Dante

"So what the hell am I supposed to do? The detective wants t-" Diana says over the phone.

"Yeah, yeah I know. I'll handle it later. I'm in a rush. I have a casino opening tomorrow, I need you-"

"You told me already I know."

I did? I don't remember telling anyone about that.

"Oh, I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow night. Gotta go." I hang up just as my driver pulls up.

I walk over to the car, tip him and get inside. I hurriedly start to drive off.

I needed to hurry up. My brother was back home, and I needed to get to him before he could start his mess back up again.

I had a huge gut feeling he was the one who had snitched on me to the cops.

Carter and I never got along. Since birth, I have hated him. He was five years older than me, but acted as if I was his kid or something.

All through our childhood, he was jealous of me. He and his friends would always do little sneaky shit to me. Pranks, bets, anything to try to make me afraid of him, but I never was. I heard before I was born, everyone was scared of him. I didn't get it at all. To me, he looked like a scrumpy nerd fresh out of middle school.

He disappeared after dad had made me the Mafia leader instead of him. Now, after eight years, he wants to suddenly show up.

I arrived at Michaels house. He was waiting outside for me as I parked.

"Breakfast?" He immediately asks as he sits down in the passenger's seat.

"The fuck do you mean, breakfast? You should've eaten before I came. What the hell am I, your waiter?"

"Nah, cause I didn't even say I didn't eat breakfast. Why are you getting all mad and shit? I actually had this one egg burrito w-"

"Pause." I say, facing him slowly. "You...you ate a burrito, and an egg one at that, without me?" I ask, genuinely offended.

A while back, after getting high, we made a vow that we would only eat burritos together. There wasn't a particular reason. We just made it. And up until now, we had lived up to it. Well, at least I did.

"Oh shit." He scratches the back of his head. "I forgot all about that man. I've been eating burritos non stop for a month already."

I start driving and shake my head in disappointment. "That's foul, man. "

Micheal was my right-hand man. He was one of my old friends, dealer and I went to him just to see what he was about. I tried my first blunt, and he began making fun of me when I started wheezing. I was just getting started in the Mafia business and was more wild, so I got upset and pulled a gun out. By the end of the night, we were high and laughing about it.

"My bad, for real. But it's not like you don't forget shit I tell you. You practically have a memory of a goldfish."

As I drive to my parents' house, Micheal talks to me about how he wants to find a new place. He says with the cops already targeting our whole business, they probably know where he lived. I decided to tell him about Diana and I. I expect him to say it was a bad idea but instead he likes the idea.

When we reach the house, the door is already open and I know my parents have people over. They have done this since I was a child. Whenever they had at least more than a handful of friends and family open, they would leave the front door slightly open for anyone else that was invited. I tried to convince them how dangerous it was, but they didn't care.

Stepping in the house, I ignored everyone that was sitting in the living room chit chatting as they tried to greet me and search for my Mom.

She is talking to my aunt, Crystal when I reach her. Her eyes light up and a wide smile forms as she notices us. "Hey, baby!" She greets, reaching in for a hug.

"Hey, Ma." I bend down to reach her and embrace her hug. After a while, she pulls away. I give a small hug to Aunt Crystal before turning back to ma.

"Hi, Ms. Stone." Greets Michael.

She waves a dismissive hand, "Come on Mikey, we've known each other for almost ten years. Call me Sofia."

"I thought you were getting the highlight things, or whatever it's called, Mama?"

The last time I talked to ma, she went on and on about how she wanted to change her hair. She said we all looked too much alike, and she wanted to change it up a little. I didn't quite understand it, but it was Ma. No one actually understood her logic most of the time, but we loved her.

Mama was beautiful. She had long dark brown hair that she had to get cut every few months. It complimented her light brown eyes, making it always seemed like she was happy. Which she was. Despite being married to dad she managed to stay positive all the time. As a kid, ma was forced to stay and watch Carter and me while dad was out. She knew he was in the Mafia, in fact that was how they met. But despite knowing what he was doing, she never said a word or let it affect her.

"I was. Your dad didn't like the idea, though. He said I didn't need to change my looks. So, here we are."

"Don't listen to that old man, Ma. " I look around, "You know where he's at?"

"Garage. He's been there since the guess arrived."

I nod, "Thank you, beautiful." I say, kissing her cheek before walking away. Micheal follows behind.

We reach the garage and I see dad sitting on the couch they have in there. The garage door is rolled up as he smokes his blunt.

"Hey pops." I say, joining him. He only nods as I sit on the edge of the couch.

"Long time, no see, Christian. " Says Micheal as he sits down.

"It's Mr. Stone to you Michael." Dad passed the blunt to me, and after I hit it, I passed it to Micheal. We rotate like this until dad speaks again.

"Carter is back." He says,

"I know. Heard about it this morning."

"You think he's the one that snitched?" Asks Michael

"I know he did. Which is why you need to get rid of him before he completely rats us out."

"Let's just threaten him or something, dad."

I didn't like him, but I didn't want him dead. After all, he was still my brother.

"It's him or us, kid. Would you rather risk spending the rest of your life in prison?"

"That's your son, though. Wouldn't you have a little bit of guilt?"

"Son or not. I won't have anyone fucking up everything I've built. " He argues, after the smoke comes out of his mouth. "You know what you have to do, Dante."

"Me? Why the fuck can't you do it? I'm sorry, but I'm not going to kill my own brother, pops."

He turns to me, annoyance written all over his expressions, "You think I handed you my legacy for my health? You do what I say or you'll end up like the rest of 'em."

"So I'm basically your fucking guinea pig? You say jump and I'm supposed to listen right away. That's goddamn bullshit! I didn't sign up for this shit."

"Except you did. You knew right away what you were getting into when you said yes. Don't try that innocent shit with me, boy."

I don't respond. There was no point anyway. He was never going to see my point of view. He never did. It was always about what he said.

The door to the garage opens and Micheal pauses as he tries to hand the blunt to my dad when we see Carter walk in.

"Nice to see you guys are still killing yourselves." He says, referring to the blunt as he walks up.

"And nice to see you are still a shit talking motherfucker." I replied.

"Hey, son!" Dad greets happily, standing up from the couch to hug Carter as if he wasn't just plotting his death.

"Hey, dad." They hug and Carter joins us on the couch."Have you seen mom?" He instantly asks.

"Come on, boy, don't immediately worry about your mom. Chill out, sit with the men like old times. I haven't seen you in nearly ten years. Where have you been all this time?" Asks dad.

"You know, college. Working. Same ol same ol." Carter shrugs

Pops places a hand on Carter's shoulder. "Good. Good. That's good son. You been doing anything else? Explore the world? See some new things? Visit the police station maybe?"

Carter's whole expression changes from relaxed to anxious at dad's last statement. He looks back at me, then Micheal before turning back to dad. "Uh, yeah actually. How'd you know dad?"

My dad looks over at me and narrows his eyes, and I know that is confirmation.

I run my hand over my face and sigh.

I have to kill my own fucking brother.

•••

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