Free Betrayed (Chianti Kisses #3) by Tara Oakes Page B

half-broken chair of his own. “You don’t know how to show respect.”
    I laugh. “Oh, I know how to show respect. I just do it a little differently than you. I’ve got the scar to prove it. Not to mention the bullet fragments only inches away from my kidney. You show your respect by sitting on your ass and making phone calls. Believe me, the boss prefers my kind of respect over yours any day of the week.”
    He stands abruptly. “You little shit! You have no idea what I do on my end to protect this organization.”
    “And I don’t?” I spit.
    “Let’s just say your loyalty’s been questionable at best. The boss says you’ve got what it takes, but I don’t see it. I think you’re nothing but a pansy-assed little wannabe who flips sides when it’s convenient for you… when the tides turn and the grass looks greener somewhere else, you jump ship.”
    We stand on high alert, facing each other, both ready to throw down. We’ve been skating around this for months now. He doesn’t trust me. He never has. He never will.
    “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Give me the damn package,” I say through gritted teeth.
    His eyes don’t flinch as he tosses the heavy paper envelope at me. The corner hits my chest hard but I catch it effortlessly.
    “I’ll be watching you,” he threatens.
    I smile broadly. “Make sure it’s my left side. That’s my good side.”
    He snarls his lip at my smartass comment. He’s too serious that guy. I tuck the envelope under my arm, straighten my suit, and turn to leave.
     
    ~*~
     
    His comments eat away at me the entire drive back to the estate. The more I think of them, the angrier they make me. He has no idea how loyal I am.
    I’ve already explained myself over and over to Dom. The second I regained consciousness and was able to speak after being shot, I thanked Dom for having enough faith in me to give me the chance to explain myself.
    There wasn’t all that much to explain, other than the truth.
    I had wanted this all my life. To be part of this. It was supposed to be for his family from day one, for his father. But timing wasn’t on my side and when I was ready and old enough to take the oaths, the DiBenedetto family had all but disbanded.
    My only options were to give up on the dream, the one thing I was meant to be, or to affiliate myself with the nearest ally. Mr. Moretti had positioned himself as a friend to the DiBenedetto family. He agreed to take me on as a soldier and I worked my way up, handling everything from running protection, to chasing out the competition. I earned respect in that outfit.
    I was able to live by the code I had seen all the old-timers live and die by. Then when Dom had called on us needing assistance, I had jumped at the opportunity to offer that help on behalf of Moretti.
    Dom’s family had all but saved my own, generations ago, and the debt was owed in blood. If I wasn’t able to repay it through service the way I had wanted to from day one, at least I could repay it now as a friend.
    In the beginning, it seemed I was able to maintain my position in the Moretti family and as a hired hand to Dom, with Moretti’s blessing. It became clear to me, though, not long in, that Moretti had placed one of his key men in that position for a reason.
    He expected me to relay back to him everything Dom was doing, convinced Dom was going to make a power play for his organization. The more I looked into who was stalking and threatening Dom’s wife, V, the more I became convinced my former employer had something to do with it.
    The hit on Dom that terrorized his family in the middle of the night and lead to the death of his grandmother was the last straw. It broke all the rules. The code we live by is firm, resolute, and isn’t broken without consequence.
    Moretti chose to break it and not only put a hit on Dom without the commission’s approval, but he did it in a way that put innocent women and children at risk.
    We don’t do that. We