Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“I know you will, Octavio. We’ve got eyes everywhere.”
“Just remember, he’s got eyes everywhere too.”
I was spread in multiple directions every day, but declaring war on the Brotherhood for my brother’s death had spread me even thinner. I always had enemies, but now I had big enemies.
Scarlett’s eyes lit up at the sight of me. “Haven’t seen you around in a while.” She moved into me and hugged me the way a little sister would hug her brother. She wasn’t as tall as me, so her cheek moved to my chest.
“You know how it gets.” I pressed a kiss to her temple before I let her go.
“You could always retire, you know.” She pulled away and gave me a little smile before she stepped away.
“Men like me don’t retire.”
“Axel did.”
“That’s it.”
“How?”
“He found me.”
“And you’re telling me there’s not some piece of ass out there just waiting for you to walk into her life and set it on fire? Oh, I’m sure she’s out there…just waiting.” She moved toward the kitchen.
Axel was at the table with Dante, the two of them talking while the kids jumped all over them. When Axel realized I was there, he grinned and rose from his chair before he walked toward me. “There he is.” He embraced me with a bear hug and a hard thump on the back. “Thanks for coming.”
“I won’t turn down Scarlett’s cooking.”
Their son beelined straight for my knee, grabbing on to my leg and looking up at me with a smile. “Uncle Theo!” he exclaimed. At least, that was what I decided he said.
“Hey, little man.” I ruffled my fingers through his hair as I smiled down at him, seeing the spitting image of Axel looking back at me, with that same dirty-blond hair and blue eyes. “Been good for your mama?”
He smiled wider and shook his head. “No.”
“I figured.”
He let go of my leg and ran off to his mother.
Axel’s daughter was on Dante’s thigh, and judging by the smile Dante wore, he enjoyed being a grandfather. Dante put her on the floor, and she toddled off.
On the way, she bumped into my leg and grinned up at me.
“Hi, sweetheart.” I smiled as I watched her go then turned to regard Dante.
My smile immediately disappeared.
Dante stuck out his hand to shake mine. “It’s been a while.”
I didn’t take it. “Not long enough.” I still had to clean up his mess, a monster that he’d unleashed from a cage.
“Theo.” Axel said my name lightly.
“I’m not fucking his daughter, so I’m not so inclined to forgive and forget.” I moved to the bar behind Scarlett and helped myself to the bottle of wine sitting there. I poured myself a glass then came to Scarlett’s side. “What’s for dinner?”
“Bistecca all Fiorentina with scalloped potatoes and sauteed broccolini.”
“My favorite. Sounds fucking amazing.”
She gave me a quick nudge in the side before she nodded toward her daughter.
“Sorry.” I took a drink.
“I’d appreciate it if you tried to get along with my father, Theo.”
“Trust me, I am getting along with him.” If I weren’t, he’d be bleeding all over the tile.
She gave me a hard look.
“You and Axel are out of the game, but I’m not. There are consequences to his actions—and I’m still dealing with them.”
After dinner, Scarlett and Dante took the kids upstairs to get them ready for bed.
Axel and I left the kitchen so the butler could take care of the dishes and clean up. We entered the study and took a seat in the comfortable armchairs. It was the only room in the house where we were allowed to smoke, so that was where we lit up.
“So.” Axel crossed one ankle over the opposite knee.
“So.” I let the smoke fill my mouth and nostrils before I released it in a cloud.
“How are things in the underworld?”
“You aren’t in the game anymore, Axel.” I brought the smoke into my mouth again and let it simmer on my tongue.
“But you are, so a part of me always will be.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“If I don’t, who will?” He let the cigar rest in his fingertips as his arm lay on the armrest.
I’d been alone a long time, but the loneliness had worn off. Now, I thrived in solitude, preferring to spend my nights alone or with a woman who knew she would never mean anything to me.
“What’s your plan with Bolton?”
“Corner him and make him talk. But he’s hard to nail down.”
“What if you hire him?”
I released the smoke and let the cigar rest between my fingertips.
“Hire him to kill someone. And when he shows up to meet you—kill him.”
“Not a bad idea.”
“I can do it for you. I never had dealings with the Brotherhood, so they don’t know who I am.”
“You’re out of the game, Axel.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to help you.”