I look around for Ming and see she’s serving a bottle. When she turns and catches my eye, I nod her over. I wait for her to come to me.
“What’s up, boss?”
“Why is she here? Get her out of my face before I choke her with my bare hands.”
“You got it. I’ll find something for her.”
“Not too far,” Jace speaks up. “If we need her to play decoy, we need to reach her.”
I grunt. “Just keep her thieving ass out of my face. She doesn’t get a third strike from me.”
“Not a problem.”
My phone rings, drawing my attention. Dad’s name comes up on the screen. I pick up and put it to my ear.
“How you doing?”
“Meet me in the basement. Ny is with me. You have a lot you need to know.”
“On my way.” I hang up and stand. “Ming, hold off on that order.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I think I’m going to need her.” I turn to Jace. “Andiamo. We’re needed downstairs.”
Jace
As we walk into the basement my gut sinks. The look on Ny’s face unsettles my stomach. I clench my fists, ready for a fight.
If someone hurt her, I’m going to kill them. Her cheeks are streaked with tears. Something isn’t right.
“What’s going on?” Gio says.
“Barbieri is dead. There’s already some unrest amongst the families. Riccardo has lost his protection and I think he’s lost his shit,” Lucas says.
“He most definitely has,” Ny snarls. “He ran up on me outside.”
“He what?” Gio and I roar in unison.
“I was coming to see you. When I got out of the car, he ran up on me.”
“What did he say?” Gio demands.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Nyla, baby, I need to know.”
“He was drunk. He said he wanted to fuck my Mom, but he had her killed before he got a chance.”
“What the fuck?” I seethe.
“He’s a dead man,” Gio hisses.
“Yeah, he is. Too bad Lucas stopped me.”
“You tried to kill him?”
“Well, duh. Barbieri is gone. I want my life back. His ass is as good as dead.”
“You’re not looking at the bigger picture.”
“What? Gio, are you kidding me?”
“Ny, he’s right. There’s so much more at stake here.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” Ny screams. “I’ve wasted my entire life. You told me to wait, and I have. This doesn’t get any more of me. He dies and it’s happening as soon as I get the opportunity.”
“And it will have been all for nothing,” Gio says.
“Nothing, nothing? I’ll tell you about nothing. My parents are gone. Twenty-four years of my life are gone. My hopes to be a mom…gone. I’m done. I don’t give a shit about this bullshit anymore.
“You all have a great life. I’m out of here.”
“Ny,” Gio calls after her. “Nyla.”
“Goodbye, Gio.”
CHAPTER 62
Broken
Nyla
“Hey, hey,” Ming calls after me.
“What, Ming? I need to get out of here.”
“Hold on. You’re emotional. I’m not allowing you to drive like this. Come sit in the office and calm down while I close out. I’ll drive you home.”
“And how am I going to get my car home?”
“I can take it for you,” Essence says as she walks by.
As if I would tell her where Gio and I stay together. I roll my eyes and clench my fists. Today is not the day.
“That’s a good idea,” Gio says from behind me.
I spin on him. “Have you lost your damn mind? You know what? I don’t care. Let her have the fucking car.”
“Ny,” Gio says in warning.
“Ming, you want to take me home, I’ll be in your car waiting.”
“Okay. I’ll be quick.”
She hands me the keys and I push my way past Gio, shoving my car key into his chest. “Maybe she’ll get lucky enough to have all your attention.”
“Ny,” he calls after me.
I ignore him and storm out. I get into Ming’s car and mutter to myself as I wait. I’m getting my ass as far away from here as I can. Twenty-four years, twenty-four, and this man wants me to wait longer.
And why the fuck would he allow that slut to take my car to our home? Like if Gio wanted to lose me, that right there did it. About twenty minutes go by.
I turn to look out the window and see Essence sashaying her ass out of the club in a fur that looks a lot like mine. I bite down on my fist to keep from going inside and beating the shit out of Gio.
Has he been fucking this bitch behind my back? Is she why he stays in the city so much? He’s not that crazy.
She jumps into my car, and I see red. I reach for the door handle to go drag her ass. As the cool metal touches my hand, my car explodes across the road.
I gasp and stare in disbelief as the flames and smoke billow up. Some part of the car flies back down from out of the sky and lands in the middle of the street.