Page 45 of Capo

Fifteen

Luciano

I couldn’t fucking shoot her in front of my kid.

Before me they’re all scared, but there was also something fierce in that gaze, something that shot straight to my gut, something protective, as if she was prepared to defend David.

From me.

I clutch the squirming, wordlessly crying kid harder to my chest. A nine-year-old is strong, but he’s still got nothing on me. I free one arm and haul up my phone, thumbing up the number to Carmen, David’s mom.

“Luci?” comes her soft voice with that sexy Spanish-Colombian accent. “Something wrong?”

“You could say that,” I growl. “David ran from his caregiver. I’m firing the bitch in a minute. We need a new one. Come pick him up for me. You’ll possibly save her life if you get here pronto!”

“Dios mio! Behave! I was on my way to town. I’m halfway. I’ll turn around and come as soon as I can.”

“Make it sooner,” I snarl. Before I disconnect I hear her hiss in response and I can’t help that one corner of my mouth pulls up into a half-smile.

Carmen Moreno Payne. I think she might be the only person in the world who isn’t afraid of me. Possibly apart from my closest family, but even they have their moments of hesitation. We were off to a rocky start when I let loose my inner devil on the young prostitute she once was. I impregnated her by mistake, and we had David. I thought I was getting an heir I could raise within my empire, someone I could make my successor when the time came. Instead he turned out to be this semi-mute, asocial boy who resists me, who avoids all eye contact, and who won’t play with other kids.

I can’t reject him. He’s eaten his way beneath my skin. I see so much of myself in him, despite his disabilities. But I don’t know how to handle him. I can’t get close. He doesn’t speak, and I don’t know how to reach him. I clutch him harder, wanting to transfer some of the warmth from his little body to mine, but he’s not having it and pushes away, almost falling out of my grip.

My thoughts keep darting back to the image of Chloe on the floor, her quiet, gentle approach to David. He spoke to her. He never answers when I talk to him. She met him a few seconds and he fucking spoke. He rarely speaks to the people I employ to care for him. He grunts his approval or disapproval. Sometimes I doubt he even has language.

I find the aide who was supposed to guard him and let David down before the trembling girl. She looks as if she expects me to beat her. I clench my fists as I fight the instinct to at least give her a well-deserved slap. I have bitter experiences with David reacting badly to witnessing violence. “You’re fired,” I growl. “Pack your fucking things and be out of here in thirty seconds or I’ll flay you alive.”

She gives out a squeak as her eyes tear up, then she spins on her heels and darts out of the room as if she has the Devil on her back. She might as well have. I look down on David. She didn’t even fucking give him a second thought when she ran off. Bitch!

I flinch when my phone rings. Eric. I glance at the clock before I answer, wondering how long it will take Carmen to get here. I have business to attend to. I can never rest.

I tap the phone to connect. “What’s up?”

“Have you been in contact with Christian?”

“I—” I pause to think. “A few days ago. Why?”

“I can’t get ahold of him. His phone is disconnected.”

“What the fuck?” I glance at David, then toward the hallway. Still no fucking Carmen. “Hang on a sec. I’ll call you back.” I disconnect and pocket the phone. Hauling up David on one arm, and pulling the key out of my pocket, I then steer my steps back to my private wing.

Chloe sits where I left her. She spins around, her face a stiff mask of fear. She sags when she sees David, the tension leaving her posture.

“Take care of him,” I growl as I turn on my heels and slam the door closed behind me again. Locking it, I haul up my phone and call Eric. “Tell me!”

“Not much to tell. We need him to get back here ASAP. You told me he went to Canada. I haven’t talked to him since before he left. The negotiations with the Russians are turning sour and I have a bad feeling about this.”

“I’ll deal with Christian. Is that fat fur-clad friend still with us? The one who initiated our contacts with his boss in Moscow?”

“I can’t get ahold of him either. I don’t like it, and I think he played us.”

I pace the room back and forth, my thoughts sprawling in all different directions. “Did anyone come here? An influx of people we don’t know?”

Eric is silent a few moments. “Actually, yes.”

“I don’t like the sound of this. Are we keeping tabs on them?”

“I’ve tried, Luci. We’re too few.”

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