Desired Too (6 page)

“Tell me where you’re staying, Raquel.”

She sighed. “Why, Leo?”

Hearing the nickname she coined for me reminded me again of our first night together. I really needed to feel her again.

“You know why, Raquel. We have unfinished business.”

“I beg to differ,” she replied.

I brought my hands to the sides of her face again. “Baby, we have so much unfinished business to take care of, three years’ worth, and best believe I plan on making up for lost time.”

I brought her lips to mine again and filled my mouth with a taste I could never forget. Her hands moved to my back, and I reached one of my hands to her ass and squeezed.

Shit, I was about to say “fuck my father” when my phone went off again.

She pulled back from me just as “Fuck” floated from my lips.

“Have a good night, Angel,” she said ruefully.

I knew that moment that this woman had a tight grip on my balls.

I didn’t reply to her, though. I just watched her, touched her face, her arms, her back, anything I could to hold me over. I lightly grazed her lips with mine before I moved back so that she could get in the car.

“You know you can’t hide from me. Don’t be surprised when you see me again soon.”

She didn’t reply. She just gave me a skeptical look, then drove away.

I turned and looked to one of the newbies, Stink, on my payroll who was dying to move up in my organization. I nodded before I pulled out my phone. He nodded once and went to his truck to do what I asked as I strode to my car, calling my father and letting him know that I was on my way.

I walked into Pop’s office and found him and my brother engrossed heavily in a conversation that I knew I wasn’t going to like.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I moved further into the room. The Don leaned back in his chair and Eddie did the same. They both brought their eyes to me.

He told me, “Your brother and I have been discussing the business.”

“Yeah? What about it?” I replied as I sat down in front of my firing squad.

“You’ve been fucking up, bro,” Eddie announced.

“And how do you figure,
bro
?” I protested with venom laced all through my voice.

“Angelo,” Pops admonished.

I grew silent, showing respect, and pulled out the cigar that I kept in my inner pocket.

Eddie frowned as I lit up and puffed.

“Since when did you start smoking?” he asked.

“Since I didn’t get the opportunity to put a bullet in your head, I’ve been forced to smoke these. It keeps me from killing you.”

Eddie’s frown deepened, saying, “There’s no one stopping you.”

I watched him smirking through the haze of my cigar smoke. He knew I wouldn’t do anything since my father gave him a pass. It didn’t mean that I liked it or that I accepted it. I was just buying time until he fucked up. When he did, guaranteed I’d be there with my Glock cocked and loaded.

“You’re out of control, Angelo,” Pops spat.

“How so?” I countered.

“I’ve gotten word from the other families that you’ve been excessive with your… uh…
education lessons
, if you will.”

I sat up. “No, Pops, I’ve been doing what’s necessary. Since we’ve let this asshole live, we’ve become weak in a lot of people’s minds.”

Eddie stood and slammed his hand on Pop’s desk. “I’m sick of you saying that shit. I’m right here, motherfucker! You want me gone? Take your best shot.”

“Eduardo, sit the fuck down!” Pops boomed, his voice going through both of our grown asses.

It didn’t matter how old we got, we just didn’t go against our father. Eddie sat down and Pops brought out his own cigar. We both watched patiently as he cut it, then lit it. He leaned back himself, closed his eyes and let the rush of the tobacco hit him. Finally, he looked at me.

“Regardless of what you think is going on, the way you’re going about it is incorrect. The education lessons that you are teaching are wavering on erratic and psychotic. If you want to make a statement by punishing people for going against the family, you make one, but make it good. There’s no need to keep repeating it. It makes you seem out of control, and I have to agree with everyone; you are completely out of control.”

Since word had got around that Lincoln departed from the family, there were a few people, other major crime families in Philly, that had lost their fucking minds. They seemed to have forgotten what I was capable of, and the amnesia seemed to be an epidemic. For a while since Lincoln’s departure, I’d filled my days with nothing but knocking heads around, jarring their memories back. For the hardheaded motherfuckers… Well, you can guess what happened to them.

My father claimed that I was a loose cannon, running on emotions rather than logic, and maybe he was right. However, it was his own doing. So, fuck it. People who tried me had felt every bit of my wrath and then some. In situations where I would have shown restraint in the past, now, my attitude was fuck it. I didn’t make any excuses for my behavior, and I didn’t give a shit who I destroyed in the process; my conscience be damned.

