Mafia

Mafia 7

Chapter 7

“Pull the trigger,” Crazy Fontana tells me.

I look down at this guy. He's crying his eyes out. There is something in Vincent's eyes that just don't seem right. Something is off about all of this.

That's when Vincent opens up his mouth in a dry spurn and says, “I didn't do it.”

One of the guys hits Vincent for opening up his mouth. Blood splashes across old cracked floors. Crazy Fontana looks like he wants to grab the gun away from me and just do it himself. Then there is the Boss. Big Paulie. Big Paulie is just looking at me wondering why I'm hesitating to do this.

“He's lying. You don't believe him do you?” Big Paulie asks.

I look over at Vincent. I didn't know what to believe. Vincent was drooling up blood at this moment and he could be saying anything to stay alive. I couldn't kill a man. My father wouldn't want me to take a man's life in cold blood like this for revenge.

So I find myself hesitating.

I look down at Vincent. Those eyes of his are hopeful. He is damn near begging with them. And I just don't believe it. This guy looking back up at me...he's not a man who seems like a killer.

“I don't think he did it,” I tell them.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Crazy Fontana asks, “This man kills my wife and you telling me you don't think he did it. Are you fuckin' kidding me here?”

Big Paulie just looks at me. I hear Vincent on the floor screaming out for mercy and swearing up and down he didn't do it.

“This kid is calling my son a goddam liar,” Crazy Fontana says.

“Charming Carmine says that he saw Vincent do this thing,” Big Paulie saying, “Now I knew your father Black Regis. Me and Black Regis...we go way back. You understand? So out of respect for him I'm not going to shoot you where you stand kid, but you better have a damn good reason. Are you calling Charming Carmine a liar?”

I hesitate, “Carmine says he saw Vincent digging around the Isabella Fontana's purse. That's it.”

“I didn't put no bomb in that purse.”

“So my wife just blew herself up?” Crazy Fontana says, “Give me the gun. I'll kill this fucking guy myself!”

Crazy Fontana is beyond angry at that moment. He grabs the gun out of my hand and pushes me out of the way. He pushes me so hard that I slam into a couple of boxes.

The moment is awkward and I can feel Crazy Fontana about to blow Vincent's head clean off at that moment. It's so fucking intense! I'd never seen someone get shot in my life. This wasn't television. This was real fucking life and I was living it. My heart is racing. My palms are sweating. I'm crawling up against the wall scared to death.

“Don't,” Paulie tells Crazy Fontana.

“What?” Crazy Fontana asks.

“Vincent if you didn't kill Bella then who did?” Big Paulie asks.

“I don't know.”

Vincent just stares out. He looks...nervous. He's sweating more than I am and that's saying a lot. He just stares out blankly though. All the emotion he had before is gone and he's trying his best to put on his best poker face. It's not every convincing.

“He's lying,” one of the guys say.

“No shit,” Joe Bananas laughs, “He's not a made man. Kill him for all we care.”

That's when something weird happens. Big Paulie looks over at me. The boss of the Moretti crime family is looking over at me and he seems to be looking at me like a man would look at another man.

Big Paulie squints his eyes and says slowly, “Cornbread. That's what they call you right?”

My mouth is dry.

“Eh---yeah.”

“You think Vincent did it Cornbread?”

“No sir.”

Big Paulie stares down at Vincent. Vincent is crying his whole fucking eyes out. I'm looking at this guy and I just feel fucking bad for him. I don't know how else to fucking explain it. Vincent just looks like he is a guy who got stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even though I have a feeling he didn't kill him I think he knows a little bit than he is letting on.

But for some reason he's scared to say.

I wonder why.

Luckily Big Paulie changes his tone all of a sudden, “Cornbread says you're innocent. You're innocent. Vincent's under my protection. Nobody touch him.”

A part of me is kind of hoping they'd make their own decisions. The fact that I was the one who just saved Vincent's life seems to be a little bit stressful. Everyone is looking at me clearly not understanding why Big Paulie is listening to me. Hell I don't get it either.

