Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“You done with your pity party for one?” Gabe said when I walked back into the kitchen.
“You need to watch your fucking mouth, Gabriel.”
“Or what, you’re going to tie me up to a chair and burn my apartment while I sit there?”
I stared at him, then turned to the food.
“Side note, this chicken sucks,” Rocco said.
I looked down at his plate. “You ate the whole thing.”
“Because I’m starving, not because it’s good.”
“Today has been a true test of my patience.” I cut into my chicken and tried a piece. Yeah, it was dry as fuck. I ate it anyway because I was also starving.
“So,” Gabe started.
I pointed my fork at him. “Don’t talk about Rosie.”
“I wasn’t going to.” He chuckled. “But good to know you’re finally realizing that ship has sailed.”
“That ship hasn’t sailed.” Jesus Christ. How had I not realized that I surround myself with a bunch of assholes? And I was worse. It was like I couldn’t help myself and had to engage.
“Once she sets her eyes on Jimmy Ryan, that ship will be in China by the time you even think to call her.”
“Fuck you.”
“Yeah, I know.” He had some of the fettuccine that went with the dry chicken and shook his head. “Mom would be so disappointed.”
I looked at my plate, a new sadness filling me. I knew he was talking about the chicken, which Mom would have totally made fun of me for, but she’d also be disappointed about me letting Rosie slip through my fingers like this. Mom loved Rosie. When Gabe started bringing her over, she acted like she’d won the lottery. She kept calling her the daughter she always wanted. I thought about my trip with Rosie to see the bronze statues. So much happened since that trip; it felt like a year ago.
“Your mom’s lasagna was the best I’ve ever had, to this day,” Rocco said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “My mom’s ziti was the shit though. I have dreams about that ziti.”
“Her ziti was pretty fire,” I agreed.
“Do you know how to make it?” Gabe asked.
“Nah.” Rocco smiled sadly. “She never got a chance to teach me. Mikey makes it though. Not as good, but it’s better than mine.” He exhaled. “When I find the fucker responsible for that night, I’m going to make him wish he’d killed us all.”
Gabe’s fork stopped moving. “You’re really looking?”
“I’ll never stop.”
“What makes you think they’re still alive?” he asked.
“Hope.”
“Hope.” I scoffed, taking a sip of water and unlocking my phone again.
“Hope, since it’ll mean that I’ll get to kill them slowly and make them pay for what they did.”
“But you have no idea?” Gabe asked. “Nothing to go on? Can’t your brother help?”
“Trust me, Mikey has everything he needs. If anyone can figure out who did this, it’s him, and when he does, I’ll be ready.”
“We’ll be ready,” I said.
“I thought you weren’t getting your hands dirty anymore?” Rocco raised an eyebrow.
“For this, I would.”
He chuckled. Gabe sighed heavily.
I checked my email again, hoping Veronica hadn’t taken me out of the thread because I was a masochistic asshole and needed to see all of it.
Sender: RONNIE2077@OUI
To: ROSIE13
Subject: UPDATE??
Just checking in! Also, I accidentally included people who weren’t supposed to see the previous message. I keep hitting too many buttons! If you want, we can continue this in text
Sender: ROSIE13
To: RONNIE2077
Subject: RE: UPDATE??
Tonight is still going! lol. He is so nice. AND HE GAVE ME HIS CREDIT CARD AND TOLD ME I DIDN’T HAVE A SPENDING LIMIT! WHOOOO DOOOESSS THAAAAATTT? He must not know I’ll take him up on it and swipe the hell out of his card LOL JK I’m only going to buy a dress for the event. But still.
Sender: RONNIE2077@OUI
To: ROSIE13
Subject: RE: RE: UPDATE??
LOL he’s rich enough to do that. Glad it’s going well!
Sender: ROSIE13
To: RONNIE2077
Subject: RE: RE: RE: UPDATE??
Me too. I have to come back to this place. The wine is so good that I’m reconsidering question #5! I think we’re going to The Drunken Rabbit next! OKAY FOR REAL FOR REAL TTYT!!
Question five. I ran through the list of questions and felt the blood drain when I remembered what that one was. FUCK NO.
“You okay?” that was Gabe.
“Fantastic.” I grit my teeth. “Why?”
“You’re holding the wrong end of your knife.”
I looked down and saw blood seeping from my hand. “Fuck.”
I cleaned up, threw shit away, wiped the counter again, and washed my hands twice. Good thing it was one of the knives that needed to be sharpened. The cut wasn’t deep and had already stopped bleeding. They were still at Gio’s restaurant, but the asshole was out of town. The one night I needed him here.
“You need to figure this out and get your head in the game,” Rocco said. “We still need to get rid of Tommy and friends.”