“Pops, I’m only doing what I must.” I started to say more, but Pops waved his hand, motioning me to be quiet and, like a good little soldier, I did.

“I know why you’re doing it, Angelo, and it will stop today. You’ll also get your brother involved in our family business. Get him up to speed on everything. Its time.”

I was already shaking my head. “Pops, I disagree. He and I aren’t in a good place.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Eddie replied and crossed his arms.

“Okay,
I’m
not in the right place right now,” I told my father. “It’s not a good idea.”

“Suck it up, son. It’s what I want and it will be.”

Pops stood and placed his cigar on the side of his mouth. He mumbled, keeping the cigar tucked away, “You two need to figure out how to work together, or I’ll make you, and you don’t want that.”

Pops moved from his chair and left the room. I sat there a moment, enjoying my cigar while my so-called brother sat across from me. He stared at me, but didn’t say a word.

Finally having enough, I put out the cigar and stood. Eddie stood with me.

“You’re really going to choose him over your flesh and blood?”

I exhaled noisily and stared at him. It’s crazy; I’d asked him the same question months ago. His answer was evident then. Mine should be evident now. However, we had continued to have this conversation multiple times and most times, it didn’t end well. This time, I didn’t care to discuss this shit again. I moved to the door.

“So you’ll turn your back on your flesh and blood too? Is that it?” Eddie asked.

“You’re speaking about turning your back on someone. You’re the one that plotted to kill the very flesh and blood you’re looking at.”

“I told you that I-”

Cutting him off, I turned around and moved quickly to my brother. We stood chin to fucked up nose.

I said to him, making it clear that I was losing my patience, “Cut the shit, Eddie. You may have our father fooled, but you don’t have me. I know you’re up to no good and best believe,
bro
, the moment I find out what it is, I’ll bury you myself; permission or not.”

My brother looked up in my eyes, and I made sure he understood the threat that I posed, but also the promise.

My brother did his best to keep his composure. A creepy ass smile appeared on his face as he confessed, “This beef between us is so childish and very unnecessary. I’m going to be the bigger person here and work extra hard to make sure you understand that I mean my family no harm. I’m not up to anything, Angel. Some way, somehow you’ve forgotten where my loyalty lies. I’ll admit my actions in the past could possibly make you question me. I’m telling you now, I only want to have what’s rightly owed to me.”

“Oh yeah and what’s that?” I asked. “It looks to me that you want to have what’s been given to me, what
I’ve
earned.”

“No, you can have that shit, but I want to be that right hand. I’m in this family too, and I be damned if I’m going to be silent and ignored when it comes to running it. So, brother, get used to the idea that I’m going to be here for a while. Shit will go better if you do.”

“Then you will need to understand this: I will always have the final say in every matter of this family. You are second. You’ll always be second. You don’t have what it takes to lead this family, and I will give my last breath to make sure you will never be in the position to lead it.”

“Well, I guess we’ll see then, won’t we?” Eddie replied as he walked around me and left me in my father’s office.

Tell me that you understood that veiled threat
.
You know I’m pissed as fuck, right? You have no idea how bad I wanted to tear this room apart, tear him apart.

That son of a bitch!

I balled my fist, then opened it, in the attempt to calm down. If I didn’t get myself together, I was going to miss the knife when it was thrust into my back. I refused to be made a fool of and Eddie knew that, which was why he was baiting me. He wanted me to lose my shit. I refuse to give him that satisfaction.

I left my father’s office and located the woman of the house so I could say hello before I left. My mother and I were close. I didn’t consider myself a mama’s boy, but I would destroy heaven and earth for Angelica Leonetti.

I found her on the patio talking on the phone. She smiled, gave me her cheek and smacked my face, all while never stopping her phone conversation. I thought about waiting around to speak to her; that is, until I figured out that she was talking to Georgia.

I told you Georgia, my mama and grandmother were crazy by themselves, but together they were downright insane. I kissed her again and left her on the patio. My phone started to vibrate, and I pulled it out, hoping it was Stink coming through for me. I glowered when I saw that it was Eddie. I could have just shot the fucker right that moment, saving us both the grief and hassle.

I exited my parent’s house and glanced at Darrell and Hugo, who were huddled together conspiratorially.

“What’s up with you two?” I asked.

“Nothing. You headed home?”

