Page 66 of Stolen Queen

“Well, don’t work too late. I have a surprise for you.”

I arch a brow. “Surprise?”

She gives me a flirty smile. “It’s a sexy surprise.”

Fuck. I really want to rip my clothes off and spend the day in the bed with her. Instead, I lean over to kiss her. “I’ll be walking around with a hard-on all day thinking about it.”

The day startedoff damn near perfect. Unfortunately, it goes to hell the minute I leave my penthouse. A supplier is giving us problems. It’s possible one of our men is skimming off gambling profits. And the worst, Elio calling me to go with Lazaro to deal with another one of Rinella’s fucked up situations.

“Jesus, Elio… who do I work for?”

There’s a pause on his end of the line and I wince as I wait for him to put me in my place. “What’s up with you, Matteo?”

“Nothing. Like I said, I’m sick of being jerked around by Rinella.”

But I’m a good soldier, so that afternoon, I head over to the docks as Elio has asked me to do. The scene that greets me is pure chaos. Rinella's men facing off against the Garianos Family, both sides shouting and posturing.

I swear under my breath as I meet up with Lazaro, who’s been watching them as he waits for me.

“What the fuck?” I say.

Lazaro smirks. “Bunch of amateurs.”

I scan the area. “Where’s Rinella?” It’s odd that he isn’t here.

“Not here. Bubba or Buddha, or whatever the hell his name is, is in charge.”

“Beppe?” It’s a nickname for Giuseppe.

“Right. He’s a poser, isn’t he?”

I nod. It seems to me that all of Rinella’s family are posers. Acting tough and important, when deep down, they’re just a bunch of putzes. Except Ava, of course.

“So we’re the lap dogs sent to clean up his mess?”

“Looks like it.” He grins as he pulls out his gun and a knife. “Could be fun.”

There was a time when this was one of the best parts of the job. Not dealing with Rinella. That’s never been fun. But watching Lazaro scare the literal shit out of people. Today, I’m just annoyed.

It takes nearly two hours to defuse the situation. Two hours, three gunshot wounds, and one guy who I’m sure will suffer PTSD after Lazaro unhands him.

I go up to Beppe. “Tell your boss to get his shit together, would you?”

Beppe sneers at me. “You’re not the boss of me or him.”

Lazaro steps up beside me, and Beppe’s bravado falters. “Watch yourself, Bubba, or next time, we’ll just watch and let the Garianos do what they want to you.”

“It’s Beppe,” I say.

“When I get done with him, it will be baby.” Lazaro gives one last hard glare and walks away. I follow him.

“You okay?” he asks as we reach our cars.

“Sure, why?”

He shrugs. “You just seem tense lately. I’d have thought you’d have enjoyed today more than you did.”

“It’s Rinella. I’m sick of dealing with his shit.”

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