Page 29 of Mob Queen

“But you’re not going to meet with him?” G’s slight headshake and rapid blinking tells me he’s confused.

“If he reaches out I will. But for now, I’ve planted a seed and he’ll do one of two things.”

G considers my sentence before it finally dawns on him. “He’ll either let Augusta know, or he won’t.”

“Precisely.”

“And if he does… ”

“Then he’s an enemy who needs to be taken down.”

“Your father was always good with the Saccos.”

“I’m not my father. And, besides, the Saccos are feeling me out too. They need to know I’m a person of my word. They’ll be keeping a careful eye on me. I won’t make an enemy of them unless I have to. But for now, I know Augusta is unstable and he needs to be gone.”

“What stops the Saccos moving in and starting a war?”

“We both know Dad wouldn’t have allowed them to live if they wanted that. The circumstances have changed, and maybe they’ll want what’s mine now that Dad’s passed.”

“This meeting wasn’t as useless as I thought it would be,” G says as he swivels his body to face forward.

“Meetings are never useless, G. I always learn something, and in this case, it’s just how far the Saccos will go to get rid of me, or Petro Augusta.”

My father held a lot of respect among other families. Now, it’s all different and I have to prove myself.

One way or another.

Chapter 10

Jeremy

“Morning, boss,” Zac says as I walk toward his desk. “Coffee?”

“Yeah,” I grumble as I walk past him into my office. There are several files stacked high on my desk. “Great,” I grumble knowing the day will start with a ton of work.

“You look so happy,” Zac says with sarcasm as he places my coffee on the desk.

I exhale a tense breath and shake my head. “Close my door on the way out.” I flick my hand to Zac and pick the top file up as I relax back in the seat. The door closes with a soft thud and I’m left to peruse the stack of files.

Though, if I’m being honest, I can’t get Frankie out of my thoughts. The way she looked at me, her eyes darkening with desire while my fingers tightened around her throat. I try to dislodge the erotic thoughts from my mind, and switch gears. I can’t keep thinking of her the way I am.

I stand and pace as I try to think on how to get rid of Frankie DeLuca and her fucking family of thugs. She’s dangerous, and I don’t want her in my state. She can pack her shit and leave.

My door opens and Zac enters with a stack of papers. “I need your signature on these, please.” He glances at the coffee, then to me. “Is there something wrong with your coffee?”

“What?” I stop my pacing to look at him. “What?” I repeat.

“You haven’t touched your coffee. It must be cold now.”

I’ve been stuck in my head, angry at Frankie because I need to find something as a bargaining chip to get rid of her. I need to stop this incessant obsession with that toxic woman. I shake my head and straighten my back. “What do you need me to do?” I ask Zac, who’s patiently waiting for something.

“I need your signature on these please.” He taps the top of the papers.

I’ve been so stuck on Frankie that I’m not paying attention to anything else. “Of course.” I sit and pick my pen up. While I sign these letters, I quickly scan them so I know where they’re going. But in the back of my mind, Frankie DeLuca’s dark eyes and curly brown hair mock me. I pick the stack of papers up and hand them to him. “Here,” I say to Zac once I’m done.

“You have a meeting this afternoon at four. But, other than that, your schedule is open for the day.”

“Thank you.” I cross my arms in front of my chest as I stare at the files. Zac takes the papers and quietly exits my office, leaving me to thoughts of a woman who’s dangerous, yet so damn intriguing. My annoyance with her grows by the moment. There’s a stiffness in my neck at the memory of her throat in my hands. Frankie’s dark eyes glossed over with arrogance, as if she was daring me to tighten my fingers even further. “Fuck you,” I say with a clenched jaw.

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