Page 90 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

But even as he tried to will himself to sleep, thoughts of her plagued him, keeping him awake. He remained that way, lost in his thoughts until his guard called and told him it was almost time for the meet-up.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Orazio pushed himself up and climbed out of bed to get dressed. Leo was on his way to pick him up so they could meet up with the family. It was time to stop thinking about Monique Rose. It was time to do what he did best.

It was time to kill.

Chapter Twenty-Six

ORAZIO

––––––––

Leo maneuvered the vehicle down the dark road in the middle of nowhere. Not much traffic passed this way. Not yet. Soon, this location would become a profitable tourist attraction, complete with a shopping outlet, restaurant, and casino/resort, thanks to the Cattaneo family.

Orazio stared out the car window, his mind a hundred miles from where it should be. As Leo turned onto a darker road flanked by endless trees, Orazio's thoughts shifted to the task at hand.

He'd been to this location a few times. It was where they were laying the foundation for their new casino. The parking garage was currently under construction. Here is where they would deal with Tatum.

Bright lights pierced the darkness, illuminating the area where the concrete crew worked. Cars were parked in the gravel lot near the site. Leo pulled up next to Bryceson's car. Orazio stepped from his vehicle before Leo could come around to let him out.

"You're supposed to wait for me to open the door, Raz," Leo mumbled, jogging to catch up with him.

"I'm ready to get this over with," Raz replied, mood sour.

"Why?" Leo asked, now walking beside him. "Do you have somewhere important to be?"

Raz stopped and glared at Leo, prompting him to stop also. "You must be tired of breathing?" Raz growled.

Leo shook his head. "I happen to enjoy breathing, boss."

"Then act like it."

Turning away from his guard, Raz continued toward the site. He found his cousins, Bryceson and Julian, along with Raz's two brothers, standing off to the side, talking. They stopped talking when Raz approached them.

Cocking his head to the side, Raz said, "Don't go silent because of me."

It was Julian who spoke up. “Don Orazio Cattaneo!” Julian exclaimed, smiling. "You just don't know how fucking proud I am to have you as my Don."

Though Orazio was in a shitty mood, he couldn't help but smile at Julian Cattaneo. His cousin had just turned twenty-nine a few days ago. Raz had planned to go to his party but opted out, not wanting his mood to bring everyone down.

"Sorry I couldn't make it to your party, Julian," Raz apologized.

"Don't apologize. I wasn't there either," Julian told him, shrugging off the apology.

Cas chuckled. "Julian was a no-show to his own party. Guess where he was?"

"Where?" Raz asked.

"Chasing after some woman who wants nothing to do with him," Cas answered, smirking at Raz.

Raz side-eyed his baby brother, feeling Cas was trying to insinuate something.

"Shedoeswant me," Julian defended. "She's just a little nervous about dating someone younger than her."

"How old is this woman?" Raz asked.

"Older than me," Julian admitted. "But age doesn't matter. She's worth fighting for."

"How old?" Raz asked again, gaze narrowed on Julian.

---