Reckless & Ruined Read Online Free Page B

enough,” Adriano replied, unfazed at his father’s anger. “The least you could do is tell me the truth. Is this about Mom’s death or is it about what you can gain from it, Dad?”
    “It’s about the family— la famiglia .”
    Adriano wasn’t sure his father knew what that was anymore.
    “Your mother would understand,” Riley added.
    “I doubt it.”
     

     
    Adriano rushed through the office door leading into his father’s private space without even knocking. He knew better, but he just didn’t give a damn. The phone in his hand buzzed with yet another text, someone else confirming what he already knew.
    Riley glanced up at his son’s entrance, but continued on with the conversation he was having on the phone. “Yes, well, sad thing … I’m aware. Let him believe that, I don’t care.”
    “Dad,” Adriano growled.
    “I absolutely did not!” Riley blew out a heavy breath, rubbing at his temples. “As I said, let him believe that. When I make my move on behalf of my wife, Terrance will damn well know it. Trust that.”
    Riley slammed the phone down without another word.
    Adriano clenched his hand around the cell phone he held, a pressure growing in his chest. “Tell me you didn’t do that.”
    “Ah, you know about the shooting,” Riley murmured.
    Another shooting.
    More people were killed.
    This time, the attack had happened at the Trentini mansion. From the information Adriano had been able to gather, a drive-by shooting after one of Terrance’s usual dinners had taken the life of one Rossi and nearly killed the Outfit’s underboss, Ben DeLuca. The man would be lucky to make it through the night with his life, actually.
    Adriano hadn’t expected to get that frantic, frightened call from Alessa Trentini. He’d missed her call because he’d been collecting payments from guys on the streets for his father. But the voicemail from Alessa … it’d scared him. He tried calling her back, but Alessa wasn’t answering his attempts.
    “Things had calmed down,” Adriano said, his hands shaking in his rage.
    “Not entirely.” Riley shrugged like it didn’t make a difference. “And regardless of what I say, you have clearly settled yourself on the idea that this shooting was ordered by me.”
    “Wasn’t it?”
    Adriano wouldn’t be surprised.
    “No,” Riley replied. “I don’t know who did it. It wasn’t me or my men.”
    “I want to believe you.”
    “But you don’t.”
    “No,” Adriano said.
    Adriano didn’t take his eyes off his father for a second. Without knowing it, Riley had hurt Adriano in the worst way. Not with the act itself, but because of who had been the one to call and tell Adriano it happened.
    Alessa .
    She was there .
    There might as well have been a giant, invisible wall building higher and higher between Adriano and his father. Riley was doing it all. Adriano’s growing resentment was nothing more than a by-product.
    “You’re taking this too far,” Adriano told his father.
    Riley frowned. “I didn’t do the shooting.”
    “You don’t have to pull the trigger, remember? That’s what you said about Mom.”
    “I didn’t order it, either,” Riley said shortly.
    Adriano scoffed. “I still don’t believe you.”
     

     
    “How dare you?” Riley shouted.
    Adriano stepped into the living room of his family home just in enough time to see his father grab his sister by the arm. Riley shook Evelina fiercely.
    “Stop,” Evelina whimpered. “I’m sorry!”
    Pain and fear washed over her features as tears streaked down her cheeks. Adriano’s anger bubbled up to the surface fast and harsh. Never had he witnessed his father use any kind of violence against Evelina.
    Evelina wasn’t perfect, as far as that went. She liked to push against the rules their father set out for her, but Adriano didn’t blame her.
    “Hey, back off,” Adriano warned, stepping closer to his father and sister.
    He hoped his presence was enough to force his father to let go of