Page 34 of Cage the Storm
Mateo stands near the door with his arms crossed, waiting. “It could’ve been worse,” he mutters, as if that’s supposed to make me feel better.
I huff out a humorless laugh. “It shouldn’t have happened at all.”
He knows better than to argue because he understands. The warehouse was supposed to be locked down and secure. Instead, I spent half the night managing the fallout, ensuring we weren’t compromised and that no one got the wrong idea about what we’re running here.
Dealing with my brother's actions is exhausting, but I don’t have time to dwell on it. I lean forward, wrapping my hands around the mug of black coffee Mateo set on my desk. Relieved that the warmth chases away some of the fatigue I’m feeling.
“Any updates?” I ask.
Mateo shakes his head. “Not yet. But I’ll get answers.”
“Make sure you do.”
We’re both tense, and there’s still more we need to sort through, but for now, we remain silent. Lost in our thoughts.
I rub a hand over my face, knowing that this headache won’t disappear until I get some fucking answers. Caffeine usually does the trick, but today, I’d need a whole damn pot or an IV drip to touch this motherfucker.
Minutes turn into hours, and I’m so angry, since I want answers like yesterday. “You’re telling me no one knows how this happened?” My voice is colder than usual, but it’s not the first time Mateo has seen me at my worst. It won’t be the last, either.
“We’ll get the answers, Boss. You know it takes time.”
“We don’t have time.” I slam my empty coffee cup onto the desk. “Someone screwed up, and I want names. I want to know who’s responsible before this turns into a shit show.” He’s just as frustrated as I am.
“I’m waiting for my informants to get back to me, but another matter needs our attention. It’s about the women,” he starts, watching me carefully, “some of them have recovered and are strong enough to leave.”
I roll my shoulders, but I let his words sink in. It’s good news, but it doesn’t make the frustration in my chest disappear. So many fires need tending, and I’m the only one who can make the final decisions.
“Are you sure they’re ready?”
“Yeah. They’ve been asking about their next steps. Figured you’d want to know.”
“Fine. We’ve discussed this before, so you know what needs to be done. Just make sure the women get everything they need.” Mateo barely glances up before checking his phone again.
“Still no word.” I bite back my irritation and remind myself that this is all a waiting game, and I’m not a very patient man, to say the least.
“Keep me updated.”
“Will do, Boss.” I know I’m difficult, but I’m grateful that Mateo puts up with all of my bullshit. He’s a better man than I’ll ever be. After all, I am a Caputo.
“Send someone to get Luna,” I say. “We need to talk.”
Mateo swipes his phone, firing off the order. That’s why he’s always been my next in line if something should happen to me. He doesn’t waste time and would get the job done. At whatever cost.
While he takes care of it, I close my eyes. I’m hoping the darkness will help the pounding in my head so I can gather my thoughts. When Luna gets here, I trust her to do what I can’t.
Not long after, there’s a knock on my door, and I barely have time to gather my thoughts before it swings open and Luna steps inside.
“Close the door,” I mutter, my voice rough with fatigue.
Luna does, and when I finally meet her gaze, she sees it. The exhaustion, the frustration, the tension wound so tight I feel like I might snap.
“What’s going on?” she asks, closing the distance between us.
“Some women are physically well enough to leave.” Luna doesn’t respond. She’s thinking. And I appreciate that more than I care to admit.
“They have nowhere to go,” I add. “No family, no connections. Some are afraid to leave, some probably don’t even know what the outside world looks like anymore.”
“And you want me to talk to them.” Luna’s expression softens, but I know better than to mistake it for pity.
