Page 70 of Sexting the Don

But then Garadino’s eyes flick upward. I freeze, heart in my throat, trying to appear still and subdued. He looks away, continuing his heated conversation with my father, and I let out a silent sigh of relief, resuming my efforts.

Their voices rise and fall, and I can’t make out what they’re saying, but then Jimmy’s raised voice carries through, "I brought her in as we agreed!"

Garadino scoffs, his reply lost in the distance and the echo of the warehouse. I need to get out—now—before I become just another casualty of their power plays.

As the tension escalates, Garadino's anger becomes palpable, his voice cutting through the stale air of the warehouse like a knife. "The plan was to get some leverage on Martelli, to force him to the negotiating table. But not like this.”

Jimmy's face contorts with defiance as he shoots back, "She should be all the leverage we need!"

Garadino steps closer, his voice low and menacing, a clear warning in his tone.

"We don’t involve women or children in negotiations, Jimmy. You know the rules. We keep it clean."

Jimmy bristles under the reprimand, his pride clearly wounded. His usual sleazy demeanor shifts into something dark and unpredictable.

"Don’t tell me how to handle my family," he growls, his hands twitching as if itching for a fight.

Then, in a surprisingly quick move—faster than I would have ever credited him for—Jimmy's hand darts to his belt, and in one swift motion, he pulls out a gun. The room falls eerily silent for a heartbeat before he levels it straight at Garadino.

The power dynamic instantly flips, and the air thickens with impending violence.

Jimmy stands tall, gun aimed with a shaky but determined grip, his expression twisted into a sneer of defiance and anger.

“Let’s finish this,” he says. “One way or another.”

Chapter 32

Enzo

From the shadows, Sean and I watch the scene unfold, the half-open door giving us a clear view into the warehouse.

I had fully expected Garadino's bodyguard to put an end to Jimmy and his pal before things escalated this far. Yet here we are, Jimmy foolishly brandishing a gun at a man who's known for his ruthless enforcement of the rules.

Jimmy’s a dead man walking; that much is clear.

Whether Garadino’s man pulls the trigger or not, Jimmy’s broken too many rules to walk away from this with his life. My eyes flicker around the dimly lit interior, searching for any sign of Mandy. Knowing she's somewhere in this volatile mix sharpens my focus to a razor's edge.

Sean leans in, whispering, "There she is, up in the office."

He nods subtly toward a partially obscured window where I can just make out a figure. Relief washes over me.

"We need to end this now before it spirals further out of control," I reply, my voice low.

The tension is a living thing, and with every second that ticks by, Jimmy’s rash actions threaten to ignite it into violence that could put Mandy in even greater danger.

I turn my attention to her. She’s shifting back and forth in her seat.

“Have you lost your fucking mind, Jimmy?” Garadino asks, total disbelief hanging from his words.

Jimmy’s totally fucked. My eyes flick back and forth between Garadino and his bodyguard, his weapon drawn and pointed straight at Jimmy’s face. I’m not sure why Jimmy hasn’t been put down yet.

“No, I’m just trying to get what I came here for,” Jimmy responds. His hand is shaking. He’s obviously finally realizing that he’s in over his head. “Your man said that you had fifty large for me.”

“Why the fuck isn’t he shooting?” Sean asks.

I raise my hand to silence him, but I’ll be damned if the question isn’t at the forefront of my mind, too.

“Jimmy, you fucked up,” Garadino says. “Here’s the deal—you bring your daughter out safe and sound—I’m assuming she’s safe and sound, yes?”

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