Page 60 of Nocturnal Sins
“The east side guys? Santana, it’s one thing for you to be in a relationship with Sam but you’re bringing her in on business? Mijo…what the fuck?”
“Papa, I’m not a little kid anymore and you of all people should expect that I’d want to know about all of this.” My hand swung out in a wild gesture to his office. “Shit like this is in my blood evidently. Are you really shocked? Now, can you please hear me out?”
“Samira, I don’t want to hear about friendship pacts and…”
“I’m not here to talk about fucking friendship pacts, Papa. Don’t patronize me. You’re being such a condescending, hypocritical asshole right now.” The words rolled off my tongue at light speed and lodged directly between Papa’s brows. His mouth hung open in shock.
Good.
I liked the spiky thrill that raced through my thumping veins when I noticed I’d actually shut my father up. I glanced to the side, seeking out Santana but he’d moved to the back of the office, letting me stand on my own. In a way, I felt naked. I couldn’t just spew those words at Papa and then fall silent though.
“You won’t even hear me out. You’re treating me like I’m an outsider. You’re treating me like just because I’m your princess, I can’t possibly be involved in the grimy aspects of the family business, yet all the grimy gritty aspects were fine for Mama to be involved in.” Anyone could have heard a pin drop in that office.
Papa steepled his long fingers and peered at me over them. His jaw ticked a million miles a minute, a telling sign of the agitation bubbling beneath his calm surface.
“Alina was cut out for this. You’ve never struggled a day in your life. You know nothing about having to risk everything.” He let out a puff of air through his flared nostrils and said, “The floor is yours. If I’m not impressed by what you have to say then I don’t expect to hear your voice in this office again. Are we understood?” His green eyes pierced into mine like emerald tipped drills but I didn’t falter. I gave him a short nod and straightened my spine.
“I think you should let the guys on the east side test out their theory that they can handle more product. There will be stipulations though. If they can’t deliver then they owe double and if they can’t pay up then one of them pays with their life.” My words barely made it out because my throat had grown so tight.
“You think I should kill one of my men because they took on a job too big for themselves?” Papa asked.
“Yes,” I nodded. I tried to find all the words I’d used when I explained myself to Santana but they were hiding. Sandy hair fell around my shoulders and I mindlessly toyed with the ends. I needed something to do with my fingers.
Silence crept in again.
A knock on the office door sent the silence splintering off into a million directions. Papa gave me a lingering glance before opening it to let in Dom. I rolled my eyes and didn’t try to hide it.
Santana’s nostrils flared when Dom pulled me in for a hug and lingered like a creep. “Sam, looking gorgeous as usual. You better get out the guns, Chris. Sam is going to bring out every predator in a fifty-mile radius.” His eyes were hungry and oily on my skin. Even after he released me from that unwanted hug, I could still feel his fingerprints clinging to me like film. Ugh.
“Dom, I’m asking you to stop hugging Sam that way. It’s making me uncomfortable. It’s making her uncomfortable too,” Papa said, turning a steely gaze to his friend. Something flashed in Dom’s eyes but he covered it up quickly with a phony ass laugh. It rubbed me the wrong way.
I caught Santana’s eye and he looked uncomfortable too. Dom took an exaggerated step away from me and held his hands up. “You think I’m being inappropriate with little Sam? Me, of all people, Chris?”
“Yeah. I don’t think it should be a problem whether you aren’t or you are. If I asked you to back the fuck up then you should oblige without pushing back. You wouldn’t happen to have your eye on my princess, would you?” Papa tipped his chin up and rolled his shoulders like he was prepared for battle.
“Jesus, are you serious?” Another phony chuckle fell from his lips. My eyes bounced back and forth like a ping-pong ball between the two men. Tension mounted quickly and made the air thick.
“He’s very serious.” Santana’s words were calm like still waters.
“Oh, not you too, Santana,” Dom still chuckled like he thought something was so funny. If I was a man I would have sank my fist into his jaw just to hear the sound. I hated the way he brushed everything off like it meant nothing or it was some huge fucking joke.
“Let’s take a walk, Dom,” Santana said, heading toward the door. I opened my mouth to speak but Papa held his hand up, halting me before any words left my lips. I stood in stunned silence while Santana walked with Dom outside and the office door closed with a heavy thud.
What the hell was Santana going to say to him? My ears burned to know.
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