1. Chapter One #2
Bronx heard the door slam behind his nemesis and smashed the plastic bottle onto the kitchen counter, spilling water all over the smooth granite surface. A second later, he stomped his way to the door Cavalari had just exited, opened it again, and continued his rant.
“You fucker!” Bronx yelled at Cavalari as he walked across the deck.
“You know what else is old? You!” Lamest insult ever in the history of all insults.
But it was the first thing that popped into his head, even though he guessed they were about the same age, or maybe Cavalari was possibly a few years older.
“And I think your new, shorter hair looks fucking ridiculous,” Cavalari spilled without even looking at Bronx. “You call yourself a rocker but now you look more like a pussy.”
“What the hell did you say?”
Cavalari spun around and faced Bronx, his lips flattened into a tight, pursed line. “I’m talking about the haircut you obviously got while I was away,” Cavalari clarified. “It looks like shit.”
Bronx took two steps closer and Cavalari squared his shoulders, refusing to back away or back down from the challenge Bronx was presenting to him. Bronx didn’t stop inching forward either, until he had deeply invaded Cavalari’s personal space and still Cavalari didn’t flinch—he didn’t even blink.
“What’s the matter, Squid Man?” Bronx asked. “Did my long, wavy hair turn you on and now you miss it?”
“I miss that mop like I would a scabbing, inflamed STD,” Cavalari scoffed.
“Hmm, and I bet that’s something you’re plagued with on a regular basis, considering who you must have to pay to sleep with you,” Bronx retorted and took a giant step backward on the deck.
“I probably shouldn’t stand so close to you since you’re likely infected with shit right now, coming off a vacation and all. ”
“You are a fucked up, demented son of a bitch,” Cavalari hissed. There wasn’t an ounce of humor in his angry, clipped words and his face ticked with frustration.
“And you’re secretly in love with me,” Bronx argued. “How else would you explain your insistence on working for me? Day in and day out, stuck having to see my ugly face with my offensive shorter hair. I can’t imagine the torture that must be for you.”
“At least you got that last part correct,” Cavalari replied. “I would snap your neck and celebrate your death every year as a national holiday, if it weren’t for the fact I like my freedom too much to risk a felony murder conviction.”
“Any excuse for you to touch me,” Bronx bit out. Cavalari actually lifted his hands to simulate strangulation and Bronx tipped his chin up in defiance. “If you even try to touch me I’ll have Rex break every one of your fingers.”
“Fuck you,” Cavalari seethed.
“You wish,” Bronx grumbled as he stepped back into the kitchen and hurried in the direction of the living room, “and I’ll be calling Fizzbo about this.”
“Good luck with Fizzbo!” Cavalari shouted at Bronx where he was getting ready to round the corner to take the stairs up to the second floor.
“It’s so good to have you back!” Bronx hollered.
“And it’s wonderful to know how much I was missed,” Cavalari retorted.
“Asshole!”
“Fuckwad!”
Cavalari returned to the deck and saw Rex standing there with his mouth agape in utter shock from what he’d just witnessed. “Jesus Christ,” Rex said and exhaled loudly as both of their phones pinged with an incoming text message at the same time.
“What?” Cavalari questioned and reached into his back pocket for his cell.
“You do realize you work for that guy,” Rex informed him like he wasn’t already aware of that fun fact. “He could have you fired for talking to him like that.”
“I wish he’d fire me but sadly that’s not going to happen in this case,” Cavalari explained.
“I’ve been trying to get reassigned to another principal for months and neither Fizzbo nor Dagger will agree to it.
I’m stuck with no way out unless I quit and I need the income, so until I can find another employment option that pays the same money, I’ll be here putting up with his shit. ”
“Do you two have history or something?” Rex asked.
“Yeah, from about a hundred years ago which I’m not getting into,” Cavalari said and remained as guarded as possible.
“Old hook-up?”
“Fuck that! My dick wouldn’t get anywhere near that wild mess,” Cavalari scoffed as a shiver shot down his spine.
“But . . . you do swing that way?” Rex asked and Cavalari froze.
He didn’t discuss his sexuality with his co-workers.
Doing that before had caused nothing but problems and heartache while he was part of the New York City police force and since then he’d learned to keep his mouth shut.
It was safer that way and his silence also insured him job security, too, so it was a win-win—except it kept him locked in a closet he never wanted to be in.
He was fine living his life out and proud as long as it was on his own terms.
“What makes you think I’d go for him —if I did . . . swing that way , as you stupidly put it?” Cavalari grit out.
“I dunno. For some reason I thought you were gay or maybe bi,” Rex said incredulously and shrugged one shoulder.
“I never said I was gay or bi,” Cavalari protested. “I don’t talk about my private shit, and even if I was gay, we work for him, as you’ve already pointed out. We don’t eat the shit being served where we work.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not how the phrase goes but whatever,” Rex replied. “You want to keep your secrets, fine. I don’t really give a crap where you stick your dick. Not my business.”
“Exactly, so we’ll stop this conversation right here,” Cavalari stated and then glanced at the message on his phone. “Son of a bitch.”
Rex started laughing. “Better put your game face on,” Rex teased. “Looks like you’ll be driving Miss Daisy into town.”
“Fuck my life,” Cavalari said.
“Rex, I need you to drive me to the hospital!” Bronx yelled a second later from an upstairs balcony off the primary bedroom. “The baby is on the way and Dagger wants us there to be part of this miracle of life or some bullshit.”
“Fizzbo just messaged us,” Rex informed Bronx. “Cavalari was ordered to drive you and I’ve been directed to take a position in the lobby. Those are the orders direct from Fizzbo.”
Cavalari spun around and faced the house. “This day just keeps getting better and better. Doesn’t it, Sunshine? Best you slip into your prettiest party dress, Gumdrop, and let’s get this fresh hell over with!” he yelled up at Bronx.
“I’m not sitting in a car with you!” Bronx bellowed with exasperation.
Cavalari began to smile and set his hands on his hips, his eyes holding steady on the balcony and the occupant standing there like a petulant princess.
“I take it you’ve talked to Fizzbo and he told you to go fuck yourself regarding my termination or reassignment?
He probably also told you to stop with the whiny, crybaby act.
Is that what’s got your petticoat wadded up in a bunch around your balls? ”
“Why won’t you quit?” Bronx yelled and slapped his hands down on the cast iron railing around the balcony.
“Because some of us actually have to work to pay our bills,” Cavalari barked.
“You’ve seen how hard I work, asshole, so don’t imply that I hang around the house all day doing nothing,” Bronx said. “See what I mean, Rex? Nothing but bullshit comes out of his mouth.”
“Fuck off, Bronx—or should I call you Rory on account that we go way back,” Cavalari stated.
“His name is Rory?” Rex stage-whispered to no one in particular.
Bronx made a growling sound like a feral animal from above that seemed to echo around his very private backyard with the tall, trimmed hedges and black iron fencing that marked the boundaries.
“You are such an asshole, Cavatelli!”
“Still not my name, but whatever,” Cavalari replied. “Why don’t you go eat some wood splinters. It might improve your singing voice.” He stepped off the deck and started to walk toward the driveway then yelled over his shoulder at Bronx. “I’ll be waiting by the Suburban when Princess is ready.”
“As soon as the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to press a pillow over your face while you’re sleeping!” Bronx exclaimed.
“That sounds like fun,” Cavalari said. “We’ll do that at our next slumber party, and we can also do each other’s nails and swap makeup secrets, too.”
Bronx only managed an elongated growl as he stormed off.