Page 10 of Alessio

Juniper Beaman had gotten under my skin, and I couldn’t just rip her out. Never have I wanted anyone or anything like I want her. She’s cute with claws, innocent and yet full of hunger, although that desire wasn’t for me. It was for Dario.

My fists clench several times before I force myself to exit my vehicle. I enter the house, and I’m immediately met with Dario. “What’s going on, Alessio?” he asks, stopping me in my tracks. For the first time in my life, I want to cold-cock him and lay his ass flat on the ground.

“What do you mean?” I ask, tilting my head. We’d been friends since we were boys, and I’d never felt any sense of betrayal from him, but now, even though he didn’t know it, he’d stolen my girl.

“You seem distracted today, bothered as fuck, and most certainly not yourself.” There’s nothing but sympathy in his eyes as if he’s truly concerned, and he is, but I’m mixed up at the moment and can’t tell my best friend and boss why I’m stressed.

“No, I’m good. I’m all here,” I insist.

“Are you sure? Mrs. Ricci informed me that you stayed to observe the new maid’s introduction. Why? Is there something wrong with her?” he asks. I can tell he’s ready to fire her if I give the command. Dario trusts me so openly and wholeheartedly, and yet I’m ready to pound his face in for her crush on him.

“No, she got here too early. I wanted to just assure myself that she wasn’t up to no good.”

“So that’s why you offered her a place in your home instead of letting her stay in one of the empty rooms in the east wing?”

“Yes. Plus we know how you feel after the last one.”

He nods. “Well, monitor her. Let’s get down to business in my office now.”

I follow behind him and then take a seat in my usual chair in front of his desk while he pours us each a glass of bourbon. “So we’ve been bleeding money with that stupid club on the west side. I want it dumped, but I have no intention of giving the other families room to move in. We need to get the area cleaned up.”

“How fucking ironic, right?” I chuckle.

“Yeah, it’s too fucking dangerous to keep businesses there. Well, I’ve already got several ideas, but there’s an alderman I need to work with to pull the deal off.”

“So we have to play nice with the politicians?” That is never an enjoyable experience. Kissing these bastards’ asses only lasts as long as it takes to have them under our thumbs, and then we make them our bitches and they do what they need to keep their life the way it is. Unfortunately, the guard sometimes changes hands and we have to play nice with new people.

“Or we hold what we have over their heads.”

“Who am I looking into?” I ask, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible. Hopefully this fucker is as filthy as the rest or worse.

“Here’s the card. Dig into his background and find every dirty secret. We only need a little leverage, but you know there isn’t a single motherfucker that’s squeaky clean around here.” He winks and finishes off his drink. I do the same and set my glass down.

“When is this supposed to move?” I don’t want to give all my attention to this while leaving June in front of Dario so he can meet her and see what I see.

“I’d like to meet with him next week. For now, we pay attention to the matter on Halsted with Richie Coleman.”

“I already called the little weasel this morning and he didn’t bother answering his phone.” Coleman runs a monthly gambling ring out of the back of his restaurant and he’s borrowed too much from Dario without paying the loan back. This is his last shot before we collect on the payment, and it might be his final repayment.

“Then I say you pay him a visit to remind him that he has obligations,” he says, popping out of his chair with enthusiasm, but I’m not feeling that excitement.

“Yes, Dario.” I answer him a little too gruffly and realize my mistake immediately.

“Something’s different about you. Are you interested in this maid?” He raises his brow, reading me like a fucking book.

“No.” Again, I’m just screaming that I’m fucking full of shit.

“Okay. Get going.” He smirks and shakes his head. “Take Enrico with you.”

I nod and adjust my suit before walking out of the office. Heading down to the security room, I look over to Enrico and he pushes off the wall, cracking his knuckles by the door like he’s impatient today.

“The boss has work for us to do,” I say with a nod.

“Okay. Let’s get to it. What are we on?”

“Coleman needs a lesson,” I answer, filling with adrenaline suddenly. I need to get rid of some of this aggression, so I’m all for busting heads tonight.

Nodding with that sinister grin of his, he says, “Perfect. Let’s give Coleman his warning.”

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