There is no safety in your arms,
no peace behind your gaze,
and yet I fall into you still,
like war is something I could crave.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Stefano
“YOU’RE REALLY PULLINGTHEplug on the deal with the Kims?”Lorenzo asks.“After all that work you threw into making it happen?”
“That’s what the due diligence dinner was for, Lo.Final impressions.”
As the sun bleeds orange over the horizon, I cruise the golf cart through Staff Valley south of the villa.“The Kims weren’t upfront and dragged out negotiations, played it like they were doing us a favor.Now we hold the cards.”I swerve the cart around in a cul-de-sac.“The partnership will happen.On our terms.Just not right now.We can’t be anyone’s savior while we’ve still got our own shit to deal with.”
Lorenzo and I are on one of our random villa patrols, scanning for anything out of place.We run these sporadically to catch people off guard.Over the years, we’ve stumbled on some gnarly shit on these patrols, that either leave us laughing for days, grossed the fuck out, or pissed off.Either way, it’s a random little ritual for Lo and me.
But today, I’m up to no good.Lorenzo didn’t feel like making the rounds, but I forced him into it anyway.For my own selfish reasons.
I’m not always a good sibling.
“So Raya justlookedat the car and knew it had a trembler?”he asks, for the third damn time.“That girl’s unreal.”
“And yet you still trust her,” I say.“Still keeping her under your protection when it’s clear she’s a fraud.”
He shoots me a frustrated glance.“Fuck’s sake, man.You either hate her or you want her.Pick one, because I can’t keep up with your shit.”
Why can’t it be both?
We loop back toward the main road.“Luca brought in new girls from Vivienne last night, right?”
“Oh yeah.Three,” he says.“Two of them, sisters, are fucking Grade A smoke-shows.Def gonna reel in the regs and bring in solid cash.”
“Gio seen them yet?He can take them to Black Gold tonight.”
“No idea.”
“Tell him to go check them out.”
He throws me a side-eye.“What, you’re hoping he’ll see them and forget about Raya?”
“Just speeding up the inevitable.”
He shakes his head.“How amIthe only mature one these days?It’s insane.”
“You’re one to talk.”I scoff.“You’ve been creeping on that cop’s daughter for, what,yearsnow?And still haven’t made a move.At this point you’re just a Peeping Tom with your dick in your hand, watching her fuck other dudes.”
First seed planted...
“Go fuck yourself, asshole.”
“I quite enjoy doing that, so I will.”I flash him my palm.“Thanks for the reminder.”
We park outside the Laundry House and pop in.Run a quick inspection, have a few words with the staff, then head out again.
“You don’t think we need some younger hands in there?”I ask.
