Page 40 of His Ruthless Obsession

Marco appears in the doorway, expression grim. I nod once.

"Take him to the warehouse." I straighten my cuffs. "And call Ray. I want everyone there in an hour."

Tony starts to protest but Marco's already hauling him up. The door closes on his desperate pleas.

I pour another whiskey, studying Carlos's frozen image on the screen. One rat always leads to another. By tonight, I'll know exactly how deep this betrayal goes.

The question is who breaks first - Tony or Carlos?

I wipe blood from my knuckles with a pristine white handkerchief. The warehouse echoes with Carlos's ragged breathing as he slumps in the metal chair, zip ties cutting into his wrists.

"Let's try this again." I circle him slowly. "Who were you running your mouth to at O'Malley's?"

"I was with some... some of the guys." Blood drips from his split lip. "Didn't know the Mantione's were there. Didn't know they could hear me. I swear."

"And the money?"

"Skimmed from the shipments. Ten percent here, fifteen there." His shoulders shake. "Needed to impress Maria with that car, the apartment."

Marco stands in the shadows, expression hard as stone. "Phone records check out. He's been bragging to his girlfriend, showing off. But no direct contact with the Mantiones."

I grab Carlos's jaw, forcing him to look at me. "Just a loud mouth trying to play big shot, huh?"

"Please." Tears mix with blood. "I fucked up. I know I fucked up."

Tony watches from against the wall, his earlier fear replaced with understanding. He was already cleared by Marco, and I'll take that. I wanted to trust Tony, anyway. The truth's written all over Carlos's pathetic face.

"You know what happens to thieves in this family?" I release his jaw, stepping back.

Carlos starts sobbing. "Please, I'll pay it back. Every cent-"

The gunshot echoes through the warehouse. Carlos slumps forward, a neat hole in his temple.

I turn to Tony. "Sorry about earlier. Had to be sure."

"No hard feelings." Tony straightens his jacket. "I'd have done the same. Family has to come first."

"Marco." I holster my weapon. "Clean this up. Make it look like a robbery gone wrong."

"What about his girlfriend?" Marco asks.

"Give her forty-eight hours to clear out of the apartment." I head for the door. "After that, I don't want to hear her name again."

Tony falls into step beside me. "We good?"

"We're good." I clap him on the shoulder. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we deal with those supplier contracts."

Behind us, Marco's already making calls to handle disposal. Just another night's work keeping the family clean.

While they handle that, I go to see my girl.

I step into the private elevator of the penthouse, still wound tight from the warehouse situation. The security panel scans my fingerprint, whisking me up to her floor.

These late-night visits have become routine - a release valve for the pressure that builds during days like this. And most nights I even stay. Hell, I even have left things here like we're a real fucking couple.

Something I don't have a clue how to be.

Jazz answers the door in silk shorts and a tank top, hair wild and curly around her shoulders. Without a word, she lets me in, already reading the tension in my jaw.

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