7. Tony

7

TONY

" W ait in my office," Vinnie ordered me.

I didn't want to obey. I didn't want to leave Elio's side. What if he ran? What if Tom let him go? Would he challenge Vinnie like that? Surely not. He wasn't afraid of Vinnie, but there had to be a line he wouldn't cross. I was going to have to trust in that.

I gave Elio one last glance. He smiled at me, the bastard. I was going to do whatever it took to make sure he understood he was mine and that he was going to stay right here. There weren't going to be any more games. Elio was out of options other than staying with me.

I walked away, every step slow and methodical. I tried to hear what Vinnie was saying to them, but I couldn't make out the words, so I stepped into Vinnie's office and closed the door behind me, sinking into a chair and dropping my head into my hands.

What the fuck was I doing? Anger and fear warred inside me. Had I made a huge mistake bringing Elio here? Had there truly been another option? When I saw Elio in Billy's kitchen, I knew I was never letting him go. He'd cast a spell on me, and there was no way I could deny my need for him. But what if I'd made the wrong move? What if we should've run? Would Vinnie have really chased us down? Would Giacomo or, God forbid, Lucien?

I was playing with fire here, and I was putting Elio right in the middle. I had to get myself together. I had to stop letting my anger and my fear dictate what I did. I had been on thin ice with Vinnie before this happened. Too soon, I heard his footsteps approaching the door. I sat up straight, making sure my full height was on display. When he opened the door, he didn't say a word. He sat down in the leather chair behind his desk and glared at me.

"Tell me why I shouldn't eliminate you."

"Micky would be sad."

Vinnie didn't smile like I'd hoped. "That asshole would get over it. He needs to be punished for saddling me with you. Convince me not to turn you over to the Barruchis."

I took a deep breath. I'd refused to follow orders. I'd stood up to Vinnie and pushed back. I'd killed Billy, insuring we'd never get our payout from him, and yet, this was the hardest thing I'd ever said to my boss. "I'm in love with Elio."

For a minute I thought Vinnie was going to remain cold and impassive, that despite the way being with Tom had softened him personally—though not as a businessman—he might not give a damn what I felt. Then he smiled. Well, it was more like a smirk, but the anger had left his eyes. "You're telling me you showed up at Billy's house, saw this guy, and just decided you loved him."

I shook my head. "Earlier in the year, we…spent time together. Regularly. Then he disappeared in early June. I've been looking for him ever since."

"And you had no idea he was Giacomo's son?"

"Not a clue. But now I know why he stopped meeting me and how he was able to hide so well."

"No shit." Vinnie looked out the window for a moment, and I didn't even dare to breathe. "I saw the way he looks at you."

"Like he's angry? Like he wants to get away?"

Vinnie laughed. "Like he wants to climb you like a tree and devour you. If I left the two of you alone, there wouldn't be any talking."

"That was my plan. Easiest way to get him to agree."

Vinnie rolled his eyes. "You've got so much to learn."

"Are you saying that doesn't work with Tom?"

His eyes went cold again. "Don't ever question how I handle Tom."

"No, sir. I didn't mean to do that."

"Damn right you didn't."

"We're going to go back in there in a few minutes, and you're going to convince him to show us the information he's got on his father. You are going to use any means necessary to get what we need. Do you understand me?"

It was all I could do to focus as I imagined how I could extract the information. "Yes, sir."

"I won't agree to any deal unless I understand every single detail. If I fuck this up, my life is on the line. You get that, right? I won't go down alone. I'll kill you, and I'll take out Elio too."

I gripped the edge of my chair and started to rise.

"Sit the fuck down. You've brought me nothing but trouble, and you're an inch away from me putting a bullet through you. If it wouldn't upset Tom, I'd finish you right now."

My heart pounded. I'd really fucked up, but if I got Elio out of this, I might have actually made the best move of my life.

"I want full control of this operation," Vinnie said. "I'm in charge, not Elio. He's the son of our enemy."

I was trying so hard to forget that's who Elio was. "Yes, sir." I wasn't going to push any harder. I had a chance. I just had to make Elio bend to my will.

"If you fuck this up, Lucien will come for my head, and he won't stop there. He'll take us all out. Do you understand the position you've put me in? Do you think your life's really worth that?"

This was a trap. I couldn't answer either way, so I said nothing.

"You owe me. You owe me your life. Whatever I say after this is what you'll do."

"Yes, sir." If I was relegated to scraping up pieces of the men we eliminated off of the streets, I'd do it. If I had to put myself in front of a bullet every fucking day, I would do it. For Elio.

"How bad is your arm?"

I smiled. "Worried about me?"

"You're more useful to me if you can use it in a fight."

"It hurts like hell, but it will be fine. Elio cleaned it out. He thinks I need stitches, but?—"

"Then you'll get stitches."

I hated doctors, but I wasn't going to argue. I'd pushed Vinnie far enough.