I clamped my mouth shut. I couldn’t say anything else unless I wanted to risk a full breakdown. Every damn time I talked about Rocco, it felt like I was suffocating. I waved and took a few uncoordinated steps toward the exit, feeling lightheaded and sick deep in the pit of my stomach.
“Don’t leave.” She grabbed my hand. “I didn’t mean to upset you. Let’s talk about this.”
“I can’t. Not right now. I’ve gotta go.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Konstantin
Sitting in one of the hottest restaurants in the city with an empty seat across from me and an open bottle of sparkling wine was humbling to say the least. I scrolled through my phone and checked for a missed text or voicemail from Carmela. She blew off our dinner date after confirming by text earlier this afternoon. It marked the first time I’d been stood up for a date since high school, and I didn’t like it. I’d dressed in my best black suit and tie despite the fact the blue tie felt like a noose around my neck.
When forty minutes had passed and I still hadn’t heard a word from her, I had a choice to make. I could stay and make the best of the night or tuck tail and run like a wounded boy. Not wanting to show any weakness or unease, I drank the bottle of wine and ate a small meal instead of storming out of the restaurant. I didn’t like people knowing I cared.
All that changed the minute my dad’s name flashed across my phone. I declined it. The third time he called, I answered. I knew better than to press Bloody Alix, as his enemies called him. While he was my flesh and blood, he wouldn’t hesitate to put me in my place. Despite the fact he was a fucking prick most of the time, I respected him.
I dropped a couple of hundreds on the table and walked out of the restaurant with the phone next to my ear. “Did you did need something?”
“Konstantin, what the fuck is going on? You said you had this thing with the Trassato chick under control.”
“I do. You need to back off and stop micromanaging me. She’s a woman, not a business deal. This is going to take a little finesse.”
“Yeah, well, you need to alter your strategy right fucking now considering you already managed to make a mess out of this situation. I mean, I fucking handed you Carmela Trassato on a silver platter and you sat on your hands, drowning yourself in booze and whores for the better part of the year.”
“Don’t push me. I’m not in the mood.” I closed my car door a little harder than necessary, enjoying the satisfying thud. The engine of my BMW roared and my tires squealed as I sped away from the curb.
“I’ve got this under control,” I growled. “Carmela’s on the same page.”
He chuckled sarcastically, his taunt echoing in my ears. “You’ve been played, Kon. Everyone’s saying she’s announcing her engagement to Nico in less than two weeks at Dominick’s house.”
Pain sliced through my chest, and I slammed on my brakes. The rear of my car skidded to the side. My head jerked forward, then backward, hitting the headrest. I didn’t say anything for second. I couldn’t. Thoughts of Carmela and the way she clung to me at the club banged around in my head along with the skittish way she’d behaved today. He was right. She played me. I rammed the heel of my hand into the dashboard. Fire shot up my arm and my hand throbbed in time with my anger. “How do you know?”
“It’s not a secret. Everyone knows. I can’t believe you don’t. That’s all I’ve heard about for the last two hours. The fucking DiTonnos rubbed it in my face.” His voice turned low and threatening. “She made a joke out of us and I don’t like it. I won’t let this go. I don’t give a fuck about the Trassatos or all of their connections. I’m not afraid to take them out. As a matter of a fact, Nico will be the first to go, along with Carmela. We can take care of this at the party.”
“We’re not doing anything yet. We still have time to sort this out.”
I stepped on the gas pedal again, speeding down the street, weaving in and out of traffic and ignoring the honks and angry hand gestures. I had no idea where I was going. I only knew I needed to drive and clear my head.
“I’m done playing games with the Trassatos. They’ve screwed me over for the last time.”
“What the fuck are you suggesting? We storm Dominick’s house and get in some sort of gunfight? We don’t have the manpower to go head to head with them. You know that. That’s why we cut the deal with the DiTonnos last year.”
“Fine, then we’ll have them help us.”
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel until my knuckles whitened. This was a disaster in the making. “Give me a week. That’s all I’m asking for. Carmela doesn’t want to marry Nico any more than she wants to marry me. I think I can get her to walk this back and buy us some more time to use her as leverage to work out a deal with Nico or Dominick.”