Page 111 of Dance of Deception

“Whatthing?” My voice is ice.

“That thing where you’re too controlled.” He gestures lazily with his fingers. “Like you’re about to snap someone’s neck.”

I lift a brow. “Maybe I am.”

He grins. “Sweet, Ilikethis game. Who’s the lucky fucker?”

“The next asshole who puts their feet on my goddamn desk, that’s who.”

Nico sits up slightly, his smirk fading just a little. He watches me like one predator sizing up another.

“This mood of yours have anything to with your new wife?”

My spine stiffens.

“Watch it,” I warn.

Nico exhales a quiet chuckle, his gaze sharpening. “Aha. So itdoes.”

I don’t confirm or deny it. I don’t need to.

Silence stretches between us, taut like a wire. Nico may be fire where I am ice, but we share the same predatory edge. Heknowsme. Always has.

“What did she do?” he asks eventually. “Have the gall to speak in your presence? Did she stand up too straight?” He winces. “Fuck, Carmy. Don’t tell me she had anopinion.”

I roll my eyes. “Surelyyou have things to do other that busting my balls.”

“You’d think so…” He shrugs. “But honestly? My schedule's pretty clear. Well, aside from your balls.”

I shoot him a glare. “I can easily adjust that schedule for you.”

He rolls his neck, smirking as he leans back in the chair. “Actually, I did come here to talk business.” He frowns. “Territory dispute. Jimmy Morelli’s crew keeps pushing the line where his territory butts up against Ezio Adamos’. And as you know, Ezio reports directly to?—”

“Ares Drakos,” I grunt.

My sister’s brother-in-law.

The Drakos family and mine don’t have any official treaties or anything. But we’ve done some business together, and we’re obviously on friendly enough terms, given that Bianca's married to Kratos.

Unfortunately, it's an amicable relationship that Jimmy fucking Morelli seems to be hell-bent on stepping all over.

A decision that now gets to be my fucking job to clean up.

“What the fuck is his problem?”

“From what I remember about him in high school?” Nico shrugs. “Cocaine, anger management issues, and an IQ that's only in the double digits.”

I grit my teeth. Nepotism is basically how the entire underworld works: if you’re a crime boss, nine times out of ten, your successor is your kid. Even if, as in Chris Morelli’s case, your kid's a fucking idiot.

“Okay, let’s do this. Grab Santino, maybe Tony Gallo, and Giovanni Conti. Head down to that bar that Jimmy operates out of. Have a talk with him, casually mention that I’ll personally blow his balls off with a shotgun if he keeps pissing over the fence onto Ezio’s territory.”

Nico’s brow arches. “You want me to bringGio? He’s insane, you know. He makes Jimmy look like a rational, compassionate guy.”

I smile coldly. “Exactly.”

My brother shakes his head. “You’re the boss, boss.” He frowns, sucking on his teeth before he drags his gaze back to me. “There’s actually…another reason I wanted to swing by today.”

“Oh?”

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