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I rolled my eyes. “What is this shit? Some sort of after school special or a drug run?”
He shook his head. “You're not cut out for this life, kid. I feel it in my bones. You're meant for something better than this shit.”
“You're wrong,” I whispered. “DeLuca's on his way to becoming the most powerful man in New York...most men would consider it an honor and a privilege to be his son. Most men would consider it their saving grace.”
I hiked a shoulder up. “Besides, there's nothing I can do about it anyway. I'm his one and only son. He's has my whole entire life pla
He took a deep breath and continued reading his book, some Stephen King novel in the Green Mile series. “That's a travesty. You could have done some real good things in your lifetime, Ricardo.”
After that, we stayed silent and completed the drug run.
But I knew with utmost certainty...that he was an undercover cop. I think he knew I was on to him, but he took the risk talking to me anyway. That's how important it was.
Cop or not, I couldn't find it in my heart to rat him out.
With the exception of DeLuca, no one had ever given a fuck about me or my future before.
But this guy seemed to want the best for me, and he didn't even know me.
Maybe he was right...I didn't have to be like him.
The next time we saw one another, he brought his novel and continued reading.
“You like to read, too?” I asked.
“Stephen King's my favorite. Great author.”
I nodded. “Yeah, he's one of the best. His book, 'It' and 'The Shining' are awesome. I read them both in 5th grade.”
He glanced up at me from over his book. “Impressive.” He crinkled his nose. “Although, that must have been a little scary for a 5th grader.”
I made a face. “My father's a mob boss. I learned at an early age not to be scared of anything.”
“Fair enough,” he said while rubbing his chin. “Damn, my Goblin just started the 5th grade. She'd be scared out of her mind if she ever started reading Stephen King now.”
I sat up in my seat. “You have a daughter?”
He cursed under his breath. “No. I have a goblin.” He looked at me hard. “I trust that you would never tell your father about her..for obvious reasons. You don't strike me as the type of man to ever think it was okay to go after an i
“No,” I said quickly. The thought that my own father could hurt his little girl made me sick. “God, no. Are you kidding? I swear, your secret's safe with me. No matter what happens.”
He visibly relaxed in his seat. “She'll be 10 in a few days. She's smart for her age, too. Very perceptive.” He beamed. “Greatest thing that ever happened to me, that goblin.”
I felt mildly jealous over how much this man loved his kid. I knew my father would never look at me in the same light.
I adjusted the side mirror's of the Ferrari. “It's kind of fu
“That is fu
“That's probably why you call her goblin, huh?”
He gave me a side glance. “No, but that's why she thinks I call her goblin. My reason is much more profound than that.”
“You obviously really love her. She's lucky to have you.” I looked out the windshield. “I wish my father felt that way about me, but I'm cursed.”
“What do you mean?”
“He never wanted me. Up until two years ago, we didn't get along. I was pretty sure he hated me. I don't want the same things in life that he wants. I'm not like him, but it doesn't matter because I'll be forced to be. I know in the end no matter how hard I fight―I'll turn out just like him. Lately, every day that goes by I feel like I lose sight of who I really am.”
I looked down and snorted. “Look at that, I guess there is one thing I'm still scared of after all.”
He tapped his book and I followed his gaze to the car approaching us. “I'm going to need you to make a very difficult decision in the next few days. I want you to think long and hard about it because it will change your life.”
I nodded, already knowing exactly what it was he was going to ask of me soon. He wanted me to turn my father over to the feds.
And for the first time, I wanted to.
“I'll go out and make the drop-off,” he said. “You stay here this time.”
He opened the door and dropped his book on the seat.
“It's my favorite, but I think you'll be able to identify with the main character more than I ever could. There's also a passage highlighted that reminds me of you. Keep it, it's yours.”
With that, he walked out.
I picked up the book and quickly turned to the highlighted passage he was referring to.
“Sometimes there is absolutely no difference at all between salvation and damnation.”
He never returned back to the car after that. His buddy Ford showed up, and he took off with him.
What I didn't know, was that him leaving with Ford was one of my father's traps.
A set-up by his partner that would prove to my father that he was a cop.
To this day, I wished I'd made the drop-off and he had stayed in the car.
I wish I'd gotten a chance to make that deal with Graham.
Instead of the one with my father.
A heavy fist slammed into my face. “You know he's an undercover cop. Don't you?”
“I have no idea what you're talking about, Babbo,” I said. “Who?”
The fist slammed into my face again, this time, I picked my head up and assumed the defense stance. “That guy I told you to do the runs with this week. That's who,” he yelled. “You were supposed to tell me if he was trustworthy or not.”
“He is, “ I lied. “He's not an undercover. He's just a regular guy looking to make some money.”
His fist came again, but I blocked it and jabbed him. He reared back and I went after him again.
He might have weighed more than I did due to his heavy build, but he was no match for me and all my hour's boxing.
It was the first time I'd ever gone after him. The look on his face was priceless. Half proud, half pissed.
He raised his hand again but he didn't get the chance to use it because my fist co
He spat blood at me and his nostrils flared.
“I'm disappointed in you,” he snapped. “Tomorrow you will learn your lesson about going against me. I'll see to it that you never do it again.”
With that, he stormed out of the room.
The lesson I was forced to learn came in the form of being locked in a car while watching him bash Graham's skull in with a crowbar.
On my 18th birthday.
All while his soon to be 10-year-old daughter watched.
I would never forget her eyes, they were the same as her father's.
I would never forget her screams as she watched my father take her father's life.
After we got home, I attacked my father with a vengeance I didn't know I had in me.
Uppercuts, jabs, hell even a few MMA kicks I'd learned.
“I will never—” I punched him. “Ever—” I sent a jab right to his nose. “Be like you.”
I finished off with an uppercut to his jaw.
I backed away and finally dropped my fists while blood dripped down his face. “I'm done. I'm not your son anymore. I'm fucking out.”