I eyed them both with suspicion of my own, but I didn’t press.

“Yeah, I’ll see you on Monday bright and early,” I told them. “It seems we have a meeting to attend to at Waters’ Inc. at 9 am, so I’ll meet you there by 8:30.”

My phone signaled I had a text. “Finally
,”
I said to myself as I read.

“There you are,” I uttered into the night.

As it seemed, tonight just might get interesting. I smiled, thinking of how good it was going to feel when I sank into her.

I can just taste her on my tongue.

“Boss?”

I looked up, pissed that someone interrupted my wet daydream, and found Hugo standing in front of me. A scowl, I knew, was prominent on my face, which caused him to pause before he said to me, “I just heard from Tiko.”

I closed my eyes and leaned against my car. See how fate and I just weren’t getting along? When I opened them, both Hugo and Darrell were standing in front of me.

I reluctantly forcedher and the wet dream to the back of my mind. “Tell me.”

I drove to a pier in Delaware, which was south of the city. Lester kept weird hours since he and his wife separated and he moved into his office, so I knew he’d be up.

It seemed that my brother had been very busy. From what Tiko told me, Eddie had been informing people that I was out of control, unstable and incapable of leading. Tiko was able to smooth things over with some, and they decided to continue their loyalty, claiming a misunderstanding. I understood their hesitation. I mean, hell, my brother could be quite persuasive. However, I wasn’t very forgiving to those that went against me. My father advised that I was unnecessary with my teachings in the past. If I wanted to teach the people that I employed the concept of loyalty, I needed to make my lesson count.  Since I was loyal to my father, I would make sure that when a lesson had to be taught, that I taught it just one.

I won’t go into the specifics of said lesson I directed Tiko to teach, but just note that the misunderstandings were resolved, except for Lester. The way he had turned on me surprised me a little. As I mentioned, I’d helped Lester when I probably shouldn’t have. His daughter had some trouble in high school, so I handled it for him without second thought. I’d made sure that they stayed in their high-priced house, living in their high priced community and I’d made sure his kids stayed in their high-priced schools. I’d paid Lester well for his discretion and loyalty, so for him to betray me, disrespect me in the manner in which he did, in front of my men...

I gripped my steering wheel tight, whites of my knuckles evident, as I turned into the warehouse parking lot.

I pulled out my cig, lit it, and then got out of my car. I headed for the front of the building followed by Darrell, Hugo and now Tiko, who was waiting for us in the warehouse parking lot. As I pulled on my cig, I thought about Lincoln. He and I would be formulating a plan right now as we walked, deciding which one of us was going to strike first. Typically, he would be the one to lose it first. He just didn’t have the tolerance to do anything else. I wasn’t too far behind. People hated to see us both coming. They couldn’t handle it. When there was only one, they felt like they had a fighting chance to stall the inevitable, but when the both of us were together, shit got messy quick.

Darrell and Hugo moved ahead of me and disappeared into the warehouse. By the time I got to Lester’s office, he was sitting at his desk with Darrell and Hugo by his side.

Lester looked up at me, fear etched in his eyes as Darrell tossed a cell phone on the desk.

“He was trying to call someone when we pulled him from underneath his bed,” Darrell informed me.

I nodded once and kept my eyes on Lester.

Tiko found a chair for me and I sat. I took a few puffs of my cigar just to calm my rage before asking, “How are things going, Lester?”

He stuttered, “F-fine.”

I nodded, keeping my intense eyes on him. “Yeah, I heard things were fine. I’ve also heard that you’re… What did he say, Tiko? He’s done with me? Is that it? Do I have that, right, Lester?”

He didn’t reply.

I expelled a frustrated breath. “Have I not taken care of you and your family for the years we’ve known each other, Lester?”

“As long as I kept my mouth shut.”

“As long as you…” I took in another breath, then took a few puffs, held it in, then slowly released.

“I paid you to keep your mouth shut about my business and what you do for me, yes. I’ve paid you handsomely I might add. I actually liked you, which is why, despite others, I looked out for your family. I took care of the issue with your daughter. I kept your son out of prison multiple times. I did all that out of the kindness of my heart and then you decide to just spit in my face.”

Lester suddenly grew a set of balls, something that people have been doing around me a lot lately. He turned beet red, slammed his hand on the desk and stood, fire spitting from his mouth.

