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Out of the corner of my eye I see Tyrone shoot me a glance before he raises his beer in the air and yells, "The American dream!"
Momma rolls her eyes and Jackson and I burst out laughing.
"Alright, enough of this girly wedding talk," Tyrone says, turning his head to look at us. "Let's watch the sports cha
I type out another text to the P.I. team and one to my own men and press send. I'm sliding my phone back inside my pocket when A
"Hello and good evening, New York. This is A
"Why the fuck are they interviewing him?" Jackson barks.
"Shit," Tyrone mutters, trying to change the cha
"Leave it on," Alyssa snaps. "I-I want to hear this. Maybe he'll mention something about my mom."
Remorse hits me because Alyssa wouldn't be in the position of
needing to watch a news report featuring her crappy stepfather in order to find out how her mother is doing if it wasn't for my father taking the life of her real father.
My eyes zero in on the television, because I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what the shit-head is doing on the news in the first place.
Taking the place of the most notorious mob boss has its perks...including being privy to certain information—as well as being able to pay enough cash to corrupt politicians and the like to ensure certain outcomes.
Outcomes like John Travine never ru
Not after the way he treated Alyssa after her sex tape went viral. And definitely not after hearing from Jackson that he likes to beat her mom up.
A
My chest fills with dread and I whip my cell phone back out. This assholes got another thing coming.
"Oh, no," Alyssa whispers, her lower lip trembling. "What if he runs again?"
"He won't," I assure her as I type out another text and hit the send button. "I'll make sure of it."
And I will. I have enough power and control over the entire city to put the kibosh on this.
And if not...I'll get the council involved—no matter what bullshit they're currently trying to pull by teaming up with outsiders—they'll have no choice but to back me on this.
Because I'm a DeLuca...the last DeLuca...and they need me.
"I do," John starts. "Although I'm a little late with my a
"What?" Momma shrieks as Jackson utters a curse.
"Wow," A
"Well, to be perfectly honest," he begins. "I've decided to run because I'm tired of the corruption that's plaguing this great city of ours. The people of New York are being controlled and used as puppets by a particular organization. A savage and dangerous organization...and it's time to put an end to it." He turns to look at the camera. "I want to run and make New York safe again. I want to protect the great people of New York and the city that I love."
My hands clench at my sides and I stand up. Who the hell does this guy think he is? Not only is he the furthest thing from a martyr...but he's clearly missing most of his brain cells if he thinks it's wise to attack me of all people.
I'll bury the motherfucker and piss on his goddamn grave.
"Oh, please!" Momma yells. "What a bunch of manure."
"My," A
His eyes become glassy and I swear I want to put my fist through the screen. He's obviously trying his best to get the sympathy vote from people.
"John," A
"Yes," he says, his voice sounding strained and I have to hold myself back from laughing out loud. "And I can't keep quiet about it any longer." He clears his throat and sits up straight. "Although, he's no longer alive...Bruno DeLuca once took something very important from me."
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. He's got to be kidding me. My father's
taken a lot of shit from a lot of people.
But now I've got this asshole's number. He obviously thinks I'm
weaker than my father was, so he's trying to get a rise out of
me. Provoke the fucking bear in hopes it will get him what he wants.
Wi
He thinks by threatening me on television in front of the entire city that he'll have me in his pocket.
Too bad for him he doesn't have the right hand to play...because there's nothing this fuckhead can use against me and there's nothing of his that I can be bribed or threatened with.
He has nothing that I want.
I make a mental note to hire extra round the clock security for the apartment complex. I don't think he'd be stupid enough to go after Alyssa...but just in case, I want to be extra cautious.
And the look on Jackson's face and the way he's holding her even tighter to him now tells me he's thinking the same thing.
Alyssa looks at me, the curiosity is beyond evident in her expression
now and I give her a shrug. I honestly have no idea what Bruno DeLuca took from him, but whatever it is—I'm sure as hell not going to be used and threatened with it.
Because whatever it is—it's not important to me and I couldn't give two shits about it.
Therefore, I have all the power and control in this situation.
"What?" A
"Something that can never be replaced," John Travine says as a single tear falls down his face and I snicker.
That is until he says..."My daughter."
Confusion spreads across A
My father didn't take Alyssa Ta
making it sound like DeLuca personally held her hostage at some
point.
I look at Alyssa and this time, it's her who shrugs.
None of this makes any sense.
"Are you referring to Alyssa Tan—"
"No," he says curtly, cutting A
"That is my step-daughter. I'm talking about my daughter. My blood, my pride and joy, my little girl. He took her in the middle of the night when she was only 15 years old. He took her in order to get back at me. He didn't want me going public about all of his illegal dealings...so he threatened me and then he took her from me. It's been almost 10 long years since I've seen her."
His voice breaks and he exhales sharply as a vise the size of a meteor takes hold of my heart and begins squeezing.
No.
"I have no idea if she's still alive...if she's okay."
This can't be happening.
I'm delusional...I would know if he was talking about her.
It's not her. It can't be her.
A