“That’s something I wanted to bring up…” He trails off, gauging me.“I think we should take her with us.She speaks Russian.She’ll be able to pick up on any—”
“You’re trying real hard to get me to shoot you today, aren’t you?”
Gio, proving he has some sense, edges closer to the door.
The Russians have a reputation for fucking people over, which is why we’ve avoided working with them at all costs.But our artillery operation with the Irish have been stalled for almost a year after a big bust took them out.Months of painstaking vetting, meetings, and dead ends led us here, to a temporary deal with the Russians.
Today’s our first transaction meet.And suffice it to say, I don’t trust these fuckers.But it’s either wait for the Irish to get back up and running again, or take a wild chance with the Russians.
“Stefano, you know how these Russians are.They’ll talk shit right to your face, knowing you don’t understand.”
“We’re not taking a random stranger to an arms deal, Lo!”I slam my fist on the desk.“We stick to the plan.Gio slips a bug in their vehicle when everyone’s distracted.We get their conversation translated later.”
“And what if it’s too late by then?”
“For fuck’s sake.”I yank open my desk drawer and grab the bottle of painkillers inside.“Matter of fact, you’re not coming to the deal either.Stay here.Play inspector gadget with your little Pink House girlfriend.”
“You’re serious?”
“Dead.”
It’s safer for you.
Lorenzo pushes off the wall, then hesitates.“Is this about your creepy death dreams?Did you have one about me?”
It would be the death of me if I ever got a dream about him.“No.This is about me giving you an order and you fucking taking it.”
Eyes identical to mine harden as he walks backward toward the door.“Whatever you say,boss.”
He flings the door open and walks out.
I knock two painkillers into my palm, but before I can take them, Gio steps up to my desk.
“I know what you’re doing, you know,” he says.
I toss back the pills and wash them down with a gulp of lukewarm coffee.“The fuck areyouon about now?”
“You’re trying to shield Lo and me.Sticking us where you think we’re safe.”He crosses his arms.“It’s kind of insulting, really.The three of us have always beenone, Stefano.If you go down, we go down with you.Stop trying to protect us.”
We lock eyes for a long moment before I scoff.“Don’t forget who I am, Gio.I’ve never been noble.I got this far on sheer selfishness and greed.The only life I give a shit about ismine.”
He chuckles, like he knows I’m full of shit.“Then believe it.Mean it.Because the only life that matters in this empire isyours.Without you, it doesn’t stand a chance.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Raya
LOUD RUSTLING YANKS MEfrom sleep.
I blink awake to find someone hunched over the bed Luca crashed on last night, sifting through the spilled contents of my backpack.
“Hey,” I mumble.“What are you doing?”
“Making sure you didn’t sneak in anything untoward.”She throws a glance my way.“I’m Tazi.House Manager.Welcome to the Pink House.”
Tazi is built like a Baobab tree—tall, strapping, like she could bench press a semi-truck.Dark pixie-cut hair, fine-line tattoos scattered across her tanned arms, dressed for battle in black cargo pants, steel-toe boots, and a wife-beater.A silver cross pendant at her throat.All while having the voice of a blonde playboy bunny.Soft, breathy, sexy.Anoddcontrast on every level.
From what I know, she’s a distant relative who left Sicily two decades ago to serve the Castellos, and has been loyal to the bone ever since.
