Chapter Sixteen
Ryken
Antonio’s bloodied and on the floor of my room, the same floor that still has Livia’s blood on it. He isn’t dressed impeccably like he always is. His men have been searching for him, but can’t find him. I’ve sent Quinn with some more of the truths Antonio has held close, to tell them. We’ll see how much longer they want to stay by his side. “We’re going on a trip soon Antonio, aren’t you excited?” He’s tied to the bedpost and hasn’t been able to move, not even to go to the bathroom. He stinks.
“I’ll give you what you want.”
I laugh at his words. “What on earth could you give me that I don’t already have?”
Antonio looks around the room. “I can give you the name of someone that’s betraying you. At your every move and you have no idea.” He laughs as the front door opens and Quinn walks in. We both look up to him at the same time.
“How did it go?”
Quinn nods, walking to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He doesn’t drink alcohol, I’ve never seen him do so. Quinn’s eyes fall to Antonio, and he scrunches up his nose as he looks to him. “No issues, I’ll be staying to clean up the mess and get it all back running, so business doesn’t slow down too much.” He sits on the couch drinking his water. “What do you plan to do with him?” He nods towards Antonio.
“I thought you could deal with that.” I smirk. I’ve gotten my revenge. Amy was enough. He’s even cried for the stupid bitch. I never thought he loved her just that he couldn’t get rid of her. I was wrong.
Quinn rubs his hands together smiling as he looks down at Antonio. “I don’t want to stay. I want to come back, though. This isn’t what I wanted. I thank you for thinking I want this, but I don’t.”
I didn’t expect that. He wanted power, being here would give him that. He deserves it. He can have everything my father never gave him here.
“Why? I’m giving it to you. You can have it.”
He drops his head then looks back to me with determination. “This isn’t my home. I want to go back home. Give it to Michael.”
“You want what Michael does?”
He shrugs. “I’m fine staying where I am, but yes… I can do what he does as well.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want?”
His confession confuses me. I thought he wanted more. Maybe he’s had a change of heart. I don’t see how, though. Quinn’s become closer to me than what Cane has.
“It’s what I want. Plus, no one will protect you the way I can. I promised your father.”
Arghh, so that’s it. “I appreciate it, Quinn, I really do. But you don’t have to do everything he wanted you to do. You’ve lived up to your end of the bargain, so don’t feel like you have to hold yourself back because a dying, selfish man said so.”
Antonio grunts in the corner and we both ignore him.
“I know, but I respect you, and I prefer to be the one protecting you rather than anyone else.” I nod my head because I’m not going to argue with that anymore. If working with me is where he wants to stay, who the fuck am I to argue. Quinn’s been there when I wanted to drink myself into oblivion because of all the nights Livia did my head in. He was there when I disappeared for nights on end because I couldn’t stand being in the same room with her, or I would call her Barbie as I came.
It didn’t work, even when I tried to force it to work. It never did. My heart was already with someone else, even I never knew I’d wholly given it to her.
“Barbie?” I ask him.
He walks back to the fridge to pull out another water bottle. “We found her. She was quiet for a few days. But actually, I spoke to Robert. She’s been in her room not leaving.”
Antonio coughs. “She’s sick, did you know that?”
We both look to him. “What are you talking about, fuckhead?”
He laughs, he actually laughs. “She asked for her pills. Your girl is sick, that’s what. Depression, it’s a real bitch. That’s how my mother killed herself. Sickly disease.” He smirks like he knows what he’s talking about.
“That would explain why she passed out for days. She was already on pills when I gave her that drug to calm her down.”
“Passed out for days all right, we almost forgot we had her.” Antonio laughs.
“Book me a flight,” I tell Quinn as I walk away, grabbing my cell. “And kill him while you are at it.” Closing the door, I hear the faint sound of the silencer click then the soft bang of Antonio falling to the ground. When I come back out, Quinn’s cleaning up the body, rolling it in a plastic sheet on the floor. He stands, going to the sink and washing his hands. I go, Quinn stays. It’s time to get my Barbie back.