Page 21 of Ruthless Passion

Julian Blackwell is like a corporate doctor who goes into multimillion dollar corporations, diagnoses what's wrong, and puts them on a plan to fix it. Luca Brisco Studios was my brilliant idea. Sonny had some cash, my sister had her business degree, and I wrote movies. Julian helped me organize and suggested digital releases to cut costs. As a favor for his business foresight, I wash some of his uncle's mob money.

I need to change the subject, not wanting to overthink anything between me and Jo. She needs someone better than me. While I want to impress her, make her want me, all I can give her is a punching bag to fuck and then walk away.

Julian pats my shoulder. "Happiness looks good on you."

"Don't get too excited for me. She's going to be my lead actress on a new project. A project I'm supposed to be doing for your uncle."

He grunts. "Uncle Armande hasn't been himself these days. He's having trouble with my mother's willingness to have him killed."

"Seems par for the course considering the business we're in. I'm sorry your family's…" I'm struggling to find the words. Consoling a friend isn't one of my strong suits.

He finishes the statement for me. "Sorry for my family being murderous and willing to betray each other? It's fine. I'm just happy Claire's still by my side. She said she ran into you a while back, coming out of Nina's?"

I chuckle. "Yeah. That didn't work out. You know how things go. They get close. We scare the fuck out of them and then they disappear."

His head moves up and down, weighted with a solemn understanding. While I have him, I need to ask him what's on my mind, especially under the circumstances.

"Listen, Julian, I know you said Armande isn't himself, but do you think it's possible he might know if the Feds have him under investigation? I have this auditor, I think she's FBI, but working with the IRS or something. She's looking into my studio, specifically at the projects I've made to wash Armande's money."

"Armande's in Sicily and I don't know when or if he's coming back. If there is an investigation, he hasn't mentioned it to me. We've been dealing with the Scarpella family, trying to get to Carmine."

"And here I am worried about Vito Dacosta."

"Vito's causing you problems?" Julian's voice fills with concern.

"Yeah. He's been threatening my actresses. I actually need to get to the hospital. One of them was attacked last night."

"I'm sorry, bro. Is there anything I can do?"

"Actually, there is."

9

JOSEPHINE

The scent of pristine leather seats is one hell of a way to remind me that my car is everything but a new Ferrari. The events of the last forty-eight hours has my mind reeling with questions.

I had sex with Luca Devlin.

Not any kind of sex, but mind altering, reality shaking sex that makes me question who I am. Why did I like making him crawl to me? I don't want it to be because I never stood up to Duke. I need another opinion, but who the hell can I talk to about this?

My phone rings with Mojo's face flashing across the screen making my heart skip a beat with anxiety. It's like a sixth sense between us.

"Hey, Mojo."

"Jo." She drags the 'oh'.

"Yes, Mojo?"

"Where are you?" she asks.

"You know I hate when you do that. It's like you're trying to figure out what I'm doing to box me into doing something I don't want to do, like hot yoga."

She laughs. "Hot yoga is a great way to release toxins and relax the body. But, I'm only asking because Poppy called me. What happened? She sent me pictures. Some guy's with your car and they brought it to her service center."

"Are you sure? Your sister works at the Ferrari dealership. Why would my car be there? Someone or something punctured the tires. My, um, friend let me take his car and he offered to take care of mine."

Luca said he'd take care of everything, but I thought that, well, I don't know what I thought. I didn't think. I wanted to drive his really nice car, no questions asked.

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