Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Luigi and Giorgio wait with Dante in the office. I grit my teeth when I spot Raphael leaning on my desk. The state of the office is no better than downstairs. Files and papers tile the floor. Both desks have been wiped clean. At least there weren’t any laptops to confiscate because we’re not stupid enough to keep any on site.
I rub a hand over my mouth, turning in a circle as I take in the chaos.
No one speaks. Dante lowers his head, watching me from under his eyelashes. Raphael smirks. Luigi sits behind the desk, looking like a dragon that’s blowing smoke from his nostrils.
I face Giorgio, who rolls an unlit cigarette between his lips.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask. “Did the local office get a new chief? And if that’s the case, how come we didn’t know about it?”
Luigi picks up a newspaper and throws it on the corner of the desk. “Justice Kearney happened.”
My spine goes stiff. I walk over and look at the newspaper. It’s folded open on the gossip columns. Fuck. Someone who was there that night ran straight to the tabloids. Now everyone knows what unfolded at the restaurant.
“Care to explain that?” Luigi asks, squinting at me through narrowed eyes.
Murderous intent boils my blood. “He’s behind the raid?”
Luigi intertwines his fingers on the desktop. “I just got confirmation from my informant. Justice Kearney called in a favor with his friends at the DEA.” He lets that sink in for a moment. “You screwed up, Sav.”
Giorgio perches on the armrest of the sofa and says around the cigarette in his mouth, “You didn’t tell us Anya is pregnant.”
No, I purposefully kept her away from them during the last few months, always ensuring we left before one of them got here in the evening or working from home when they were here during the day.
Raphael laughs. “Fuck me. Your girlfriend is pregnant with the justice’s baby.”
I turn on him. “One more word from your mouth and your head will be rolling on this floor.”
He raises his hands and shuts his mouth, his lips pulling into a mocking smile.
A muscle ticks in my jaw. “I’ll deal with it.”
“How?” Luigi asks.
“By showing him what happens when he fucks with me.”
Giorgio takes a lighter from his pocket. “Did he give up his paternal rights?”
I snatch the cigarette from his mouth before he can light it and throw it in the trashcan. “What the fuck do you think?”
Giorgio only grins. “You shouldn’t wash your dirty laundry in public. It puts us in the spotlight.”
“We especially don’t want a spotlight on Obsidian right now,” Luigi grumbles.
I look at him. “Why’s that?”
He glances at Raphael before saying, “We’re moving some merchandise through there.”
That, right there, is the reason I didn’t want to get mixed up with the Morellis.
“Are you fucking crazy?” I ask Raphael. “Do you want a war with the cartels running the area? We have an agreement with them. You know what happens when you break it.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets and crosses his ankles. “Unlike you, I’m not afraid of a war, De Luca.”
“You’re not afraid of sacrificing men, you mean.” I advance on him. “I don’t give a fuck if you allow a cartel to wipe out your whole team, but I do care about ours.”
“It won’t come to that,” Luigi says. “We just have to be careful.” He pins me with a look. “Which is why you’re going to clean up your mess and soon.”
I point a finger at Raphael. “Do what you want at Obsidian, but your drugs stay the fuck away from here. Got that?”
He raises his palms again. “Loud and clear.”
“Good,” I say, shouldering him as I turn for the door.
“Sav,” Luigi calls.
I stop and look over my shoulder.
“When you go for Kearney, take Giorgio with you.”
To babysit me? To make sure I do as I’m told? I gnash my teeth, but I can’t say no to a direct order.
I spin on my heel and walk from the room.
Dante catches up with me on the stairs.
“Sav.” He grabs my arm. “Fuck, man. You could’ve told us about Anya.”
I pull free and continue on my way. “It wouldn’t have changed a damn thing. Besides, our private lives are nobody’s business.”
“It doesn’t work like that.” He walks fast to keep up with my brisk pace. “You know it. Nothing is private when it comes to the family.”
I ignore that.
“What are you going to do about Kearney?” he asks.
I ignore that question too.
“He’s got a vendetta against you now,” Dante continues. “His wife is leaving him. His children want nothing to do with him. His family is breaking apart.”
“Good,” I drawl.
“That makes him dangerous. Men with nothing left to lose are the worst enemies.”
“I know how it works. I don’t need a lecture from you.”
“Do you need him to disappear? I can arrange an accident.”