“Your protection?” Crazy Fontana asks.

“You heard me,” Big Paulie states and looks down at Vincent, “Beat it kid.”

It's Joe Bananas who goes over and cuts Vincent loose. Vincent starts thanking them in Italian. He is clearly upset and he doesn't hesitate to run out of the room as soon as he gets the chance. When he leaves I almost have the feeling that I'm enemy number 1 in this room. These fellas in this fucking meatroom are looking over at me. They are giving me the eye. The number 1 person is Crazy Fontana. He was itching to kill Vincent and we all knew it.

Crazy Fontana's eyes close, “You just let the man who killed my wife go. You know I won't let this go right. You do understand that. Right...”

It's a threat. It's loud and clear. I'm not sure if Crazy Fontana is talking to Big Paulie or if he is talking to me but right now it seems heavy and I'm scared to fucking death.

“Is that a threat?” Joe Bananas asks, assuming Fontana was talking to Big Paulie.

Tension is in the room. Fontana's guys are on one side. Joe Bananas has guys on the other. I don't need to know these people to know that the room is divided right now and I have the feeling that I am in the middle of the beginning of a war.

And I had no fucking idea what side I was on.

“He's not threatening me,” Big Paulie says and walks forward. He taps Crazy Fontana on the shoulder a couple times. I almost see Crazy Fontana squirming under Big Paulie's touch, “He's not a dumb guy, right Fontana?”

“Me and you go way back Paulie. You and this faggot just let go a guy who killed my wife. I'm a man. I need my pound of flesh. You understand this?”

Crazy's voice is still threatening. To my right I see Joe Bananas. He has one hand underneath his coat. A couple of guys who I've seen hanging around in the restaurant with Fontana look like they are just as nervous as anyone else.

I am scared I might die in this room.

The only cool person is Big Paulie. He smiles, “I know you for a long time and that's why I know you'll deal with it. The Vincent kid. No one touches him. Understand?"

A pause.

Nothing. Just a cold...crazy glare from Crazy Fontana.

Paulie takes a few steps forward, cigar in hand and touches Fontana's shoulder again in the most demeaning manor, “Understand Fontana?"

Silence.

From Crazy Leo Fontana comes a cold short, “Understand.”

The rest of the day is awkward as fuck. Crazy Fontana has a couple of his loyal guys. They aren't saying anything crazy or acting out of place but there is tension in the restaurant. He's not happy at all that Paulie let Vincent go. He stays quiet about it and for a minute I hope he may just realize that maybe Vincent is innocent. I don't know. He doesn't say anything else the whole day. The person who does seem to be bothered though is Nicky Nuts Fontana.

“Fontana asks to speak to a manager,” a girl says.

Her name is Georgia. She is a pretty waitress who gets bothered a lot by our clientele. She always seems to take it well.

“I'm not the manager. I'm the owner. Get my cousin Patricia,” I tell her.

“Patricia's busy. Your dad used to take care of these requests all the time,” the girl says.

She is condescending. She doesn't respect me. I can see it in her eyes. She looks at me like I'm some sort of loser or something. It's not just her. Everyone in the restaurant really does. The only person that was even relatively nice to me was Danny and I think it was because he wanted some ass to be honest. He could care less about respecting me as the owner. Not even Patricia respected me for godsakes. Let's not mention the wise guys who ate at the Sicilian.

I break, “Fine. Who needs me?”

“Table number 8. Fontana table.”

Great.

My heart races. I walk over to the table. Carmine is over there. Carmine looks pissed! Pissed is not even the word. When he sees me walking over Carmine just looks away. I have no doubt he's heard what happened. He heard I spared Vincent.

He's having this low conversation with one of the guys who always hang with the Fontanas. His dad is listening to the conversation but luckily seems so out of it that he doesn't even seem upset.

“Did anyone need a manager?” I ask.

“I don't like this shit,” Nuts Fontana tells me, pushing his plate to the edge of the table.

I look down at his meal. It's linguine with lobster and a red sauce. It looks amazing. I look over at the stuff at that moment.

