Page 55 of Humility

“Just a guess. I love them, too. Come on, let’s get some breakfast before you burn the house down.”

“Rude,” I said as we laughed. Normal had no meaning to me. When you were born a princess in a mafia family, there simply was no such thing, but if I had to picture what it was like, then this would be it. I liked it.

* * *

ANGELO

Swearing, I slammed my fist into the dash of Dario’s pickup truck.

“Hey man, knock it the fuck off,” Dario growled as he shot me a dark look.

“Fucking guy, I swear I’m going to kill him. I think you’re incredible,” I mocked. “Why don’t I take you out to breakfast.” I glared out the passenger side window, trying to control the rage taking over my body. When that happened, people died.

“You sound like a fucking child pouting over having to share your toys.” He shook his head at me, and if we weren’t traveling a hundred miles an hour down an interstate, I would’ve punched him in the face.

“Do it, and I swear I’ll stop at the first bridge I come to, drag you out, and throw you over,” Dario said. I snarled at him with a few choice words but looked away.

“I’m not like you. I can’t sit by and watch Enzo do all the things I want to do and can’t.”

“You think I’m okay with it?”

“Well, you sure as fuck don’t seem worked up about it,” I said as we passed a cluster of old run-down farms. If they weren’t so far away from the other property, I would look at buying them up, but we were already forty minutes outside of anything I would entertain.

“I just don’t let myself get all worked up over something I can’t control. I wanted to punch you in the face every time you bullied Jasmine, but I didn’t. I wanted to date her, but my status would never allow it, so I didn’t. I had no interest in leaving Jasmine behind when you got the call from your father, but I went. I’ve spent my entire life knowing that I’ll end up doing shit that I don’t want to.”

Looking at his profile, I saw the tension in his jaw return. The angry lines at the corner of his eyes were once more in place.

“I guess I never looked at it that way,” I said.

“Why would you? You were born never having to worry about what you wanted until you set your eyes on Jasmine. Until that moment, anything you desired was at your fingertips. Even now, you attack everything like it is owed to you, but Jasmine won’t jump when you snap your fingers. She may even bite them off,” Dario said, and even though he was serious, I couldn’t help but laugh at the visual that popped into my head.

“You’re right about that. Tiger has a killer instinct.” I didn’t doubt that she would try to rip out my throat if she found out about my night excursions. But watching her jump from the bed and look underneath was priceless. Fuck, I loved her, and last night had done nothing but make me crave her more.

“So you’re saying I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth?”

“I’m saying that we view the world and our opportunities differently.” Dario glanced over at me. “Enzo’s involvement pisses you off because lines are blurred. He is here because Jasmine likes him. I don’t piss you off because I’ve always been at your beck and call.”

I opened my mouth to argue but snapped it shut. Fuck he was right. I hated it when he was right. Dario had been by my side from such a young age that he grew into the role of best friend and bodyguard. I trusted him with my life and, in this case, Jasmine. Enzo was my friend, but I didn’t know him as well, and Jasmine’s interest in him made me feel out of control. I didn’t do out of control.

“Fuck. I still don’t like that Enzo’s taking her out, no matter the reason.”

“Then be mad. I don’t care, but don’t punch my fucking truck,” Dario grumbled as we pulled off the interstate.

I could see the condo building I owned in the distance. It wouldn’t be open for another seven months, but once it was, it would be extremely lucrative and would help me move around some of the not-so-legal money from my underground casino.

We pulled into the parking lot and saw men up on the scaffolding working and walking across the steel beams. My father never thought I would amount to anything without him, but I made a shit ton of money and did it on my own, keeping pretty much everything legal. I was fucking impressed with myself.

Matt, my head contractor, was leaning over a table looking at blueprints when he spotted the truck. I watched him closely as he spoke to Nicolas, my foreman on the job sites, before walking over. I made it my business to know everyone who worked for me. I knew their names, family, criminal history, and where they liked to spend their time and money. You never knew when that information would be useful.

“Mr. Esposito, what a pleasure to see you today. As you can see, the building is coming along right on schedule.”

I gave him a small smile for his effort. “Indeed it is. Why don’t you hop in the back? We are going out for breakfast,” I said casually, but Matt hesitated and swallowed hard. A single stream of sweat trickled down the side of his face despite the cool breeze today.

“I really should stay and work,” he finally said.

I lowered my sunglasses and gave him the full weight of my stare. “Get in the fucking truck, or I’ll consider it disrespectful, and that will anger me. You don’t want to anger me.”

“No, no, of course not.”