Page 26 of Mafia Daddy Next Door

I get out of the truck and look at her. “Everything is going to be fine, okay? I’ve been through this before with dozens of other people.”

“At least let me come with you for backup.”

“Nope.” I slam the door shut before she can argue with me.

As I look at the warehouse, I think that she might be right. There is too much light on for people trying to hide their illegal activities. Although, with the way this town works, I wouldn’t be surprised if the police turned a blind eye to much of what is going on.

They likely get their cut and ignore everything that doesn’t threaten it.

I walk into the warehouse, hands in my pockets. Two men meet me inside the doorway, patting me down and taking the gun from me. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, but I don’t say anything. It isn’t unusual for meetings to be weapons-free, especially when setting up a new relationship.

Still, the fact that I’m without my gun puts me a little on edge.

The man I’m meeting with walks into the room. Brennan introduced us once at a party years ago but I haven’t seen him since.

“You know, I thought that I told you to come to this meeting alone,” Andreas says as he stops a few feet from me. “And yet, there is someone sitting in your truck. Do you care to explain who that is?”

I shrug and tuck my hands in my pockets. “Nobody important. I thought I would pick up someone to take home for the night. She’s been told to stay in the truck. I don’t think she’s willing to risk a lot of money just to see what’s going on in here.”

Andreas nods but still looks skeptical. “Well, you and I have much to settle before you leave here. Brennan told me that you would be a good man to work with, but I have a hard time believing that after some of the things I heard about your family in the last year.”

“I can assure you that anything you’ve heard about my family is not a reason to be concerned.”

“You’ll excuse me if I have a hard time believing that,” Andreas says as he looks at one of the men beside me. “Your family is known to have ties to the FBI. You can understand how that would be concerning for me.”

“Well,” I say, my tone gruff. “Perhaps I should be the one worried about you, then. If you believe that you will be so easily caught by the FBI, then I’m not sure that I should be doing business with you.”

“Well, if that’s the way you feel, then I can hardly fault you for that. Of course, this is where the kindness I have extended to you ends.”

He nods to the men standing on either side of me. My stomach lurches as a gun is pressed against my temple. Andreas smiles as he approaches me.

“You’re going to have to forgive me for this,” he says, smirking as the other man walks out of the room. “You see, there are some very powerful people who would like to see the end of your family. I’ve been offered a lot of money to start that process.”

A gunshot rings out, and for a moment I think it’s the one pressed to my head. It’s only once I hear a second shot that I realize I’m not dead.

Brielle shoots the third man before he can run. He falls to the ground and she shoots him again. Blood pools on the ground as the man goes limp.

“And you thought that it would be better for me to stay in the car,” Brielle says as she looks at me with a grin. She motions to the bodies with her gun. “What are we going to do about this mess?”

For the first time, I look at her and I see someone other than who I thought she was.

I’ve been underestimating her.

Brennan may have asked me to take care of her while he was gone, but it’s clear that she can handle herself.

Brielle isn’t anyone’s victim, despite what people may think.

“We’re going to have to get rid of the bodies,” I say as she tucks the gun away. “Go pull the truck up to the doors and I’ll carry these guys out.”

Brielle smirks at me and crosses her arms. “You know, you should really admit that I was right about coming with you. Just imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t been here.”

I roll my eyes and point at the door. “Go get the truck, Brielle.”

She laughs as she leaves the room. I watch her go for a moment before shaking my head and starting to drag the bodies.

Disposing of people isn’t what I want to spend my night doing but it could be worse. I could be dead right now.

9

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