“Georgia is that what Mr. Fontana ordered?” I ask Georgia whose standing next to me.

“Yeah. He gets the same thing every week.”

“I don't fucking want it. Bitch,” he says.

Georgia looks over at me. She wants me to defend her. My father would defend her.

It's clear Nuts Fontana is trying to pick a fight. It's also clear why he's trying to pick a fight. I look around. Big Paulie is no where to be seen. Not saying Big Paulie would defend me but hell it was better than nothing. The Fontanas' guys are staring my way now. Even Crazy Fontana has come out of his daze and is giving me a hard stare. I'm searching frantically for Big Paulie. He must have left. Joe Bananas is there but those guys don't seem to give a damn about me.

“With all due respect, can you please not talk to my staff like that?” I ask.

“Or what?”

Carmine isn't defending me. Carmine is just...watching. He's pissed. He's as pissed as his brother if not more about what I did and I can see it in his eyes. They are all pissed that I let Vincent go. My heart is racing. No one is fucking defending me here.

I try to maintain my composure, “You know what. How about I just take this off the tab?”

“I'm still hungry.”

“I'll have Georgia bring you another one.”

“I don't want that black baboon bitch to bring me one!” Nuts states, “Where's that fine ass Alessandra girl. The Italian. I don't want this big lip ghetto, nappy haired bitch. It's probably why it was so fucked up in the first place. It smelled like fucking nigger.”

Georgia grabs her chest. I can see she is about to cry. I am losing control of this situation fast. What pisses me off in all of this is Carmine is just sitting there. He's fucking ALLOWING his little brother to talk to me like that. It's not just Nuts Fontana too. I don't know what bothers me more. I don't know if Nuts bothers me with how ignorant he is or if Crazy Fontana bothers me with the stare he is giving me at this moment.

"Is this really about the food?" I ask.

It was personal with me. It was about Vincent.

"I don't like niggers...around...my food," Nuts tells me.

Crazy Fontana's stare could bring a wind chill to the depths of hell. This man hates me with a passion.

I look over at Carmine. Carmine looks away. He crosses his arms. Carmine IGNORES me.

“Is everything OK over here?” Danny says walking over.

Danny is resilient. I'll give him that. The first time he got his ass beat by Nuts Fontana wasn't enough. Nuts seems to welcome it. I watch Nuts get up off the table. Nuts looks like he wants this. He looks like he has something to prove.

Then I remember. Nuts isn't a made man. Nuts hasn't been put in with these other guys. No wonder he acts so tough all the time.

“You got a fucking problem Arab?” Nuts asks getting in Danny's face.

Danny looks like he is about to say something but I grab him and I pull him away, “Can you go ahead and take Georgia to the back.”

Danny pulls me up close, “I don't want to leave you...”

“I'm good.”

I was the owner of this restaurant. I was the man who ran this business. There was no way in hell I was going to let Danny or anyone else save me in this place. These mobsters were animals. They were looking for a fight. Big Paulie was half owner but right now I wasn't going to let Nicky Fontana's ignorance get to me.

I turn back to Nicky and I smile at him, “I'll get you another meal.”

Nicky's face grimaces, “I'm not paying for the shit.”

“It's on the house. I'll also get you another server. I'll make sure she's full bred Italian. Since clearly you don't like black people or Arabian people or anyone else that isn't Italian. How about I make sure I top off your wine. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

My smile seems to get to Nicky. He wants a fight so bad.

“Why the fuck you smiling at me?” Nicky asks.

He's relentless.

“Just being hospitable sir,” I tell him.

“Well bring me over some more wine. It seems like I'm out.”

“Sir you have a full glass.”

“Not no more I don't,” Nicky Fontana tells me.

He takes his glass. He pours it on me. Laughter erupts from the guys looking on. They are cheering Fontana on. They love this behavior.

I smile.

For some reason this seems to be driving the youngest Fontana crazy.

“I'll have someone bring it right up,” I state.

