Page 41 of Kyle

“Kyle,” Cole snaps, shutting me up.

Her head swivels to me and then back to Cole. “You’re serious, aren’t you? The actual mafia?”

“Serious as a heart attack,” Cole replies.

She lowers into the chair Crash vacated. “I can’t believe this. Why would he get involved with anything to do with them?”

“We think it was an accident. He stumbled upon a drop-off site—a place they were using to move drugs into the country.”

“But why would he go to Vegas?”

Cole shrugs. “We’re not sure. We may never know what went down.”

“Who’s the head guy?” she asks.

“In Jersey?” Crash asks.

“No. In Vegas. Is it that Warren Drake man? He put the hit on my baby?”

“We’ve been told Warren Drake is actually Carlo Bianchi, Jr. According to our sources, the Santorinis installed him in Vegas when the last guy, Fat Tony, ended up floating face down.” Cole tilts his head, and his eyes narrow on Joselyn. “Don’t get any crazy ideas, Joselyn. These are not the kind of people you mess with.”

“Are you going to take care of it?”

“We’re not going up against the mob for you,” Crash snaps, pissed off.

“VP,” Cole barks.

But Crash doesn’t stop. “Harry is dead and gone, Mrs. Silver. None of this will bring him back. The only thing it will do is get someone else killed. Is that what you want?”

Cole pinches the bridge of his nose, his eyes closing, looking tired and frustrated. “We’ve been trying to come up with a way to get a little payback that doesn’t end up with anyone else getting whacked by the mob.”

“Have you come up with anything?” she asks.

“Not yet.”

She stares at the floor, and we can all see the wheels turning.

Cole leans his elbows on the desk. “Don’t even think about it, Joselyn.”

Her eyes shift to him.

“I’m serious, woman. This is not Ocean’s Eleven. You are no match against these guys.”

“Maybe you don’t know me very well. Maybe I’m the perfect person to go up against them. Maybe they’ll never suspect me.”

“Jesus Christ.” Crash flings a hand out. “Are you hearing this, Prez?”

“Honey,” Red Dog starts, taking her hand. “It’s too dangerous. It’s a nice thought that you want to avenge your husband like this. I mean that. It’s real admirable, but we can’t allow it.”

Her brows lift. “Can’t allow it?”

Cole’s head drops. “Shit, Dog. Those are fighting words. You’re married. You should know that.”

“Okay, sorry. Poor choice of words. But don’t be insane.”

Cole slumps back and stares at the ceiling. “Now you’re calling her insane, Dog.”

“I didn’t mean that. We don’t want your blood on our hands.”

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