“Yeah, did you fuck my daughter out of the kindness of your heart too?” he spat. “Did you, you son of a bitch? She told me what you did; how you took advantage of her. You’re a dirty piece of shit to touch an innocent girl like my Sophia-”

Darrell had attacked Lester before I could tell him not to bother. Darrell pinned Lester up against the wall and gave him a few blows to his solar plexus and his face.

I nodded for Hugo to stop Darrell and I stood. I motioned for Darrell to stand Lester up and as they pinned him against the wall, then I moved closer.

I will give it to Lester; I knew he was in pain from the blows he’d received, but he met me eye-to-eye, man to man. I took another drag, then put out my cigar on his desk.

I said to him, remarkably calm considering, “I’m appalled you’d think I would touch your daughter, but I have an idea who put her up to telling you these lies. I hate to have to break it to you, but your sweet innocent girl, Sophia, is far from innocent. Yes, you see, I keep tabs on every part of my business, and since you and your family are my business, I know a lot more than you think. I don’t do young girls; never have. I prefer grown women, as my tastes require someone that’s experienced and your daughter is fucking sixteen. Why would you think I would touch a sixteen-year-old?” When it took Lester too long to respond, I charged, feeling now my rage coming full force, “Answer me, you stupid motherfucker!”

“She told me…”

I moved closer to his face. “She told you what? Did she say that I touched her and that I forced myself on her? Do you think I’m so hard up that I would go after a child? That I couldn’t control myself?” Before he could say anything, I smacked my hand up against his forehead, knocking his head against the wall behind him, hoping I’d knocked some sense into him and backed up from him slowly.

The look of resolve and truth finally fell on his features. He broke down and started crying. I watched him, not feeling at all sympathetic; more like annoyed and aggravated.

I motioned for them to let Lester go, and as I stepped back further, Lester fell over on his desk, his body racked with desperate sobs. I stood there, watching him realizing what a sniveling, coward, piece of shit I had in front of me.

“Why would she lie?” he whispered.

I figured his question was rhetorical so I didn’t reply.

Lester spread his arms in front of him and stretched his hands against the desk. He dropped his head and replied, “I’m so ashamed. Please forgive my ignorance. It’s just that she’s my baby. Please? You have to understand my position. When Eddie brought her to me to tell me what happened to her, I was enraged. He calmed me down, telling me he would take care of everything. He said he would protect us, he would do a better job than you ever did and that he was the true Leonetti in charge. Why wouldn’t I believe him?”

I moved to him and placed my hand on his shoulder, then the back of his head with my right hand.

“Yes, I understand your position, really I do. I’m sure if I had a daughter and she told me someone touched her, I’d kill the man that did it.” He nodded profusely as I added, “I also know how my brother could be quite convincing. Making you believe that he had the best interests of you and your daughter at heart.”

“Yes…” Lester replied.

I then leaned closer to Lester and declared. “Still, you should’ve come to me the moment he approached you with this bullshit. Instead, you betrayed me.”

I reached inside my jacket, pulled out my Glock with my left hand and slammed the butt of my gun into his hand, while still holding onto his neck. The screams leaving Lester’s body only charged me, and as Darrell placed Lester’s hand back on the desk, I slammed my gun a few more times, just for good measure. I grabbed him by his collar, pushed him against the wall and placed my gun underneath his chin. I was inches from his face. I could smell the fear of death coming from his pores. Enraged, like a caged animal, I looked in his eyes. I wanted him to see who I was, what he had brought out of me, so that there was no mistaking who was in charge.

“You betrayed me, stupid fucker,” I hissed. “I don’t do well with betrayal. I don’t give a fuck what my brother said to you. He set you up and you fucking went for it. Your loyalty should have been to me.”

The smell of urine attacked my nostrils, but I refused to back up. I wanted to kill the son of a bitch. I was tired of the bitter taste of betrayal. I wanted to release. I wanted to see his blood and brains splatter on the back wall. This would be the sure fire educational message my father told me to send. But I didn’t pull the trigger. I had a different plan in mind that, at the end of the day, would take Lester’s life anyway.

“You and I are done,” I told him. “My protection is no longer yours.”

I finally let him go and he dropped in the pool of his own piss, crying again. I watched his limp body as it shook and then turned to Tiko. “Get this useless son of a bitch out of here and torch the place. Show him what it’s like to have my leniency verses what it feels like to not have my protection.”