Balotelli-Bale Series Book #4: THE OTHER MAN PART 1

Chapter 55: At A Loss

"... there's nothing more dangerous
than a man with nothing to fear;
yet in the absence of fear, there is no more caution..."

Mancini's POV
"What happened to you? Were you in a fight with a bus? It looks like you lost."

Katya djd a number on me. She would have liked me if my bodyguards wouldn't have intervened. Katya is strong. She's formidable. Nothing less can be expected from a woman who has known only to be a soldier from childhood?

"Since when did you care about what my face looks like?" I asked him.

His visit is expected. I knew he would come once his precious grandson has been pressed enough. The timing is not perfect but close enough. I have been informed that Nick already confessed to murder. I almost have him where I want him even with the interference of someone I didn't expect in the scene. A man by the name Theo Sinclair.

"Contrary to what you believe, I have nothing against you figlio mio. What I'm against is a hat you're doing right now."

"And what would that be?"

"Nicko hasn't done anything wrong. We both know that this issue is between us and not between you and Nicko. You need to stop this!"

"Or what?" I raised my voice. "What will you do Don Giovanni? What?"

"Sit down. Don't raise your voice at me. Don't forget that I fathered you. I out you on that seat and you better not bite my hand bambino!"

I sat down. "You're right. You fathered me. But that is all you did. You brought me into this world and then you refused to have anything to do with me. All those years when I called another man father you were too busy with your daughter. Then after her, Nicko. You even raised that street rat Julio. You took care of everyone except me! And then as if that wasn't enough for you... you killed my father! The man who loved me unconditionally! And you didn't step after that! You walked away!"

"It's not that simple!"

"I was seven years old your heartless bastard!" I exploded. I willed my heart to calm down. "I was seven years old when you took that man away from me and then you walked away like I meant nothing! Pardon me if I'm not excited about you caring for a man you didn't father. Like I said, you take care of everyone except me!"

"And that must make you angry."

Why is he calm? Can't he feel the raw emotions I'm feeling?

"What do you want Don Giovanni? I don't want to have small talk with you." I spoke bitterly.

"Stop this game. I want Nicko released from jail. I want whatever you have on Keira gone. Stop this and you and I can start over. If you don't stop this, I will put you six feet under without batting an eyelash. You have 72 hours to fix this mess. If I have to come back here, you'll be sorry."

"How about I just shoot you?" I pointed a gun at him when he turned his back to leave.

He slowly turned around to face me, staring at the barrel of the gin with a crooked smile on his face. "Well... this just got interesting. Romano, it's either you shoot me or you don't. But when I point a gun at you, no. No. I won't shoot you. That will be too easy." He got closer to me, pushing my hand aside so that he is very close. "I'll wrap my fingers around your neck and I'll squeeze the life out of you. I'll watch until you take your last breath. Do you know how painful it is to suffocate? I dint know either. But I trust my heart and my spirit will be crushed for a period of time following your death. However, I operate by one principle. Obstacles need to be removed. Don't make yourself an obstacle figlio mio." He tapped my cheek.