Page 4 of Jordan

Three Years Later

“Stop it.”

She whimpered at me, silently begging with her eyes.

“No.”

The look she gave me had me nearly caving.

“This is ridiculous.” Standing, I walked toward the door with her trailing behind me. Who knew she could be so needy? When I offered to take her under my roof, I had no idea of the kind of attention I would have to give her.

I stopped in the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to get a drink. There was a light tug on my slacks.

“Do you not know what the word no means?”

Another whimper.

“Fuck’s sake,” I growled and slammed the refrigerator door, startling her. She shrank back, making me feel guilty as hell. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean it. You just… I get it. This is how you are, but can’t you find a way to entertain yourself? I’ve bought you everything you could possibly need. You’re spoiled beyond belief.”

A chuckle from across the room drew my gaze up.

I cocked an eyebrow. “Do you have something you’d like to say, Reghan?”

He coughed to cover another laugh. “No, sir.”

Reghan was lucky I liked him more than most of the men I employed. Others kept their mouths shut around me. Reghan did to an extent.

Another whimper sounded, this one much closer. When I glanced down, there she was again, with her eyes on me and a bit of drool coming from her mouth.

Sighing, I opened the refrigerator and pulled a package of cheese from the drawer. That got a little yip from the furry baby sitting at my feet. She’d do just about anything for cheese. Romeo said I shouldn’t indulge her, but how could I not?

I’d offered to watch his Samoyed puppy while he was with his partners, Tristan and Dash. Dash’s band was on tour, currently traveling around the U.S. I didn’t realize what I was taking on by agreeing to care for Latte. This led me to hiring a dog walker and a trainer. I had an empire to run. I couldn’t give her all my attention. What kind of mafia boss would I be if I walked the streets of East Dremest with a white ball of fluff by my side?

Once I handed off the cheese and she ate it, she retreated to her bed, where she contently curled up to nap for the fifteenth time today. If anyone had the good life in this place, it was Latte.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. There were no days off, no time for relaxation. Given the businesses I ran—both legal and not—I always had to be accessible.

Barry’s name flashed on the screen.

“What?” I probably shouldn’t have barked the question at him. He was loyal to a fault. A zebra couldn’t change its stripes though.

“There’s a problem with the shipment.”

“What kind of problem?” I growled. Every day there was an issue, a pile of shit to be cleaned up and not the kind from Latte. That would have been easier to handle.

“The truck was pulled over as soon as it entered Dremest. The cops have it impounded. They discovered what the cargo was. It wasn’t as concealed as it should have been.”

“Whoever is responsible, I want them dead.” Trying to get the truck out of the secured lot the cops were holding it in would be nearly impossible. Once it was logged into their system as evidence, it was a bitch to get back out. A shipment of guns wasn’t worth the favors I’d need to call in to retrieve it. If it were small, I could have it snuck out, dropped into a pocket and out the door. There were enough cops on my payroll where I could make it happen. A truckload of weapons was not an easy feat or one worth me mobilizing the men I paid.

“Yes, sir.”

“Get Leeland on the phone and tell him I won’t give him a dime until the entire shipment is replaced and shows up at the agreed upon location. I also want whoever loaded the truck dead.”

“He’s going to argue?—”

“Do you think I give a shit? If he wants to make a name for himself in East Dremest, he’ll do what I ask or find somewhere else to bury his cock.” Leeland was trying to get in my favor. The local senator’s daughter was on Leeland’s radar. A senator I had a lot of secrets on. If Leeland wanted to get closer to this woman, he’d have to do something for me first. The senator kept his daughter busy running his campaign. However, I knew she had a wicked side too and liked to party in underground clubs.

“Yes, sir.”

---