Page 105 of Mob Knight

I don’t exactly dread speaking with Jesus. I just didn’t plan for him to be the man I ask permission from. I’d always thought I’d ask Joey’s dad before proposing because I know she comes from as traditional a family as I do. This isn’t only about tradition. It’s not even about Joey in many ways. Even though I’d thought it would be a nice sentiment, now I’ll be asking if we can link our syndicates. With ties to the Mancinellis, there’s a strong chance he’ll say no.

Then, how will I elope?

And by elope, I mean have twenty-one people discreetly at our wedding because I know my family will be there come hell or high water, if for no other reason than the men protecting Joey and me during the ceremony. There’s no way all the men would leave all the women behind because they wouldn’t be guarded to our standards, and only we meet our own standards.

Hell in a hand basket as my granny would say—a far less colorful idiom than what my nana would’ve used. As though life wasn’t already complicated enough.

Joey’s in a deep sleep beside me, and it tempts me to call her dad now. But that would upset her, even though it might be better if she can’t hear what’s said. As though her family’s manifested just from a thought, my phone pings.

Unknown number

This is Santi. Answer my call.

Fecking hell in the devil’s arse—that was a Nana phrase.

I answer on the first ring, girding my loins for whatever’s coming.

“Hello.”

“Where the fuck is my sister? I went to see her, and her apartment’s taped off. All I can get from anyone is there was an explosion. Who the fuck set off a bomb in my sister’s apartment? What the fuck happened?”

“She’s sleeping next to me. She has stitches in her thigh from a piece of wood imbedding in it, and she has some stitches from where her head hit the door across the hall. We don’t have any details beyond speculation. We haven’t dealt with the police yet and won’t until my family investigates.”

“Investigates? You mean tampers with evidence.”

“Depends on what we find. The bomb was either rigged to go off when the front door opened, or she was there by chance when the timer went off. I know her living room blinds were closed, so I don’t think it was a remote detonator since no one could see in.”

“This is all because of you. She was safe until she started dating you. Stay the fuck away from my sister. I’m coming to get her. Where are you?”

“Santi, I can hear you yelling. It was loud enough to wake me.”

I look down and find Joey staring up at me. She reaches for my phone, and I hand it to her. She hits the speaker button.

“Where are you,manita? You aren’t staying with thatpinche pendejo catire hijo de tu puta madre.” Fucking stupid, fair-haired and fair-skinned son of a motherfucker.

Hereallycan’t stand me.

“Don’t speak that way to your sister.”

“¡Chinga tu madre!” Fuck off!

“Santiago, unless you want me to say the same thing to you and hang up, you’ll stop swearing. We don’t know why it happened. It could have just as easily been about our family. Maybe someone knows our connection to the Mancinellis now and went after me for that. Maybe someone already knew our connection and is pissed we found out. Until we know what’s happening, I’m safest with Cormac.”

“The hell you are. You’re coming to one ofmysafe houses.Mymen are guarding you since it’s obvious the O’Rourkes are useless. How’d someone get into your place to set it? This wouldn’t have happened if you’d accepted my detail years ago.”

“I won’t argue with you, Santi. My head already hurts.”

I stiffen beneath her, not pleased to hear she’s in pain. She holds up her right index finger and shakes it. Then she makes the talking gesture with her fingers and thumb and rolls her eyes. I relax, but just barely.

“It’ll hurt a hell of a lot more when you speak topapí. He knows.”

“I suppose you called and told him everything.”

“He called me. He told me shit I didn’t even know about the two of you. Said he has video. I doubt he watched them with popcorn. I sure as fuck wouldn’t.”

He must have someone in with the Colombians. I suspected as much when I learned who Joey’s family is. Hell, Lucaprobably told him before the door shut to his limo the other night.

“Don’t be gross. Nothing anyone could’ve recorded between Cormac and me would be anything more explicit than kissing.”

---