I head to the back at that moment. When I go to the back I see the entire staff back there. I wonder if they are hiding out in the kitchens. For some reason they seem to run to the kitchen when they know that Nuts Fontana is up to his bullshit.

I look over at Georgia. She is standing next to Danny. She has tears in her eyes.

“Sir. The lobster was fine...” Georgia tells me.

I look over at her. I feel bad. The job was good paying probably. These mobsters probably got drunk and tipped all their drug money. Or else I didn't know why some of these young people would be working at a job like this with such dangerous clientele. Right now they are all looking at me wondering what I should do.

“I know,” I state.

“You kick them out...you're dead man,” Danny replies.

“I know.”

I see the cooks in there. I see some of the other folks in there as well. They are all looking at me wondering what I am going to do. I want to kick them out. I want to call the cops and see if they dragged them out. I wouldn't last the night though. Rats get killed and I knew that. I saw what they were about to do with Vincent. These people were monsters and I knew it.

“I can get Patricia,” Danny tells me, “She's out in the storage area doing inventory. She can deal with this if you can't. Cornbread, no one expects you to be able to deal with these people...”

That's where Danny was wrong. My dad expected me to deal with these people. My dad left me the Sicilian when he left.

“Have the cooks make him up some lobster linguine and get some wine out there. What's the Italian waitress's name?”

“Alessandra sir.”

“Have Alessandra assigned to that table moving forward,” I tell Danny.

“I understand,” Danny tells me, “I'm on it sir.”

I look over at Georgia. I still feel so fucking bad about how Nicky treated her. This girl was back here crying her fucking eyes out. He made this racial remarks about her for no reason. What did Nicky think the Italians were some superior race and that no one else fucking mattered?

I open my mouth. I'm about to apologize to Georgia.

“It's Ok sir,” Georgia tells me.

I didn't even get a chance to tell Georgia I was sorry about how Nicky treated her. It doesn't matter.

“Georgia why don't you work in the back today. Why don't you prepare drinks for the entire Fontana table? Tell them it's on the house.”

Everyone is looking on me.

“Um ok...” Georgia states confused.

I nod about to head back out but I stop mid-stride, “Oh Georgia. If some spit or some snot ends up in those drinks before Alessandra brings them out...I wouldn't hold you accountable.”

The others in the back of the restaurant begin to smile a little bit and I even see Georgia put on a smile.

“Yes. Sir.”

=================================================

I'm beyond pissed about how Carmine treated me at the restaurant. Maybe that's why I take Kairo out on his offer. It's been 2 days since Vincent life was spared and the Fontana table at the restaurant is getting worse and worse. No matter how far they go though I instruct my staff to stay professional and just take their frustrations out on them in the back. And it works as the kitchen staff watches the Fontana table eat the grossest shit---but with the most hospitable smiles on their faces.

It's 9pm when Kairo comes to pick me up with a knock on the door. I open the door to see him dressed up in a suit. I have to admit he looks...fresh. Kairo is so goddam fine. It honestly makes me a little sick just how cute he is when I see him. He's walking perfection and he knows it.

“Wow,” he says looking me up and down.

I want to say the same thing. I'm glad Kairo thinks I'm attractive. We are headed over to carnival and I'm not wearing anything special. Kairo has on a whole suit for no damn reason looking like some type of Armani model. The first thing he does is hands me a flower.

This is what it's like to date Kairo.

I grab the flower, “You didn't have to bring me a flower.”

“Well don't say that because I had a whole bouquet in the car. I also got you a necklace.”

I laugh, “Funny.”

Kairo takes a box out of his pocket at that moment and hands it to me, “I wasn't joking. I had it custom made with your birth stones. The gold has K&R Forever etched into it.”

What. The. Fuck. Yeah. This was how it was like dating Kairo.

I don't take the box, “Can we just hold off on the gifts Kairo...honestly.”

“I'm just so excited you agreed to go out with me. I promise no more gifts. Speaking of gifts---did you notice there was a dead cat outside of your door?” Kairo asks me.

I look down at the cat.

Fuck.

