"What do you want, Vangel?" I asked. "And make it quick."
"You'd be wise to speak a little more respectfully to me, Connor," he said as he put the magazine down, cover facing up. "I've got some information that will interest you."
"What is it?" I asked in a bored tone, knowing that Victor was mostly drama without much evidence.
"Well, it seems that someone has leaked information about the new security team that will be protecting the mayoral candidates this year," he said, looking at me expectantly.
"And your point is?" I shrugged. I knew that it was unlikely that Victor had any real information and that this was a fishing expedition designed to get me to tell him what he suspected, but didn't yet know for sure.
"I think you know the CEO of Chicago Security Company, don't you?" he asked.
"Yeah, Leo Marini. I've known him sinc
e we were kids," I said. "What about it?"
"Well, there's some rumors floating around that you're far more involved with the company than just knowing the CEO, Connor," he said quietly as he stalked his prey. The problem with Victor was that he always counted on having more information than he actually had, so I knew that if I continued to play dumb, he'd give up out of frustration.
"And again, what's your point, Vangel?" I asked, looking down at my fingernails and then back up at him. "Rumors fly about everything in this town. Three-fourths of it isn't true, so I'm not sure why you're talking to me about it."
"Look, I was trying to give you a heads up about what's being said out there, but if you don't care, well..." He shrugged. "Then I guess I can take it elsewhere and see what I can get for it."
"You're going to take a dubious rumor to whom, exactly?" I laughed. "I think if you're going to sell information to the highest bidder, you'd better make sure it's actually true first, don't you? Don't make yourself into any more of an ass than you already are, Victor."
I could see the blood rising in Victor's cheeks as he fumed over my insult. He'd been counting on me rising to the bait, and when I didn't, he didn't know where else to go.
"You'd better watch yourself, Connor," he said, narrowing his eyes. "My sources are solid and I'm in a position to release your financial records to the papers. Then what would people say, huh? The poor firefighter who they donate money to every year is one of the richest men in the city. How would that play out, eh?"
"That money goes to charity and you know it," I said, rising to the bait. "Why would you want to ruin that?"
"I'm sick of seeing you being lauded as a hero after what you did," he said, standing up so that we were face to face. Victor's mouth was twisted into an ugly grin as he spoke. "You destroyed her. She was a good girl from a good family and you destroyed her. You moved her into a house that was unsafe, and she died because of your selfish negligence! If it hadn’t been for your stubborn insistence, she never would have been working at that clinic."
"You son of a bitch," I seethed as he spoke. "I loved her. I would have never in a million years put her in danger, and you know it, so fuck off."
"That's it, just shrug off responsibility like you've always done," Victor said, shaking his head. "God, you live such a golden life, Connor. Nothing can tarnish your saintly halo, can it?"
"What's your beef, Vangel?" I said through clenched teeth. "Why the hell are you so concerned with what happened in my life?"
"Don't play stupid with me and act like you don't know," he spat.
"I'm not, I seriously have no idea what your damn beef is, Vangel," I countered.
We'd known each other in high school, but then most of us had gone to the same school. Victor and I had played on the football team together, along with Mike Kelly and Danny Newsome, but other than the fact that we hadn't run in the same crowd, I had no idea why Victor was so angry with me.
"Never mind," he said. "It doesn't matter, but what does matter is that you need to support my bid for Lieutenant at this house or else I'll release the information I've got about your security firm, and then everyone will know that you're a deep-pocketed billionaire who's stealing money from the donors who fund your charity."
"I'm not bilking anyone!" I growled. "You can't do that!"
"I can do anything I like," he said, smiling as he narrowed his eyes again. "I'm the one with the information and the connections to the higher ups in the department."
"You're a son-of-a-bitch, Vangel," I shot back. "Mind your own damn business!"
"Well, your business is integral to me minding my own." He grinned. "So, minding your business is rather like minding my own. Can I count on your support? Then again, if I can earn the support of the Chief, I might not need you and the other guys."
"Asshole," I said as I turned and walked toward the door to the bunkroom.
"I'll take that as a yes," he said before sinking back down on his bed and picking up his magazine.
I ran down the stairs and burst into the common room muttering curse words under my breath.