Page 45 of The Darkest King

My breathing halts, and I wait to hear more. It’s like I’m having a psychic moment or some shit. Or maybe I just know too much about how these families work.

And Mia is of age.

“Promising expanded distribution of the white stuff in the state but a smaller cut. Oh, and Vitale gets the sister,” Nathan says.

Jesus.

Mia.

Not only does this mess with my plan, but I also fucking hate that she’s going to be traded as property. Which she isn’t, but to them, she is. It’s how these things work.

Am I any better? I planned to use her.

Now, unless we intervene, I’ll have to let this play out.

“When?” I ask, fiddling with the Bud coaster.

“Soon,” Nathan says, pulling out a twenty and dropping it on the bar.

I don’t know much about Salvo Vitale. Nathan is my source for accurate information. Vitale has always been small fry. A new kid on the block and not on our radar for the purpose of finding Carlos.

Nathan makes to leave.

I need to know about the gangster, so I do something I shouldn’t. Turning as Nathan stands, I meet his eye. It surprises him. I see the flicker. Otherwise, he doesn’t respond. The guy has so much control, he even impresses me.

“Salvo Vitale?”

“What’s the question?” Nathan asks after a long moment.

“Is he dangerous? For her?” I ask, knowing he’ll connect the dots. Mia is the only woman we mentioned.

Nathan stares at me, then nods. “Yes. He’s brutal.”

Fuck.

11

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