Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
I expected him to pursue me to the ends of the earth, but he didn’t.
I wasn’t sure if I was relieved…or disappointed.
At the end of the workday, I sat with my father in his office. As spring stretched further into summer, the weather warmed, the evening insects grew louder across the fields. Tourism would start up, and the roads would be congested and the beaches busy.
“Did you make a decision about Luigi’s business?” I asked as I sat on the couch.
“Wolfe and Leo found a ton of product in his warehouses, and another shipment is on the way. It’s a waste of money to dump it, so we’re going to sell it off before we pivot in another direction.” He moved to the couch across from me, wearing a collared white shirt with the top button popped. “You’ll head over there tomorrow to start.”
I gave a nod.
“Then we’ll absorb his sauce business.”
I understood taking the criminal business, but a family-owned one seemed a bit heartless. “What about his son?”
“He said he wanted nothing to do with this life.”
“But if he knew it was just sauce, he might feel differently.”
He gave a slight shake of his head. “We all know his sauce tastes like shit. Only started the operation to get everything through customs. We’re going to change the name and the recipe and just use his factories. And we’ll use it to help sell our guns.”
So my father had taken Wolfe’s advice.
“You think you can handle both?”
I nodded. “Yeah, just need to get organized.”
“Good. Then you’ll head over there tomorrow.”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside, and then voices drifted into the office.
“Your Range Rover is really bulletproof?” Leo asked.
My heart did a weird somersault when I knew who my brother was speaking to.
“Your car isn’t?” Wolfe asked.
“Didn’t know the manufacturer could do that.”
“They can do anything if you ask for it—and pay for it.”
My core tightened as I automatically took a breath before the two of them walked inside. I kept my eyes on my father and didn’t look at Wolfe, because I thought my heart might explode if I did.
“Swept the factory,” Leo said. “It’s clean.”
“Workers are on their best behavior,” Wolfe said. “Don’t think there are any traitors in our midst, but only time will tell.”
I looked at my brother, with Wolfe at the edge of my vision. I couldn’t directly see him, but his presence was more profound than my father’s. He had this aura that was both comforting and terrifying at the same time.
“Frankie is going over there tomorrow to do the books,” Dad said. “Leo, I want you to come with me to see Charles tomorrow. Said he’s going to switch buyers if we don’t drop their prices. Wolfe, I want you to watch Frankie’s back while she’s in the factory.”
“Consider it done, Don Mancini.” Wolfe turned and headed out of the office, his footsteps growing lighter until he was gone.
Leo fell into the armchair, hanging one leg over the armrest like an obnoxious kid.
“Heard anything?” my father asked.
Leo shook his head. “If there’s a retaliation, we’ll be ready for it. Like we always are.”
The next day, I was in my office when he walked inside shortly before eleven.
I knew it was him coming around the corner before he appeared, just by his gait. The sound of his boots implied it was a big man with a long stride. I could feel his energy too, smoke that wafted down the hallway and burned my lungs when I took a breath.
He rounded the corner but didn’t actually take a step into my office.
He looked at me.
I looked at him.
There wasn’t a smile or affection in his gaze. He spoke to me like I was anyone in the world, nothing special. “I’ll be at the car whenever you’re ready to go.” He turned back into the hallway without waiting for me to reply.
When he was gone, my breaths were uneven and a little haywire. My hands were suddenly clammy and my fingertips numb. I wasn’t sure how I could sit in the car with him for half an hour without combusting.
I gathered my laptop and workbook in my bag before I headed downstairs to where he leaned against his Range Rover, wearing dark sunglasses on the bridge of his nose while texting on his phone.
I wondered who he was texting.
I opened the door to the back seat and placed my bag on the floor before I got into the passenger seat.
Without looking at me, he walked around to the driver’s side and fired off his text before he got behind the wheel.
I buckled my safety belt and stared straight ahead, painfully aware of how strange my breathing was. I felt like I had a gun to my head because the tension was paramount.
He started the engine with the press of a button and then buckled his safety belt. With one hand on the wheel, he left the property, resting his arm on the center console…and not on my thigh.