Page 24 of His Little Spitfire

Knocking on the door belonging to Santino’s office, I open the door and scowl when seeing the room is empty.

Seems like we’re both distracted by the women in our lives. Hell, I haven’t asked for a report in what feels like days. I don’t even know where we’re standing with any of the opposing forces.

Has Rocco Parada stolen any other clients from us? The last I checked, they were caught dealing on our land, stealing our profits. What about the Marino family? They were the ones trying to pair up with the Parada assholes.

Shutting the door, I keep moving.

I need to find Tommy. He’ll have the answers I need.

Turns out, he’s beneath the house. I should’ve guessed. Down below is his domain. His playground when he isn’t too busy getting dragged around by my mother as her current favorite member of the family.

When I find him, he’s got his four fingers wrapped around someone’s throat, squeezing tight enough that I’m surprised the guy tied down is still conscious.

The smell of blood clings to the walls, and the concrete floor is stained from years of questioning people we find suspicious.

“Am I interrupting?”

Tommy looks my way, not even bothering to stop what he’s doing. No, we’ve both seen enough death and torture in our days that I’m sure he’d be happy to have a full conversation with me.

Thankfully, he releases his grip at the fleeting sound that leaves his target before slumping forward, left passed out for a few minutes. Enough time to ask a question or two.

He curls his upper lip at me, surprised by my state. It’s not usual for me to take more than a hit to the face. Instead of asking about what happened, he tears his eyes away.

“If you’re here to ask about the documents, they’re taken care of.” He’s coasting across the room, leaning down to scoop up a bottle of water. Knocking back a mouthful, he wipes his chin with the back of his wrist, spreading the specs of blood on his skin. “Santino has me running across the state. Now I can return to my work.”

“I don’t care about that.”A lie. “Haven’t seen Santino. Figured you’d know what’s going on around here.”

His frown seems to grow. “He had us running around Parada territory to go on a shopping spree. Fun, isn’t it?” His brows lower deep and I can see the agitation rolling off of him in waves. “While you two are playing house, someone has to keep things going.”

Hence, the guy in the chair. Right.

Tommy is a Bertelli, but not by blood. He joined our family under my father’s reign. Back then, he was a quiet kid. Kept to himself mostly, watched over my sister, and he didn’t bother no one.

Now look at him, happy to do whatever to repay his debts to the family.

Despite all the years in passing, I feel like he’s still trying to make up for what happened to my sister. Then again, back then, Valeria had planned on running for months. As her personal bodyguard, he knew one day she’d bolt. Can’t help it he let her slip under his nose..

There won’t be any number of jobs, or however much information he can torture out of people to make him forgive himself.

“I’m back,” I reassure him, knowing I can’t keep hovering in Eliza’s shadow. “So, do me a favor and fill me in with what I’ve missed out in the last week.”

He nods and throws a thumb over his shoulder. “Found him snooping around the docks. Don’t know if he was trying to plant something or meet someone he shouldn’t. Either way, I’ll figure out who he’s with once he’s finished with his nap.”

I don’t need to ask what’ll happen to the guy once Tommy’s finished with him. If I have to guess, he’ll end up back at the docks, except he’ll have a cinder block attached to his ankle.

Assuming watching this scene play out is better than sitting around and waiting for my wife to return, I grab one of the metal chairs by the door and spin it around. Taking a seat, I motion for him to continue.

“Please, pretend I’m not here.” Knowing that it won’t be long before he’s coming back to, I watch Tommy move over to his tray of tools and hope I get something out of this.

* * *

By the time I’m above ground, it’s heading into dinner time. I’ve already skipped one meal, I shouldn’t skip another.

Tommy doesn’t follow me, busying himself with something else work related. That’s fine. I don’t need company.

Except, maybe I do. There’s something about finding Eliza sitting all by her lonesome that makes the tension in my shoulders melt, and my cock firm up all at once.

She’s wearing a summer dress. Must’ve been from that shopping trip Tommy mentioned. It’s a little big on her, so she probably borrowed it from her sister.

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