Page 51 of End It All

"Nice, you rolled this?"

He shrugged, lighting it for me.

Time seemed to trickle by as we silently passed the joint between each other. I was sharing more of my shit then I ever thought I would. I couldn't say I absolutely hated it.

My phone vibrated, letting me know the food was here. I grunted and groaned as I got off the floor and headed to the door. "Be right back." I didn't wait on Blake's response before I was headed down the stairs. Each step brought the pain to life. The only reason I was still moving was the promise of food and the good shit I was smoking.

I met my pizza guy and took both pizzas, cheesy bread, and wings to the apartment. Like always, I circled back and made weird twists and turns before going into the building. In a few weeks, I'd stop doing the extra steps, but a new place meant extra precautions. I kicked the door.

Blake opened it, glaring at me like I was a bad kid. I smiled at him in greeting.

"Honey, I'm home." I walked past him. "Did you miss me?"

"Do I have to remind you that you're injured?"

I shook my head. I could feel it with every fucking inhale. I sat the pizza on the floor and plopped my ass down along with it.

Blake snagged a slice. I stared at him. Apparently, Blake had taken my advice and not only asked for Benito's help for me, but for himself too. That meant he owed him.

"What's the job?" I grabbed a slice of pizza and stuffed my face. It was greasy heaven.

"I don't know yet, but he said it's going to be big because he had to cover for me at the dinner."

"Oh right, you missed the family dinner. You know, you could have let me be. I wasn't going to die." There was no wayI was giving the universe the sick satisfaction of me giving into death.

"No, you were pretty bad, and I didn't want to go."

"Scared to face Daddy?"

Blake tossed a banana pepper at me, and I thoughtfully picked it up where it landed on my shirt, and ate it.

"No, I'm not afraid of him."

"Then you're even stupider than you look."

Blake's head tilted. "You're yakuza and you're afraid of Cesare Vitale?"

"I'm human, and anyone who's flesh and bone should have some kind of fear when it comes to a man like that." I snatched up my drink, wishing it had something stronger than Coke, but even I knew not to mix meds with alcohol.

"Harlow isn't and I'm pretty sure Benito isn't either."

"Engh!" I slipped open the other box of pizza looking for the perfect slice. "They don't show their fear, but even they tiptoe around that man. In his prime, he held New York City in the palm of his hands. Sure, it was bathed in blood and people were afraid to even step outside their doors, but there was no doubt that Cesare Vitale is a man who earned his title."

"You know a lot about the Vitales?" The curiosity that played on Blake's face would be comical if I didn't know he was serious.

"I know a lot about a lot of families." It was part of why Denji Hayashi hadn't gotten rid of me after Harlow left. I was far more valuable on his team, or at least I'd thought so. The latest encounter with Daiki said otherwise, reminding me I was at the bottom once again. It was like the years of showing my worth meant nothing; a bitter pill I was forced to swallow.

I shoved the unhelpful thoughts out of my head. "Why? What do you want to know?"

Blake shrugged. "Does Benito run things now or my dad?" He didn't sound too sure about calling Cesare dad, but I left thatbag of daddy issues alone. It wasn't like I was the poster child for healthy relationships with parents.

"Officially, as far as the family and those around are concerned, Benito. He came out a few years ago when the Vitales had lost their footing thanks to your pops getting put away. Him, Giancarlo, and Enzo rocked the entire state when they killed and maimed their way back to the top. Benito and Gin were excellent businessmen too. Gin could make any contract a reality, and Benito can charm anything with at least an ounce of a soul. And Enzo? He’s great at convincing people through pain and torture. And he handles the clean up too. They rarely ever get caught."

“Wait.” He counted on his fingers, his brows scrunching together. “You’re missing one.”

I shook my head. “That would be Paolo, Gin’s twin. Not a whole lot I can tell you about him since he was presumed dead up until a few months back. His involvement is a bit more complicated.” I took another healthy bite of pizza, loving every greasy bite. “He was involved with the FBI.”

Blake put his pizza down, surprise on his face. "Wow.” He frowned. “They kill a lot?"