Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“But you wanted to find out.” His voice sounds light, and I look in his direction. Is Tobias joking with me?
No. He doesn’t joke. At least, I have never seen him joke before. If he is going to joke with anyone, I highly doubt it would be with me.
“I did.”
“Why didn’t you just look?”
“Because—” I stop and think of how I want to respond.
“You were scared?” And this time, I swear his lip is tipped up a little on the right. A smile.
Now I know this can’t be a coincidence.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Nope.”
“I think you are,” I press.
“I don’t laugh . . .” he trails off.
“But if you did?” I lift my brow, and now his lips do part into the smirk I am certain has been trying to peek out this whole time.
“I definitely would be right now.”
I’m not sure why, but his words make my stomach feel fuzzy. He doesn’t even joke with his closest friends, but with me, he shows that side. Not a lot, but enough that I know something else is behind the menacing demeanor he portrays.
I have no doubt that he’s a scary motherfucker, and no part of me is waxing poetic on what he did to warrant a duffel of money, but I can’t help but feel a victory nonetheless that I got him to smile.
“Everything okay over there?”
“Just peachy.” I turn to look out the window instead of at him when I answer.
There is no reason for him to know he affected me.
15
Tobias
I let Skye leave early to work from home. After Lorenzo’s, I could tell she was itching to be far away from me, so I gave her space. I’m sure, even with her background, being with Lorenzo was a lot to take in.
Hell, I only just started working with him a few years ago, and it feels like an eternity. That’s not to say he’s not my friend, but his gruff, rambunctious, and loud personality is a lot.
Gideon chooses this moment to walk into the building. I hear him before I see him. He knew I went to Lorenzo’s, so of course, he would have to come here and talk. I expected it. As his footsteps grow closer, I can hear that he’s almost upon the desk. I put down my phone and look up to meet his stare.
“How did it go?”
“You’re going to have to be more specific.”
He smiles at that, then grabs the back of the chair and pulls it out. Once sitting, he leans forward and crosses his arms across his chest.
“Your meeting with Lorenzo.”
“As it always goes. He gave me half the cash for the next shipment, and tonight, we’ll deliver it.”
“Not that. I meant the lady meeting with Lorenzo.”
“Skye?”
“Yes, Skye.” He laughs. “Who else would I be talking about?”
I shrug.
“Don’t give me that shit. Talk.”
“Talk . . . We don’t do that shit.”
“Well, maybe we should. Maybe we should talk about all this shit.” His tone is pressing. Something tells me he’s been thinking about this for a long time.
“What shit?”
“Her. Let’s talk about Skye. Does she recognize you?”
I grit my teeth together but don’t answer. My hands form fists by my sides.
“Well, spill it, man.”
“No.” My voice is too forceful, and as soon as the word is spoken, I realize how fucking pissed I am. Still. Time has not helped matters. It’s only made it worse.
“No, she has no clue who you are. And you are so pissed off by it, but you don’t want to talk it out.”
I don’t. Not without making me sound like a fucking pussy. Which, despite my relationship with this man, the man who will fill my shoes soon, I can’t have. I trust Gideon . . .
But never show weakness.
“Have you thought—?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Gideon has the smarts to shut up.
“Back to business,” I say. “We still need to plan a trip down South, and we need to meet with my contact in shipping.”
Gideon agrees with a tilt of his head. Until this point, no one, and I mean no one, has known all the key players in my distribution chain. The safest way not to get caught is for no one to know the whole picture. This assures fewer loopholes for issues, and if somebody within the organization gets pinched, there’s no information to get out. I ran my business the same way the cartel ran their empire years prior: old school. From this moment forward, only Gideon will know.
The first thing I handed over to Gideon was the cocaine. I no longer have any part in that operation. However, the pills are still in circulation and still running through me, but not for long.
Gideon has made a good name for himself, so I know I’m making the right decision. As crazy as it sounds, he has the same scruples as me. He also believes in a certain level of ethics, which to most would sound crazy, but not to the men I work with.