Page 52 of Total Obsession

"Yeah, but didn't seem to make much difference," I whispered back.

She shrugged, her long fiery hair glinting in the low light of the studio. "Doesn't matter. What matters is you showed."

I gave her a look saying I didn't buy it.

"Just try and relax. Let's talk about all this after, okay?"

I nodded my head in agreement. I trusted Miranda to give me her true opinion about the entire situation, then I could decide how I wanted to confront Axe.

Speaking of which, I hadn't heard a single thing from him the entire day. I thought for sure that by the time I landed, or at least by the time I had gotten to the studio, he would have texted or called, asking where I was.

Was it possible that he was still dealing with work stuff?

Maybe it was a lot worse than he made it seem to me last night. Maybe that could explain the mixup about my absence?

My mind was reeling with not knowing. I hated not understanding something. The lights in the studio dimmed further, with only those on set lit up now. I'd stay and watch the scenes at least until Miranda freed up. At least it would give me something to try and keep my mind off of everything else.

I switched my phone onto silent and tucked it into my purse, vowing not to look at it until I got back to my apartment this evening.

sixteen

AXE

Today had gone all the fuck wrong. It seemed to be a pattern for me lately. Ever since Zoey had strolled back into my life, my mind had been distracted. I had to admit that.

There was no reason why today should have gone wrong, however. Everything had been planned. I was going to meet up with Primo at 9 to prep for the meeting with the Cubans at 10. One of my guys was supposed to be on a nearby rooftop, and he was going to take out Abelardo, the head of the Cuban family in Miami.

Giovanni was scheduled to arrive just after the shooting occurred so that he would get wrapped up in the whole thing. I'd planned it just like Johnny had instructed.

Yet, none of it was going according to plan.

Primo never showed up at the airport and told me instead to meet him at the meeting location.

Abelardo had shown up with his daughter, of all people, apparently thinking he could strike up a marriage proposal from Primo. I knew Giovanni was the sort of person to never be late, so all of this was starting to fold in on itself.

Not to mention the later it got, the more chance that a member of the public could oversee or get involved. That was the last thing I wanted.

We were scheduled to meet in a deserted part of the Miami Riverfront. Gunshots were not something completely abnormal for that area, so one wouldn't draw too much attention.

I stood awkwardly opposite Abelardo and his daughter. I couldn't remember her name for the life of me, even though he'd introduced her. I was far too preoccupied with how I was going to fix this mess.

"You know, when people don't show up for scheduled meetings," Abeldardo began in a thick accent, "other people take it as an insult."

I surveyed the man in front of me. He was about a head shorter than me, wearing a white button-up that barely contained his midsection and charcoal slacks. He had big sunglasses on and a gold chain with a cross showing through his shirt.

His daughter must have taken after her mother. She shared her father's intense dark hair and smaller height, but that was it. She had crystal green eyes, a round face, and pouty lips that promised a lot of trouble. If this wasn't an assassination attempt, Primo could have done a lot worse in terms of a bride.

"Some people would take it as a compliment when a person agrees to travel across the country just for a meeting," I responded smoothly. "Primo will be here."

"Why is Primo going to be here?"

I turned at the question and winced. Giovanni was standing there looking extremely irritated. His normally serene features were twisted with disgust as he looked from Abelardo to me. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked me, combing his fingers through his dark brown hair.

"Ah, Primo," Abelardo said with a bit of disdain in his voice. "So nice of you to join us."

In a move that shocked even me, Giovanni spat on the sidewalk. "I'm not Primo. I would never affiliate with him or anyone he surrounds himself with."

He glared daggers at me and then turned to leave. "I'm going to have words with my father, just you wait."

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