“No I didn't...” I state.

I look down at the cat and I notice there is a letter next to the dead cat.

My heart is racing as I read the words: Should have killed Vincent. Now you take his place.

Kairo seems concerned, “What does it say?”

I shake my head, “Nothing...nothing...”

My heart is racing though. A part of me feels like I should have left Staten Island when I had the chance.

The carnival looks busy. A lot of kids are running around. Kairo starts talking about kids and talking about family and what not. I can hardly listen to him though. I can't stop thinking about the dead cat that was left at my door. I'm really in deep shit with the Fontanas and I don't know how to get out of it. My heart is racing.

“You want to play wack a mole?” Kairo says.

“I don't want ANYTHING wacked. Please dont WACK anything!”

Kairo looks over at me, “What?”

I'm tripping and I know it. I have barely been listening to half the things that Kairo has been saying. I've been so focused on the dead cat. The idea of being wacked is the last thing that should be on my mind at a fucking carnival date with my ex fiance. It's the only thing I can think of though.

“I'm sorry. Nothing.”

“Spit it out. I saw the dead cat at the door. Cats don't just go up to strangers' doors and die,” Kairo tells me, “Someone put that at your door. Are you in trouble Regis?”

“I'm fine.”

“It's those fucking people, isn't it?” Kairo explains, “Regis are they threatening you?”

I stay quiet.

Kairo worked for the district prosecutor's office. If people in the Mafia knew about his job they'd probably think I was some sort of rat. They'd kill me just for talking to him. The idea of me ratting out these people scared the shit out of me. I knew one thing. You don't rat---no matter what.

Kairo has me up against the wall. He is looking at me. He has those sexy brown eyes staring at me and his hand cuffing me.

“Dead animals are a threat,” Kairo explains, “I studied these people in law school. Giuliani bringing down the old New York mobs back in the day. I know these people. They are dangerous. You need to go to the cops Regis.”

“I'm not going to no cops,” I explain.

“You want to end up dead like your father?” Kairo asks.

I raise my eyebrow, “Don't fucking speak about my father! How fucking dare you talk about my fucking father like that!”

I push Kairo at that minute as hard as I can. I'm pissed. I'm walking away. I'm storming off. Kairo comes after me but I lose him in the crowd of people.

I'm pissed at Kairo but I'm even more pissed at myself.

I know that he has a point.

I know that he might be right.

That's when I see him out in the crowd. Carmine. He's not alone. He's with a girl. At first I don't recognize her but as I get closer I see her face.

Fuck. Alessandra. The Italian girl that works at my restaurant.

“Alessandra, right,” I state, “Funny seeing you here.”

Strange how I didn't know about it. It's also very clear that Carmine is on a date with this girl. My heart is beating fast in my chest when I see them. Jealousy isn't the word. Carmine was too good to take me out but he was out with this girl. Carmine gives me a face.

“Regis ----not now...” Carmine states.

“You weren't going to tell me you were dating my fucking employee?” I ask Carmine.

“Am I missing something?” Alessandra asks.

Alessandra is standing in between two storms and has no idea.

“I don't owe you shit. You think I owe you shit?” Carmine asks, “Fuck outta here. Alessandra. Let's go.”

I roll my eyes at her. The worst thing about all of this is that she's pretty! The girl is fucking beautiful beautiful. Dark brown hair and green eyes. I never noticed how fucking pretty she was. No wonder since she started at the Fontana table they hadn't complained about the waitress. I hadn't even noticed it. At work she looks like a regular girl but here she is all dolled up for Carmine. MY FUCKING Carmine. I'm sitting there feeling crazy as fuck right now.

Why is my heart beating so fast?

Why am I so fucking upset?

“Alessandra I said lets go,” Carmine barks at her.

He grabs her wrist and starts to pull her away. I don't know what gets over me. I feel like a stalker at this moment but I don't even care. I'm following behind them and Carmine when Carmine looks back and sees me I think he's just going to swing on me.

“Carmine is this really how you do me?” I ask him, “You ignore me?”

