Page 68 of Fight Me Little Pearl

“Give me five minutes.”

I glance at my watch. It’s barely seven o’clock, but after I gave them free rein to party nonstop last night, it’s only fitting they got to work early this morning.

I shower in my room before changing into a suit and head towards my study. Vance and Dutch are waiting outside the door.

“There’s something I want to show you,” Vance says, nodding at me.

“Okay. Show me.”

He whips out his phone and hits play on the screen. There’s a video of Federico and Rosalia having hot, passionate sex. I only watch for a few seconds before pushing the screen away. “Vance, why did you record this?”

“You had a deal,” he says. “He broke it.”

“You’re right.” I nod before pushing my way into the room. Roberto and Federico are waiting for me.

They rush to their feet when I walk in. “Good morning.”

“Get that fool on the phone.”

Roberto sits across from me and pulls out a phone. I watch his fingers move quickly on the screen, and then it rings for a moment before a gruff voice speaks.

“Who the fuck is this?” he barks.

“Hello, Boga.”

“Valentino,” he mutters a few shocked seconds later.

“You haven’t paid for the olive oil you’ve stolen yet,” I say quietly.

He goes completely silent and I’m glad he’s not stupid enough to try and deny it.

“Do know how I deal with thieves?”

“Uh…”

“I tend to kill them, but I don’t want you dead. I kinda like your mother. She has a good attitude to life. Her poor knees give her hell, but she’s always smiling, always so damn proud of her successful son. All those lovely pictures of you and her grandchildren in her living room. Sweet, really.”

He goes deathly quiet.

“And because,” I continue, “I’m hoping this was all an oversight on the part of your accountant and a warning will suffice. Will a warning be enough, Boga?”

“Yes. Yes. It was all a bad misunderstanding, a mistake by my accountant. I will pay.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear that. I’ll get my accountant to resend you the bill for what you have bought and if you’re smart, you’ll pay it quickly and our paths will never have to cross again.”

“Yes, I will pay it,” he says thickly.

“Good.” I end the call and turn to Dutch. “Get Vinny on the phone for me.”

Dutch comes forward with the phone.

“Vinny,” I say warmly.

“Valentino,” he replies with equal warmth. No one listening to us could ever guess that we are natural enemies.

“Sal is after what belongs to me, and I want to take him down.”

“You don’t need me for that,” the cunning fox says. “You can take him down yourself.”

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