Page 91 of Strictly Forbidden

“What’s going on, Daddy?” the girl asked, her voice high enough it would quickly get on my nerves. It was like one of those cartoon moments and I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say to her.

“Why don’t you take a little walk, baby. I have business to discuss.” He nearly pushed her off the edge of the booth. She was already cursing under her breath.

Daddy, huh?

Kind of made me a little sick.

“I’ll have a Macallan, neat. Put it on my friend’s tab here. He owes me,” I said to the waiter and sat back in my seat comfortably.

Saldono lifted his glass indicating a refill, never allowing his eyes to leave me except when he flitted his gaze up to the four men standing close.

“So, you’re getting into the business, Kage. I would think that would go against the mandates of your parole.”

I laughed. “I’m running my grandfather’s company, Saldono. And unlike you, given I make billions, I often use some old friends to ensure my meetings are handled professionally.”

He appeared uncomfortable, which is exactly what I wanted.

“Yes, well, I wish you well, my friend. Now, what can I do for you?”

I waited until the drinks were brought less than a minute later before answering him. “First of all, I just wanted to let you know that if you continue to send your goons after me, they will all die like those I’ve already handled.” I wasn’t prepared for the fact the man looked confused. “Oh, you don’t know anything about it?”

Either he was losing a part of his mental faculties, or he really didn’t know. “It was nothing more than a warning. I’m sorry if things got out of hand.”

“Like by trying to kill a woman I just met, someone I was providing assistance to. Was that a mistake?”

He finally pulled himself together, able to laugh. “It was nothing more than a reminder that you stay on your side of the playing field and I’ll stay on mine.”

I enjoyed a sip of the expensive scotch before leaning over the table. “Let’s cut to the chase, Saldono. You blame me for Antonio’s death when there’s a small part of you that knows I had nothing to do with his murder. Yet, as you always told me, blood is thicker than water. Since I was right and Gio is behind the attack, doesn’t that place a question in your mind? Some doubt? He has the most to lose if I unearth the evidence I have against him and against your trusted friend Domingo.”

He slammed his hand on the table, almost knocking over my drink. “How dare you accuse my boy of doing something so atrocious. He wants nothing to do with you. He has more important business to deal with.”

“Mmm… Well, then I was wrong. I’m certain Gio is fully entrenched in taking over for you as he should be. However, did it ever dawn on you that one day he will manage to cut certain ties you’ve relied on and put you in a position where you’ll no longer have any control? I’d hate to see that happen, my friend. Especially after everything you and I went through together. Just a reminder, while blood might be thicker than water, it doesn’t mean it can’t be laced with arsenic.”

He studied me intently for a full minute. “What do you really want, Kage?”

“All I want is what was promised to me. A life. I took a fall for your son. I will not live my life looking over my shoulder. I am a bit deranged. Remember?”

“Are you threatening me, Kage? That doesn’t look good on you.”

“Neither does it for you to be taken advantage of.”

I’d piqued his curiosity as much as I’d desired. Now it was simply up to him what he did with the information. What I did know about Saldono was that he didn’t like betrayal of any kind.

“What evidence do you have?” he finally asked.

Bingo.

“Do you remember the day you ordered a hit on that one man? The day Antonio was killed?”

“I remember everything about the day you destroyed my family.”

“Then ask yourself two things. One. Why did Gio insist Antonio be a part of the assassination and more important, why and how did your informant, a man you’d trusted to provide information for years, get the information wrong? Also, why and how did the cops show up so quickly? If I’d been the one to plan Antonio’s murder, I would have ensured the location was off the radar completely. I had no desire to find myself behind bars.”

He eyed me warily, but I sensed he was thinking about what I’d just said. “I’ll take that under advisement.”

“I also wonder why my wife and daughter were killed.” I simply enjoyed the drink, probably more than I should since it would seem another storm was on the horizon.

“I told you years ago that I had nothing to do with that horrible event.”

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