Roses & Ruin

Chapter 60 (Anthony)

         "You sure you wanna go with him?" Enzo asked me for the tenth time. "Yes, I already told you I do. We need an Italian presence there. The Russians already view us as weak and incompetent" I walked past him and grabbed my gun. I was still checking the cartridge when he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, don't you think you already solved that with the Marlo thing. I know you're feeling the pressure man. I know Dom's shifted a lot of the responsibility on you, but it's not Just you. I'm still in on this even if I did get a promotion" my cousin reminded me. 

"Yeah? Then how come I'm the only one setting things straight?" I asked him. There was an edge to my voice that usually isn't there and it surprised us both.

        "For fucks sake, man. Don't pop off an attitude with me. I'm tryna help you" Enzo's infamous attitude struck up in response to my own. I shoved the cartridge back into my gun once I saw that it was full and ready to go. I grabbed the uniform the delivery men usually wear and started putting it on. 

"Besides...Andrei can't stop the truck all by himself. He'll need back up. He'll be the one going inside though. They won't spot me" I told him, ignoring the rest of it.

"My pops is worried about you" Enzo mumbled. I did a double take. "For fuckin what?" 

Do they think I'm inept or something? Since when am I the weak link? I'm not. Nothing to worry about. It was agitating me the way they were acting for how yesterday went. So I beat and hung a man. They've done just as bad.

        "You know how pops is. He's just looking out for ya, is all....There's something else I wanted to talk to you about, but I don't really know how to bring it up...or if it's even the right time to" Enzo was beating around the bush. 

I know this guy like the back of my hand. I stopped in place and let him talk. Might as well get it over with so he stops tip toeing around me. Enzo took the white papers he rolled his weed in from behind his ear. He looked at it and tucked it back behind his ear again.

"Lexi" was all he said. But I could see it in his expression. He knows. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. 

        "How'd that happen?" Enzo asked me. I rubbed my brow and crossed my arms. I told him everything. "Fuck man...your secrets safe with me, but that's what its gotta stay as...a secret. The Petrov's would not take kindly to that, man" he told me what I already know.

He cursed under his breath again. "You aren't, like, upset about it, are you? You said it was just a casual fuck. Did that change?" He asked me. I stalled. I don't even know how to answer that question. "It was...well, it's just...awkward. Uncomfortable" I said. 

Enzo nodded. "So it's over between you two then? I mean I know she's just my wife in name only, but it'd get a bit complicated, ya know? It'd be a bit strange" he surprised me by saying. "And not just cuz of me obviously. For your safety...and hers" he added quickly when he saw my expression. 

Then I did something I never do. I lied to my cousin. 

        "Yeah, it ended the day we realized she was the Russian bride we'd all been waiting for. We just didn't know...beforehand. We obviously didn't introduce ourselves as mob affiliates" I was feeling defensive.

I get that she's gonna be his wife, but does he think she's gonna start sleeping with him or catching feelings for him or something? I'm sure he's gonna be out there fucking other girls, so why should he care if I still got something going on with her? 

I shook my head. I need to be clear minded tonight. I can't risk distractions.

I holstered my gun and checked the time so I could signify that this conversation was over. I really didn't want to get into it much more than that. Enzo was stuck on it though. He chewed the inside of his cheek and kept saying, "What are the fucking chances."