Page 43 of Possessive

I wanted to tell him he had his priorities backwards, but the point wasn't relevant right now. The fact was, Lasalle operated behind our backs and we needed to send a message that it wouldn't be tolerated.

"This is personal," I stated. "You feel responsible for not seeing what he was doing sooner."

Damon took pride in keeping a tight leash on our businesses. And on the people who worked for me. If they put a foot out of line, he was the one who either pulled them back, or cut it off. Often literally. This level of betrayal was something else.

His expression suggested I was exactly right. He looked ready to grind his teeth.

"I should have seen it. Ric and Caleb didn't, but I fucking should have. You're right it's fucking personal. That prick must have been laughing at us while he was trying to build an empire to rival the Brantley family."

He curled his hands into fists.

"Should I punish you for missing it?" I asked, my own tone deadpan as ever. "I could have Gianni remove a few of your toenails. It's not his usual method, but I'm sure he'd make an exception for you. Or he could lock you in a room and play some of his music at full volume for an hour or two."

That sounded like torture to me.

"You probably should punish me," Damon grumbled. He exhaled out his nose in frustration. "I fucked up. Since when do you tolerate failure?"

"Since I need you to find him," I said. "You have skills and contacts. The moment he pops up, you'll know." Damon's network was enviable. With my money and backing, he'd grown it into something both impressive and valuable. His network, and him, were assets I wasn't going to let go, whatever the cost.

"Which is exactly why I'm pissed off: I didn't know what he was up to. All those contacts and skills and the fucker still got past me." He ran a hand over the back of his hair. "What the fuck did I miss? I've gone over everything for the last three or four years and there's nothing. Not one thing to indicate what he was up to."

"He was a sneaky prick," I said. "Smart enough to pull it off and low-key enough to stay under the radar."

"I should have been smarter," Damon insisted. "If he got away with shit, fuck only knows who else is out there getting away with other things."

"We've increased our eyes and ears," I said. "Nothing else is getting past any of us. You said word is already out on the street about what happened in the ice cream parlour?"

Damon dropped his hand against thigh, a sure sign he was winning against his annoyance.

"It has. It's set a few people on edge. Anyone twitchy, I've put extra people on them. If they have a reason to be twitchy, we'll find it. I've also found two more fronts for Kurt's businesses. One was a pet shop. The other was a pub."

"Hiding behind the pussies," I remarked.

Damon chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I'd think Gianni is rubbing off on you."

My mind was immediately back on Mina, rubbing him. My cock twitched in response. Ached to feel her hand on me. Stroking, caressing, coaxing.

I cleared my throat. "Just making an observation. You dealt with both premises?"

"Most of the staff were oblivious," Damon said. "The ones believed to be working for him are being followed. People are watching both establishments. If Kurt turns up at either of them, we'll know. Hopefully he'll get thirsty at some point soon."

We both knew he wouldn't turn up anywhere so obvious, especially if he did the smart thing and left the country. This wasn't a complete waste of time. Reminding people they wouldn't get away with trying to fuck me over was worth the effort.

I nodded. "Good work. We could use someone who's ready to turn on him. Someone who knows enough about him but is willing to spill everything for the right price."

"There must be someone out there like that," Damon agreed. "I've been looking, but so far nothing. If Kurt trusted anyone to that extent, they're hiding as well as he is. He didn't even trust his sister enough to fill her in."

"Good, because Daisy Lasalle working with him would be fatal to her," I said. Not to mention devastating for us. I much preferred to have her on our side, than working against us. Especially given that she and Mina seemed to have formed a friendship. I'd allow that to continue for Mina's sake.

"One thing I have been able to ascertain," Damon said. "Whatever Kurt was up to, he didn't seem to be working with Samuel Bell. If anything, we may have a mutual enemy in the prick."

"He stole from Bell too?" I shouldn't have been surprised by that. Someone like Kurt would have known to spread out his movements. It was unlikely Samuel Bell and I would compare notes, and put two different events together.

Damon shrugged. "At this point, it's hearsay. It's unlikely we'll get the truth from the Bell family, but a contact of a contact spoke about several missing shipments over the last few years. It could have been Lasalle or it could have been someone else. It wasn't us. Not unless the twins are getting up to things you didn't endorse."

"I wouldn't put it past them," I said. I wouldn't be pleased if they went behind my back, but stealing from the enemy wasn't something I gave a shit about, endorsed or not. I had no sympathy for any member of the Bell family. Animosity yes, in abundance, but not sympathy.

"Do you ever worry those two will get out of control, boss?" Damon asked.

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