Page 13 of Carnival Master

“Any faces?” I ask.

“Masked,” Phoenix confirms. “But check out how they move. Ex-military, maybe private security. These aren’t street thugs.”

“Great.” I toss the phone back at Phoenix. “So we’ve got professionals stealing our shit, and I’ve got Jimmy Moretti breathing down my neck, expecting his order.”

The memory of Sofia’s kiss flashes through my mind, making this situation even more complicated. Her father is not just a client anymore—he’s the father of the woman I can’t get out of my head—a woman who is engaged to another one of my clients.

“Options?” I look around at my most trusted crew. These men have never let me down before. We’ll figure this out. We have to.

I lean back in my chair, rubbing my jaw as Lars speaks up.

“I’ve been looking at the numbers, boss. If we drop Paulie or Frank’s shipment, we can deliver it to Jimmy. Just put the smaller fish off for now.”

“You want me to stiff either the future son-in-law of Jimmy Moretti or the guy who’s been with us since day one?” I shake my head. “That’s a powder keg waiting to blow.”

“Frank’s been getting cocky,” Nash chimes in. “Acting like he owns us.”

“And Paulie’s a piece of shit,” Colt adds. “Everyone knows it.”

My mind drifts to the memory of Sofia and how she looked at me in that tent. The thought of her marrying that bastard Paulie makes my blood boil. But business is business. Isn’t it?

“Either way, someone’s going to be pissed,” Phoenix points out. “The question is, who can we afford to have gunning for us?”

Lars crosses his arms. “Jimmy’s the biggest player in Dawsbury. We lose him, we can’t move the product.”

He’s right. Jimmy Moretti could crush us without breaking a sweat. But crossing either Frank or Paulie could start a war we’re not ready for. Plus, there’s Sofia to consider. One wrong move and I could lose any slim chance with her.

I drum my fingers on the desk, weighing our options. The numbers don’t lie—we can only fully deliver to Frank or Paulie. Jimmy Moretti isn’t the type of man who accepts partial shipments. But do I piss off his future son-in-law or his rival?

I grind my teeth and am about to make a decision when Phoenix clears his throat. “Boss, you might want to check out what I found about the SUV owner and who he works for.”

“What?” I ask, walking over to the desk.

“He works for Frank. Frank tried to take out Jimmy’s daughter here at the carnival.”

“Motherfucker!” I growl, hands clenching by mysides. “Well, that decides it then. Frank’s out. He fucked up trying to kill Jimmy’s daughter on my turf. Consider this karma.”

Lars nods, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Want me to break it to him gently?”

“No. Not yet. I’ll tell him at our usual meeting. He’s lucky I don’t tell Jimmy it was him.”

Colt stretches his long frame on the couch. “Frank’s been pushing boundaries for a while. This’ll knock him down a few pegs.”

“More than a few,” Nash adds. “Without our supply, he’ll be crippled in Dawsbury. Jimmy will eat up his territory within weeks.”

“Exactly.” I crack my knuckles, satisfaction coursing through me. “Two birds, one stone. We keep Jimmy happy with his shipment, and Frank learns what happens when you fuck with the wrong people.”

The crew exchanges knowing looks. We’ve all been waiting for an excuse to cut Frank loose. His attempted hit on Sofia made the decision easier. Jimmy will crush him, and I won’t have to lift a finger.

8

SOFIA

Ifidget with the hem of my black evening gown, tuning out Paulie’s latest critique about my weight as we navigate the crowded ballroom. The champagne in my glass remains untouched—my mind keeps drifting to Tyson’s heated kiss in the big top.

“Are you even listening?” Paulie’s fingers dig into my arm. “I said you should skip dessert tonight. That dress is looking a bit snug.”

“I heard you the first three times.” I pull away from his grip, earning a disapproving look from my father across the room.

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