Slowburn

Chapter 38 (Renzo's POV)

        "You better have a damn good fucking reason why you burst into my business with a bleeding fucking idiot in your arms" I growled out to the two goons that just fucked up my night. Matteo has his blue suspenders on because his belly hangs so low it pulls down his pants if he doesn't. He kept adjusting them and fidgeting. 

I had them down at the warehouse letting Stefan sleep off the painkiller we gave him while Matteo gutted the slug out with his pocket knife. The warehouse has office space, two of them, and I use one of them as a room for those who gotta lay low for a minute, like Stefan here sleeping on the cot. 

Matteo scratched his wide nose trying to think of the right set of words that wouldn't get him his ass beating I'm looking to give him. "They were on our ass. We needed to lay low somewhere that Stefan could get help" he tried for his first excuse. 

        "So that my employees could see him?" I snapped. We were standing in the middle of the empty warehouse floor with it's stained cement and vague unidentified smell. There were no trucks here tonight. "Don't all the dancers know who you are? I thought one of them was pimped out by the Italians further north?" He asked me. 

"Yeah, they know. Doesn't mean I like flaunting my business. But do you know who doesn't know...the fucking girl whose office you burst into with a bleeding fucking mobster in hand" when I hollered it echoed through the empty space. He cringed.

        "Sorry boss, I didn't know you were hiding the business from her" he took a step back. The whistle I heard from outside saved him from his beating for now. I started walking over while Dante and one of my other goons were already headed towards me. "Well?" I got straight to it. "Yeah, they caught him," my cousin nodded. 

"Good. What'd you tell Kat?" I had to ask him because I didn't know what the fuck I was gonna say. "I told her it was a man seeking refuge from an altercation down the road. She said she heard them referring to you as boss, so I pulled something outta my ass. I told her that's just what Italians say, like using buddy. Then I told her the guy didn't wanna go to the hospital because he didn't have insurance, but that ultimately you convinced him to go" Dante rambled out. 

That was actually smart and more believable than the bullshit I was gonna try and say. "Good call. And did she believe you?" I asked the more important question. "I think so," he shrugged. When I glared he corrected himself, "Yes, she did. I told her to trust me." 

I snorted at that one. "Trust you? God help her" I shook my head. "Hey" I heard Dante call after me when I turned to walk to the car. "I need a fucking cigarette. I'm tryna fucking quit, but you assholes keep stressing me out" I flipped him off.

        Leaning against my car after I brought the pack out I started tapping it on my palm. Dante asked for one and patted his pockets down for a lighter. I had one in the pack, so I pulled it out and flicked it on for him to get a light. 

"Have you considered enlightening our little kitten about your actual work?" My cousin asked me while I lit the end of mine. I took a long drag before answering. As I released the smoke I asked him, "Are you fucking out of your mind?" 

He shrugged, "What? You think it'll spook her...yeah, I guess she isn't really used to the lifestyle. Are you afraid she'll be scared of you?" He asked me and my nostrils flared when I clenched my jaw. "Ah, you are" he nodded to himself before bringing the cigarette to his lips. 

        "I fucked her" the truth fell out of my mouth before I could catch it. I haven't stopped thinking about what went down and I guess I just needed to say it out loud to reflect. I knew what I did was a dick move.