Sold To the Grizzly Don (Alcee and Bruno) novel Chapter 137

Chapter 137

Torq looked up in surprise when after a single knock on the door, Bastiano stepped into the room.

Tito groaned. “Tell me you did not bring him back here.” Alcee would slit his throat.

“No.” Bastiano moved to stretch out on the sofa. “Need a place to crash since my new condo comes equipped with a mother–in–law I might shoot in the head.” He closed his eyes and folded his arms over his face. “What are you guys talking about?”

“Tito just told me how my grandfather would have shot me for the shit with Raniero and Cianna tonight.”

Bastiano was quiet a beat and then exhaled, “there is a part of me who wants to punch Tito in the head for insulting my lover but there is this part of me who, if he wasn’t my lover and it wouldn’t be construed as domestic violence, wanted to beat the fuck out of him for his shit tonight.”

Torq sighed, “he overstepped too much this evening.”

“He got off the plane after listening to her for six fucking hours and I was wondering on the drive back here tonight if she hasn’t conditioned him like Bucky Barnes. Says a word or two and it turns him into a raging asshole.” He opened one eye to look sideways at the other men in the room, “we got back to the condo where she was lying in wait, and she went full batshit at me and Raniero stood there saying nothing. She gave me shit saying if I loved her son then it made her my mother–in–law, and I should have defended her against the bitch who is your wife.” He held up a hand, “her words, not mine. I think Alcee was great tonight, well, until she told you off in front of everyone. That shit could have waited until things were a bit more private.”

“Could it?” Tito argued with Bastiano. “Could it wait? She proved her worth as a Donna putting family first. Her son, the heir to Torq’s seat, was put first and she made sure, even the Don knew who she would back, and it was right. In my opinion, the correct response to her monologue, and it was what it was because at no point did she raise her voice, act like a shrew, or scream like a wronged woman, would be for Torq to listen to her, back her and then help her take their overwhelmed son home. She told you Antero was hurting and scared, Torq. She said it bluntly, plainly and without hesitation. You told her to get him from out under the table.”

“I know. I don’t understand though why he’s like this!” he griped, “I get the autism thing but surely with some discipline he would not be throwing himself like this. He split her bottom lip open. A firm hand and maybe he wouldn’t be so fucking volatile.”

“Then maybe we need to understand this. We book in tomorrow morning with the therapist and try to understand what happened tonight, Torq, with Antero but something tells me, the best person is Alcee. You’re discounting her expertise in handling her son. She saw the warning signs. She tried to tell you of those warning signs, and you didn’t listen. You also didn’t even ask her at all about how all of tonight would play out for a child with his diagnosis.”

Bastiano rolled to his side and propped up on one elbow, “he shouldn’t need to run every decision past her. She should trust

“This isn’t about fucking trust,” Tito snapped at Bastiano. “You’re as bad as he is. You want so much for your man to be out in the open and out of the shadows you’re forgetting who the person who got hurt most tonight is.”

“Alcee?” Torq questioned at the same time Bastiano said Torq’s name.

“Antero.” Tito threw his hands up in the air. “Antero is the one hurting, Torq. He’s five. The man who just showed up in his life and said he would protect him, and his mom threw them under the bus today. You didn’t check in with them. You didn’t make sure they were okay. You didn’t get their input on how to make things less volatile for the boy. You dashed his hopes of having a daddy who will protect him. You can act the fun time, happy time, Dad if you want Torq. Buy him things. Give him a dog. Get him a big house with a huge back yard and a whole fucking playground if you want. Do all the things with him Corrado never did. Fuck, take him to Disneyland.” Tito folded his arms over his chest, “but until you put him first, put his fears, his worries, his stress first, the little boy down the hall will never be able to fully accept you. His diagnosis requires trust, and you stomped on it with your heavy foot tonight. He needs patience, not a rough hand.”

“When did you get all knowledgeable on this shit?” Bastiano eyed Tito curiously.

“It’s my fucking job to keep Torq, Alcee and Antero safe. Part of this means I figure out the dangers to him. Torq gave a directive for us to meet with the counsellors and the therapists, and I did. While Torq was talking to the headmaster and teachers at the school about all the ways Antero is thriving in their special school, I was reviewing his files, his records, looking at every outburst and what are the things which put him at risk. He has far less outbursts and problems than other kids in the school and it has everything to do with the woman who is raising him. Your mother is right, in one regard, Torq. Keep alienating the child like you’re doing and making his mother hurt, and he’ll come for you when he’s older.”

“Fuck.”

“And you,” Tito turned to Bastiano, “you created half of this problem.”

1/2

Chapter 137

“Me?”

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