“Wait did I do something wrong?” Alessandra asks me.

“Ignore him.”

“Alessandra you can ignore me all you want,” I state, “Just don't show up for your shift tomorrow.”

Alessandra stops at that moment, just like I want her to.

“Are you firing me?” Alessandra asks.

“He's not fucking firing you,” Carmine states.

“Oh yes the fuck I am.”

Alessandra is panicking all of a sudden, “Did I do something wrong? I don't get it! What did I do?”

“He's not fucking firing you, girl. What the fuck?” Carmine says, “Tell this girl you're not firing her Cornbread so she can shut the hell up.”

Alessandra is about to cry.

“So you can go fuck her, in peace?"

Carmine grabs me up, “Watch your fuckin' mouf.”

“Fuck you.”

Carmine pops me hard on the back of my head. He pulls me away from Alessandra.

I don't even know where she goes.

Alessandra doesn't follow. Carmine grabs me and pulls me towards the back of a concession stand. He grabs me by my collar and holds me there.

“Who do you think you are?” Carmine asks me.

“I'm your girlfriend's boss and I'm gonna fire her,” I state.

“First off. She's not my girlfriend. Second off. You're not gonna fire her,” Carmine tells me.

“Why the hell not? It's my restaurant.”

“Don't you think she told me about how you and your people spitting in our food?” Carmine asks and finally releases me with a triumphant smile, “Didn't see me drinking or eating any of that shit, remember? What if the word gets out what you're doing.”

“You threatening me?”

“Naw. But I'm threatening your staff. Nuts finds out you guys are spitting in his food and all hell is going to break loose.”

I'm so angry that I want to punch something. I can't stand the thought of Alessandra. I didn't even pay attention to this girl a few days ago and now I hate her.

“Alessandra sold me out. That dick hungry BITCH!” I tell her.

“Why do you care who wants my dick?” Carmine states.

I give him a hard look.

“Clearly me and you have nothing then,” I tell Carmine.

Carmine shrugs at that moment, “Clearly not. So bye.”

He turns. He's walking away. This fucker is walking away from me. I'm losing all my cool. I grab him at that moment and pull him back. Carmine is shocked that I grab him so hard. We stand there for a minute.

“Why are you acting like such a dickhead?” I ask him, “Are you trying to tell me you didn't like me---at all?”

“If I did like you all that shit is gone,” Carmine explains, “You had the chance to get revenge on the motherfucker who killed our parents and you didn't.”

“You didn't want me a part of it.”

“Then don't be a fucking part of it. Don't sit there and tell Big -FUCKING- Paulie that the guy's innocent. I saw the fucking guy playing in my mom's fucking purse. You saved his fucking life and got him under Paulie's protection.”

“I felt he was innocent.”

“Based off what?” he asks me.

“Uh---”

“BASED OFF FUCKING WHAT CORNBREAD!”

I've never seen Carmine so mad. He has veins popping out of the side of his neck. This guy is pissed at me. I'm talking about true anger. I'm really shocked that he's screaming at me like this. A couple people are walking past us fast but Carmine is so upset he doesn't give a damn.

“Can you please calm down?” I ask Carmine.

“No. I can't. Do you know my father is thinking about going to war with Big Paulie over this? Do you know how many people are going to die because you couldn't let one snake motherfucker get what was coming to him?”

I sigh at that moment.

“I didn't know that. I was just trying to do what's right.”

“What's right? Saving the guy who killed our parents is what's fucking right? Dumbass...”

“Don't call me a dumbass Carmine. I'm not raising my voice or disrespecting you.”

“Because I'm not being a dumbass...you are! You don't want me to raise my voice at you---leave me alone. Go about your business and I'll go about mine. You're dead to me,” Carmine tells me, “Period. I don't want nothing to do with you. You're not loyal. In my life loyalty is everything. I can't deal with a disloyal motherfucker.”

“So that's it.”

“That's it.”

“Me and you have a connection Carmine.”

“We don't have shit. Not anymore.”

Carmine tries to walk away. I grab him and pull him up towards me.

