Page 53 of Controlled

I patted him on the chest. “You did good. One last question. How much did he pay you?”

“Five thousand each for my two buddies and myself. Another five when the gig was over.”

Not chump change but it was only a teaser and nothing more.

“Oh, I forgot. Were you aware the man you met with, the guy in the warehouse, his sister was kidnapped, which forced him to follow through with betraying me?”

No, it was obvious the guy didn’t know.

I stood and immediately grabbed a towel, wiping the water from my arms. I’d gotten enough from the guy to know my instincts had been right. I’d simply need to set up a meeting with Frederico and explain a few things to him.

Then he could make a choice.

Keeping his empire and living, or having his world burn to ashes.

“Thank you for your information, Santos. Very much appreciated.”

Kane backed out of the bathroom, pushing the other two soldiers into the bedroom.

I could hear the guy struggling to calm his nerves. Sadly, he didn’t understand that men like Antonio Salvatore didn’t allow loose ends. Especially not when attempting to toss his father off the gilded throne. Sadly, Santos would find it in his heart to tell the bastard of my visit. That would make me look weak and something I refused to allow.

I pulled out my weapon, checking the silencer before turning around and shooting Santos between the eyes. “Nothing personal.”

Just business.

Kane was entirely too amused when I returned to the bedroom. He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded. “You want me to clean up the shit?”

“Yeah. Make it look as if nothing happened. Let Antonio wonder if the guy skipped town.”

“What about his buddies?”

“I have no beef with them.” However, I had a feeling they wouldn’t be alive for long when Antonio realized Santos had disappeared. “Any word on the whereabouts of Armand?” I was ticking off the boxes, wanting to have a long discussion with the man who had potentially spawned the most beautiful woman on earth.

Plus, I’d need to get his DNA to confirm whether the limited information Kane was found was correct.

“He was sighted by two different informants in New York in his old stomping grounds. From what I understand, he purchased a new penthouse only two days ago.”

“Really? How fascinating.”

“I thought you’d think so.”

Perhaps making a trip to New York was in order. I could enjoy spending time with my perfect dancer while seeing if the informants were attempting to blow hot air. It would seem personal identification was in order.

Slipping the weapon back into place, I headed toward the front door, wondering what in the fuck Antonio thought he was doing. He was a small fish in the Chicago pond, his father’s soldiers loyal to the existing Don. Or had there been a change when I wasn’t paying attention? Either way, I’d use my phone call and subsequent visit with Frederico as a warning and a threat. It was a win-win all the way around.

Some days I loved how twisted my mind had become.

I waited until I was almost all the way down to the shitty lobby before pulling out my phone. I’d taken the time to learn the private number of every enemy in question, although I wasn’t interested in developing friendships.

As I dialed the man’s number, I headed out into the fresh air, immediately hit by the stench of an old trash truck rumbling by. Fuck. I preferred my Highland Park estate, a location I hadn’t used often enough over the last few months given I’d thought of myself as a busy man.

Maybe I would be spending a lot more time there with my perfect dancer.

“Who the fuck is this?” Frederico answered. While his accent was heavy, only arriving in the United States as a teenager, it was nothing like the fake voice his son had used for a full decade. And the ugly kid looked nothing like Sylvester Stallone.

“A friend, Frederico. One with information you need to hear. That is if you want to keep your blood from toppling your empire.”

It took him a few seconds to recognize my voice. “What the fuck are you talking about, Saint boy?”

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