Total pages in book: 183
Estimated words: 178343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 892(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 892(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
I love him, but I’m pretty worried about him.
Worried that he still hasn’t gotten all that darkness out of his system. Did having Ray to punish work the bulk of the darkness out of his system or did it wake up new dark tendencies that he’s going to have the thirst for even after Ray is totally out of reach?
48
Killian
I’m standing in a hangar behind the empty cargo plane when the white Sprinter van pulls in. A slow smile spreads across my face as I see the Rossi brothers in the front, looking either like the Men in Black or maybe on account of those hats they’ve both got on I should say The Blues Brothers. I almost laugh at the sight of them in their dark glasses and dark suits. Two white grins shine at me through the tinted windshield
They get out with matching smiles and I get hugs from them both, Tino first.
“How was Christmas?” Nino asks.
“Incredible,” I say. “Best one yet. You? Bianca and Joey?”
“Fantastic. Little Joey had a blast. Got enough Lego to fill this hangar. We spent it with Bee’s mom, aunt, and a whack of cousins. How about you? Will said you guys were gonna hang with Violet’s family?”
“Yeah, man. Big family thing with Violet’s parents. Great day. Still full from all the food.”
“Ho, ho, ho. Look what Santie brought ‘cha.” Tino waves me around back and opens the doors. There’s Iadanza with a brown paper bag over his head. Someone drew googly eyes and a stuck out tongue on it before putting it on his head. He’s cuffed and ankles shackled, wearing just a white wife beater and prison-issued underwear and canvas sneakers. The boys must’ve cut the prison jumpsuit off him.
“Gimme a sec, boys?” I request.
“Absolutely,” Tino says, and they step outside.
“Merry belated Christmas, Ass-wipe,” I say.
I see Raymond’s body go lax. Defeated.
“We meet again,” I add and pull the bag off. “I guess it was arrivederci last time. Not this time though. This time, I’m pretty sure it’s bye.”
His face is a swirl of bruises. His mouth is taped.
“See ya, Ass-wipe. Wouldn’t wanna be ya,” I say. “Say hello to your ma for me. I know how crazy she drives you. I made sure to pay extra so she gets to spend time with you periodically. I figure the two of you will have plenty to talk about.” I laugh and then peel the tape back, letting it hang off the side of his face.
Confusion and shock register on his face, then he spits, “Fuck you, Kill.”
“I’d rather go home and fuck Violet,” I say, leaning in and lowering my voice. “Repeatedly. She gave me her ass for Christmas, you know that? Fuck was that nice. Never let you up there, did she?”
He glares at me, nostrils flaring.
“That’s all right. I’m gonna have the last laugh,” he mutters.
“What’ve you got to laugh about? Where you’re goin’, I don’t think you’ll have much call to laugh.”
“You’ll see,” he says with a shrug, trying to paint on a devious grin, but I see through it. I see that he’s scared shitless. “I’m not the only guy who has a beef with you. So, you got me charged with murder, eh? Know that was down to you. And I’m not the only one who knows. But like I said, I’m not done laughin’ yet.”
“I guess time will tell..”
“It will,” he vows.
“Don’t expect your public defender to do anything about it, though,” I say and watch his expression fall.
And he’s almost getting in my head, but I know better, know he’s looking to bait me figuring he’s about to get dead and hopes I’ll keep him alive a little longer to question him. Instead of quizzing him, instead of showing any curiosity whatsoever, I lean in.
“She’s more mine than she ever was yours, shit-for-brains. Married me. Took my name. Loves me. Carryin’ my baby. And her family, man? They fuckin’ love me, too.” I smile wide. “Didn’t like her last fella so much. Heard it repeatedly in whispers, especially yesterday. Spent Christmas over there. Even her grandfather loves me. Heard he couldn’t stand the sight of you.”
“She won’t stay,” he spits. “She’ll never forgive you for this. Even though she’s done with me, she hates violence. You’ll lose her just like I did. Soon, you’ll lose it all, man. You’ll see and you’ll know I had a part in it.”
“Wanna elaborate on that?” I ask.
“Only if you’re willing to strike a deal.”
I laugh. “Funny thing, though. She gets it. She’s experienced some growth, too. She’s stronger than she was with you. Because I build her up instead of tearing her down. And she knows she’s got me at her back. She’s becoming pretty fuckin’ fearless in fact. It’s been nice to see.”
He says nothing, but the bitterness rolls off him.