“I don't believe you. You wouldn't be so upset over nothing. I'm not letting you walk away from me.”

“You trying to manhandle me. I'm not trying to beat your ass Cornbread. Don't make me swing on you in this fucking park. I had love for you at one point. I dont want us to go to war.”

“We're already at war...” I state.

That's when I kiss Carmine.

I kiss him as hard as I can. I sink my lips into his...in public. I don't care whose watching. Carmine for a minute seems shocked as my lips meet his. For a quick second I think he's going to take it. I think Carmine is really going to let me kiss him but he just pulls away.

I grab his neck again. He attempts to pull away again. I grab at him a third time. The third time he doesn't stop me. He grabs me and pulls me in!

I hear him whisper a hard, “Fuck you!”

He's cursing me out as he's kissing me. He kisses me hard. It's so fucking hard. There is so much passion between us. My tongue goes into his mouth and after resisting for a second his tongue goes into mine. There is so much confusion. It's almost like he's giving me an angry kiss and I'm loving every moment of it.

He doesn't look so mad anymore. Now he just looks sad.

He's not the only one that looks sad. Someone has watched us. I turn to my right to see Kairo standing there. Looks like Kairo has found me.

Carmine wipes my mouth off of his lips. It's clear. He doesn't want it. He thinks I'm disloyal and no matter what I say or do I can't change his mind.

“You should go back to your square,” Carmine explains, “You don't belong in this life.”

=========================================================================

Kairo doesn't talk to me the entire time he takes me back home. I know he's upset that I kissed Carmine. I know he is devastated by it but the type of person Kairo is stays the same. There is no passion. Kairo isn't going to throw me up against the wall. He isn't going to scream at me until veins pop out of my neck. He isn't going to argue with me and make me think he hates me at this moment like Carmine would.

He also wouldn't give me a kiss like Carmine gave me.

“Everything will be ok,” I hear him finally say when we get to my door. It's as though he didn't see me kissing another guy. It's as though I wasn't trying to find every excuse not to be with him.

I stay silent. No point in talking to Kairo. I'd be bored to death. As we get to my condo about the restaurant the door is open. It's unusual.

“Stay here...” Kairo tells me.

“Fuck that,” I respond.

I push past Kairo and walk into the door. As I walk in I see Danny standing there. He's talking to someone. He's not alone. The person he is talking to is...Vincent.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I ask Vincent.

Danny grabs me, “He says he has no where to go.”

“Danny he can talk,” I state.

Vincent takes a deep breath, “I was wondering if I can hide out here with you. Fontana...he's after me.”

“Bullshit. You're under Big Paulie's protection.”

“Fontana's guys just shot up my house. They don't give a fuck about Big Paulie's protection.”

Kairo looks over at me, “Don't get involved in this shit bae...”

“I'm not your bae,” I tell Kairo and sit on the counter.

I'm sitting on the counter thinking. I look over at Vincent. This guy seems scared as fuck. He looks over at me and he just has the same scared pitiful look that he always had on. He's a young boy, relatively handsome and well groomed. He looks like the typical tan young Italian guy, possibly from Jersey, who probably has a little too many muscles and is probably a little metrosexual.

“I didn't know who else to go to,” Vincent tells me.

“Why don't you go to Big Paulie. Tell him what you know...”

“I don't know shit.”

“If you're going to lie then you can leave,” I tell Vincent.

Vincent struggles.

“Ok. Ok. I just can't tell him what I know. No one will believe me. The reason that I was digging in Isabella Fontana's bag was because I saw someone else going through it. If there was a bomb in there...I wasn't the one who put it in there.”

“Oh shit.”

Danny crosses his arms, “If not you then who?”

Vincent is hesitating.

“Vincent...who did you see going through Isabella Fontana's purse?”

Vincent sighs a little bit, “It was my best friend, Nicky Nuts Fontana.”

We all look at each other confused as fuck. Nuts Fontana may have been responsible for killing his own mother...

To read the next chapter in advance go to www.crushedcrown.com