He reached into his perfectly tailored suit jacket and pulled a large manila envelope that had been folded in half so it would fit inside his pocket. He slid it across his cherry mahogany wooden desk.
“That’s yours,” he said flatly. “Your piece of the pie, while you were away.” He watched as I reached for the envelope and brought it around my waist tucking it into the back of my sweats. There was no second-guessing on my behalf whether I should take the money. I’d take every fucking cent the prick offered me and he’d still never repay me for the three years of my life he robbed from me.
“There are things you should know, deals and such that went down while you were inside,” he tilted his chin towards Jimmy. “Jimmy will fill you in on the details,” he paused, for a moment studying me. “Things didn’t go as we planned with Rogers but I’m learning to make peace with that.”
“You mean things didn’t go the way you planned. I didn’t have much of a say.”
“I stand corrected,” Vic said, flatly. “As I was saying, I could go around eliminating all of my enemies, every gangster that ever thought he could cross me, and I still won’t feel like I’ve done Val justice. The best way to make his death stand for something is to do the one thing that got us into this lifestyle and that is to hustle.” Val loved money more than I did; it was what drove all his ambitions. “The Pastore family will focus on the things that make our wallets fat and trample on the people who stand in the way of that quest,” he continued. “You’ve done your bid, kept your mouth shut, proved that you’re a trusted soldier.”
What he forgot to add to that sentence was while I proved my loyalty to him I lost my credibility to the people I loved most in this world. That was something I couldn’t get back.
“I don’t think I have to question your loyalty but it’s been brought to my attention you may be feeling a certain way … let’s say bitter.”
“Let’s get something straight Vic, I don’t fucking like you, I fucking despise you. I couldn’t give two fucks if you dropped dead tomorrow. In a perfect world, I am the man who takes your fucking life the same way you’ve taken mine. I took an oath and as much as it pains me to abide by that oath, you are right, I am loyal to the core. That’s not saying there aren’t days when I question my loyalty. I think how easy it would be to put a bullet right between your eyes and end this nightmare once and for all, but then I think about your daughter,” I swallowed hard against the lump that had lodged its way in my throat. “I picture the way she’d look at me knowing I was the man who killed her father and that look is what stops me,” I blew out a breath. “Go home and kiss your daughter because she’s the only reason you’re still fucking breathing,” I paused, taking a good long look at him. “You took it all man, you took everything from me. My woman, my kid, my fucking soul,” I shook my head. “Like I said, do yourself a favor, and pray to God you never fucking hurt your daughter again, because so help me … I’ll put you in a box old man.” I raised an eyebrow at him wondering how he liked being on the receiving end of the same threat he once delivered to me. “Don’t doubt me Vic; I’m not afraid of being locked away. I’d be fucking happy to rot in a cell for the rest of my life knowing I actually did something to put me behind bars, especially if that something was ending your existence.”
“True to the core,” Victor mumbled. “Not a phony bone in your body boy; never has been,” he let out a breath. “Takes big balls to talk to a boss like that.”
“Takes big balls to sit in jail for a crime you didn’t commit too.”
“Fair enough,” he said, pushing out his chair before turning around to fix himself a drink. “You’ve spoken your peace, now it’s time you listen while I speak mine.” He handed me the drink he had poured himself and I accepted it, shooting it back. I slammed the empty glass down on top of his desk, pulling out the chair in front of his desk and taking a seat. I lifted my legs, crossing them and resting them on top of his desk as I leaned back in the chair and waited for him to speak.
Vic took a seat on the edge of his desk, taking the first sip of his drink, mulling over his words.
“It was a good thing you were there for Adrianna and the baby,” he lifted his gaze from his drink and his eyes bore into mine. “She’s had a rough time.”
“No shit.” I said, angrily.
“She’s a mother now, Anthony. She needs to keep her head clear, focus on her son, what I’m saying is she can’t afford to have history repeat itself.”