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“Rory, take Joel and get into the car. Now.” I realize Romano has heard every word I said to Landon. I just hope Joel wasn’t listening, not that he’d understand.
Romano is vibrating with fury, his jaw clenched. I can’t see his eyes but I know if he took his shades off they’d be molten. Landon’s gaze flicks from me to Romano and some of the bluster and bravado seeps away.
“Now, Rory.” This time I do as Romano says. He passes Joel to me and we walk ten feet to where his car is double-parked. It isn’t locked so I help Joel into the back seat, where the car seat he used last time is still fixed in place. I buckle him in and then climb into the front passenger seat.
“I didn’t like the man with the hair like mine,” Joel says in a small voice.
“Me neither, baby. But we won’t be seeing him again, OK?”
He nods and the wrinkle between his eyes smooths out. “Can we get another ice cream?” he pipes up hopefully.
“Not today. Maybe tomorrow.”
There’s a small grumble and then he’s distracted by a kid with a balloon walking past while I watch the scene unfolding between Romano and Landon.
Chapter 28
Romano
This asshole wants burying in a barrel full of concrete. Preferably after I’ve removed a few vital organs and appendages. The rage I felt when I heard Rory describing how he raped her - fucking raped her! - was indescribable. I’ve never been so on the edge of committing extreme violence in my entire life. Landon is fucking lucky he’s not in pieces right now.
“So, are you her boyfriend?” The asshole sneers, taking in my jeans and the tattoos down my forearm.
I fold my arms and stare down at him for a few long moments. Some of the cockiness falls from his expression and I can tell he’s a little unnerved by my calm demeanor. A pussy like this is only brave when he’s beating on defenseless women.
“The only thing that’s important is that you need to forget about Rory and Joel. Are we clear?”
This is not what he wants to hear and he flushes with rage.
“No, he’s my fucking son, so I won’t forget about him! That bitch stole my child from me and I want him back!” He takes a step forward with a fist clenched like he really thinks he can deck me and get away with it. His jacket gapes open and the white shirt he wears has wet patches under the arms where he’s sweating like a pig in the hot sun. He’s not a bad-looking guy but since I’m a good few inches taller than he is, I can see his hair is thinning already on the crown and he has a paunch that comes from a desk job and indulging in too much rich food.
I glance around. There are a couple of people staring at us curiously, so I grab his arm and force him down the alley next to the cafe. Before he can protest, I have him up against the brick wall with my arm across his throat and a gun pressed against his side. The color drains from his face and he turns ashen.
“What the fuck are you doing? Have you any idea who I am?” he splutters.
“Yeah. The asshole who raped Rory. The same asshole who deserves to be disemboweled and dumped in the bay. Does that answer your question?”
“You won’t get away with this, you fucking…gangster!”
My arm presses harder against his throat and he turns blue as his oxygen supply dies.
“I am a gangster, yes. Romano Faugno, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Recognition sparks at the same time as I cock my gun.
“You have a choice here. You can either continue to make trouble, or walk away and forget about Rory and Joel. Personally, I recommend door number two. It’s a lot more conducive to life.”
I remove my arm and Landon sucks in air like a drowning man. Some of the color returns to his pasty complexion.
“My father is Harold Rothman!” he spits.
“I know,” I smirk. “Harold Rothman, CEO of Rothman-Chase Bank. A man who has particular tastes in the type of girls he likes. A man who likes to collect videos. The sort of videos that would have a disastrous effect on Rothman-Chase stock, don’t you think?” I found all of this out when I did a deep dive into Rory’s life.
The fact she’d left Juilliard so abruptly niggled me. It took a while but I located a copy of the police report she filed about the rape, which detailed who the perpetrator was. Someone had buried this report very thoroughly, obviously hoping it would never see the light of day again. From there it didn’t take much effort to investigate Landon’s family and discover what kind of DNA he was linked to. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree at all.
Once again, Landon looks like he might vomit. This time he doesn’t offer up any more threats. He’s realized I have way too much leverage on him and his twisted family.
“OK, OK! I’ll leave her alone. Just don’t take this any further!”
