Page 132 of Where the Wicked Reign

Figures.

As I approached, I saw him taking me in, a whole lot of determination lit with suspicion.

I turned my nose up at the vodka he was drinking. I hated the stuff. Then I noted the bottle of Johnny Walker Black with a crystal class beside it.

My lips quirked, and I gave him a chin lift, recognizing his show of respect.

I slid in opposite him at the booth and poured into my glass. “You certainly have my attention.”

“That was the goal.”

I looked him up and down, from his short, black curly hair and his compact and toned boxer’s physique—well, for him, really street fighting—down to his go-to black cargo pants with a hoodie nestled beneath a leather riding jacket that had seen better days. “I see you’re still dressing beneath your station.”

“I like to be prepared.”

“Youlikepeople to recognize that you’re always prepared for a fight.”

“I am,” he retorted.

I took a sip of my drink, then sat back against the booth, affecting an air of calm indifference that I really didn’t feel.

“Your strategy may not be the optimal one, Levi. In fact, it can be unwise to give everything away up front, to allow people to know exactly what and who they are dealing with.”

“It can also be a deterrent. A formidable one.”

“Well, our philosophies differ. Something that may change in time as you come to see that your approach can be provocative rather than the deterrent you intend. However, that is not what you’ve called me here to discuss. So, we’ll get to it.” I took another sip of my drink, then informed him, “Iaminvestigating Malcolm Lynch and he is an enemy to me, not an intended asset or partner in any sort of business venture.”

“Why is he an enemy? That much I wasn’t able to deduce.”

Hmm,he was worried about my intentions. Smart kid.

“As I’m sure you’re aware,Osirishas become heavily involved in arms trading since its revival. My father intends to partner with Lynch, desiring to acquire military-grade weapons, far from the street level weaponry the Marchetti Syndicate deals in. It’s both dangerous and the wrong move for us. He’s getting into bed with madmen. Should it come to pass, it will hurt the Family gravely, setting us on a path that will be incredibly difficult to turn back from. I won’t allow it.”

“Wow, going against Marco… that’s a hell of a thing.”

He didn’t know the half of it. Hell, a fraction of it.

And he had absolutely no need to either.

“We do what we must to protect what’s ours.”

“Yeah. Yeah, we do.” He took a swig of his vodka. “So, how did you come to acquire intel on these operations? I couldn’t find it anywhere.”

“Only through the fact that it is my father who’s doing business with them. All their files were locked down, kept off the internet, only rooted to a local network connection. As I’m privy to the deal that was made, I was able to obtain the information.” I pulled the flash drive from my pocket. “Unfortunately, I cannot get my hands dirty on this one. The stakes are too high if my involvement is discovered.”

“Hence, why you need me.”

Something like that, kid.

“Precisely. Ensure that Roman is also involved. However, he cannot know of my part. Is that clear?”

“Crystal. Terms of the deal and all that.”

As I held out the flash drive to him, and he went to take it, I clamped my hand down around his, pulling him up short.Not so fast.

“One more condition.”

He arched an eyebrow in question.

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