t seen you around in a while.” She moved into me and hugged me the way a little sister would hug her brother. She wasn’t as tall as me, so her cheek moved to my chest.
“You know how it gets.” I pressed a kiss to her temple before I let her go.
“You could always retire, you know.” She pulled away and gave me a little smile before she stepped away.
“Men like me don’t retire.”
“Axel did.”
“That’s it.”
“How?”
“He found me.”
“And you’re telling me there’s not some piece of ass out there just waiting for you to walk into her life and set it on fire? Oh, I’m sure she’s out there…just waiting.” She moved toward the kitchen.
Axel was at the table with Dante, the two of them talking while the kids jumped all over them. When Axel realized I was there, he grinned and rose from his chair before he walked toward me. “There he is.” He embraced me with a bear hug and a hard thump on the back. “Thanks for coming.”
“I won’t turn down Scarlett’s cooking.”
Their son beelined straight for my knee, grabbing on to my leg and looking up at me with a smile. “Uncle Theo!” he exclaimed. At least, that was what I decided he said.
“Hey, little man.” I ruffled my fingers through his hair as I smiled down at him, seeing the spitting image of Axel looking back at me, with that same dirty-blond hair and blue eyes. “Been good for your mama?”
He smiled wider and shook his head. “No.”
“I figured.”
He let go of my leg and ran off to his mother.
Axel’s daughter was on Dante’s thigh, and judging by the smile Dante wore, he enjoyed being a grandfather. Dante put her on the floor, and she toddled off.
On the way, she bumped into my leg and grinned up at me.
“Hi, sweetheart.” I smiled as I watched her go then turned to regard Dante.
My smile immediately disappeared.
Dante stuck out his hand to shake mine. “It’s been a while.”
I didn’t take it. “Not long enough.” I still had to clean up his mess, a monster that he’d unleashed from a cage.
“Theo.” Axel said my name lightly.
“I’m not fucking his daughter, so I’m not so inclined to forgive and forget.” I moved to the bar behind Scarlett and helped myself to the bottle of wine sitting there. I poured myself a glass then came to Scarlett’s side. “What’s for dinner?”
“Bistecca all Fiorentina with scalloped potatoes and sauteed broccolini.”