Free Double Blind by Vanessa Waltz

her face, she doesn’t want you around, anyway.”
    That strikes a nerve. I’m so close to smashing his face in. I can visualize my fist cracking over his skull, and kicking in his ribs when he’s on the ground.
    “The only way we’ll have a problem is if you touch her again.”
    His smile doesn’t falter. “You can fuck off with your attitude. I’ll do whatever the fuck I want with her. She’s not your fiancée, your comare , or anything. You have no authority over me, so you can shove your alpha-male posturing bullshit right up your ass.”
    I’ll fucking kill you.
    I know what he’s doing. He’s trying to piss me off, and he’s not even being subtle about it. Any decent wiseguy knows to stay the fuck away from another guy’s ex, except this asshole. I give him one last smile to let him know that I’m on to him, and then I turn my back on him.
    I don’t know why the fuck he’s trying to rile me up, but I won’t let him get to me. I won’t.
    I slam my fist into the double doors, making them fly open as I leave the VIP room.
    * * *
    The grimy windows block out most of the sun in the dimly lit deli. We’re holed up in the back, me and the guys. I’m trying to go through my books, looking down the list of names on the sheet of paper, which rests on the long, wooden table with a pastrami sandwich sitting on a plate next to me. Even though I only had a cup of coffee for breakfast, I have no taste for food. 
    I came home this morning to see that Adriana cleared everything of hers out of the apartment.
    What the fuck happened to us?
    If I wasn’t tied up with work, I’d march over there and I’d drag her back to my place because none of this makes sense. She can’t just leave me on a whim, especially when I’m the only man standing between her and Jack’s wrath.
    The guys shoot pool behind me, talking in low, hushed voices as if I’m on my deathbed. It makes me want to strangle someone. Nicky and Frank, two of my soldiers, keep shooting me sympathetic looks as I sit there. I don’t know how it got out, but everyone already knows that Adriana moved out. This fucking place is worse than a sewing circle. Fucking gossips.
    “Vinny, There are plenty of other broads out there.”
    None like her. No other woman has ever made me so fucking crazy. I look at the other guys’ wives and I don’t see what I’m missing. I never wanted a wife like that—I knew that I would cheat, but I never looked at any other women when we were together. Why would I?
    “Fuck!” I shove the plate away and stand up.
    The short man shrugs, still holding onto his pool cue. “I don’t understand it. She always looked happy when she was around you, especially after all that stuff with her mother.”
    I narrow my eyes at Nicky, warning him to shut up. We can’t discuss that in front of anyone, especially when there might be a rat in my crew. Fuck, I completely forgot about it.
    “Yeah, I don’t get it.”
    One of the younger guys pushes himself off the wall. “Forget her, Vince. She’s a cunt.”
    I look at him, feeling a hot surge of anger in my chest. “What the fuck did you say?”
    He shrugs unconcernedly, not quite noticing the rancor in my voice. “She’s a cunt.”
    He tries to raise his hands, his eyes round when I vault over the table. The guys scream at me.
    “Vince, don’t!”
    In a few seconds, I wrap my hands around the prick’s throat. He screams as I slam his head against the wall, choking off his yells.
    “Stop! What the hell’s the matter with you?”
    A hand clenches my shoulder, but I elbow it away. “Fuck off!”
    “Vince, c’mon. That’s enough!”
    The others hang around me, shouting in my ears as a faint white noise buzzes in my ear. The boy swings at me, and I let go of his neck long enough to bury my fist into his stomach. He doubles over, crying out in pain. Angry red marks wrap around his neck and a cold feeling slips down my stomach. My anger dissolves like dry ice.
    What’s wrong with