Page 80 of Enforcer's Obsession

“Do you know how fucking early it is?” Enzo said when he got into my car.

“Yeah. But we have work,” I said.

“Work,” he grumbled, “no self-respecting criminal is up this time of day,” he said.

“Stop complaining, you fucking baby, and tell me everything you found,” I said.

As I drove, Enzo rattled off what he had discovered.

The Geneovese were encroaching on several other territories, apparently deciding that any stress to their resources would be worth the element of surprise.

He also identified three key players, one of whom I planned to visit today. After, the other two would get their turn.

Once I knew how the Genevose worked, I’d strike.

Don Carlo wouldn’t appreciate the bloodshed, at least not openly, but I knew, even if he wouldn’t admit it, that me doing what he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—would be welcome.

Because as much as we like to delude ourselves with stories of honor, our code, I knew that the only thing people understood was strength.

And if Don Carlo wouldn’t give me numbers, I’d show strength and smarts, make my message clear to the Genevose and anyone else who needed to hear it.

“So what is this about Hope going to work?” Enzo asked.

“What do you mean?” I responded, looking at the target out of my window.

“You’re letting your woman work?” Enzo said.

“My woman?” I countered, tearing my way for eyes from the screen to look at him.

“Glare all you want, dickhead. You heard what I said,” Enzo thundered.

“Why are you gossiping like a little bitch, Enzo?” I grumbled.

My cousin laughed. “Name-calling and deflecting. Not a good look for a boss, Nico,” he said.

“I’m not a boss,” I responded.

“Yeah, just like Hope is not your woman. Whatever you say, cousin.”

I glared at Enzo one more time, then turned my eyes back to the screen and lost myself in the familiar.

Because trailing lowlifes as they moved through their day, picking up payments here, meeting mistresses there, all of that was as familiar as breathing.

But Hope and whatever the hell she had done to me…

I didn’t know how to handle it, so I wouldn’t.

No, it was best if I didn’t even acknowledge it.

Resolved to do just that, I pushed Hope out of my head and finished a day’s work.

Felt far too much relief when Sebastian sent me a message that Hope was back at my place.

Where she belonged.

I ignored that thought, tried to let it float through my brain, but it stuck.

Not that I had to acknowledge it.

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