THIN ICE |BOOK I |BWWM|

•ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 4•

•PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY•

Adrian's POV

"Why is it any of our concern what the Russo family does?"

My eyes rolled so hard I could see my brain. "'Why is it'- ? You see them taking money from Mancini's accounts and see no issue?"

I tapped my finger against the butt of my cigarette into the ashtray and took another hit.

"All that school for help in a financial crisis and you don't even know when we're having a crisis! Make it make sense Andres!" I sneered.

"We aren't in a crisis! Neither Russo's or Mancini's records show a growth in territory. Neither of them are a threat!" My brother replied, slamming his hand on my father's coffee table with every word.

"Quiet, both of you", my father stood leaning against his desk. The IV tubing connecting his hand to the morphine pump snagged as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Did I raise two men or two little girls? Andres is right. We have an arrangement with Vincent Russo and we agreed to peace with Giuseppe Mancini. If Andres says there is no threat, I'd rather not kick up dirt."

My face fell flat as I tried to hide the glowering expression itching to form on my face.

"Like kidnapping his daughter," Andres mumbled just loud and clear enough for my father to hear.

"Who's daughter?"

My father's dark eyes shot to me over the rim of his glasses.

Andres and I wordlessly exchanged glances as my father waved me over and tapped the vein on his neck.

"Come here Adrian, feel this."

I took a deep breath and plodded to the maple wood desk in front of me. Hesitantly, I reached up and felt his pulse. As the small area of his skin rose and fell under my fingers a sharp and heavy sting slammed into the side of my face, plowing me into the floor.

I grasped my burning cheek as my eyes locked with the man towering above me.

"Don't you ever again go above my head, boy. As long as that pulse still beats, you obey my orders! NOT the other way 'round!" He yelled, his words vibrating throughout the room.

As the words left his lips, his fingers wrapped around the solid gold hexagon paperweight and hurled it at Andres. It grazed his forehead as he bobbed instead of weaved.

"And you did it for him, you're just as guilty."

Glances passed between me and Andres as my father fell forward slightly, gripping the edge of his desk, trying to catch his breath.

His jaw clenched as we helped him to his chair and placed the pump button for morphine in his hand.

"Get out of here. Fix it. Both of you." He shooed us away.

I stood back, shoving my hand in my pocket for my lighter as Andres' attention tacked itself to our father for a moment longer before he followed my lead.

I waited in the hallway, smoothly blowing out another stream of smoke as my eyes bore holes into my brother's skull while he closed the door behind him.

"When are you gonna grow up?"

"When you grow a pair." I snapped and spun towards my bedroom.

I slammed the door behind me and put out my cigarette, then headed into the bathroom. I stood at the sandstone sink as my mind floated back to the makeshift interrogation of Mancini's daughter earlier today.