Page 24 of The Almost One

Omertà—the law of silence—is a way of life. And sometimes, death.

“The casinos need to be cleaned up. I’ve heard shit I don’t want to hear. Check the loyalty and discard the weak links.” Eddy slowly closes his eyes and bends his head in guise of an answer. He’ll get the job done, I have no doubts.

It’s not these people I’m worried about. It’s some of the hothead soldiers with big egos and small dicks. They’re the most dangerous of all.

“Boss?” My eyes shift to J, trying to hold back my surprise. “I took care of a possible breach two days ago.” This gets my attention. A breach in her ranks is some serious shit.

“Okay.” I steeple my hands at my mouth, my jaw ticking with the need to control everything under me.

“Remember that job in Rose Hill?”

Fuck.

“Yeah, what about it?” I can sense Enzo stiffening, his adrenaline rushing through his blood, but I stay calm and stoic.

“I found out one of the clean-up crew was getting a little too friendly with outsiders.”

“Who? Who was he talking to?” Enzo voices what I want to ask just as my phone vibrates and I see River’s name pop up on the screen. I don’t give a fuck what we’re talking about. When my wife calls, I answer. I stand and silently tell Enzo to take care of the situation.

Outside the conference room, I answer my call and physically feel my shoulders loosen at the sound of her voice.

“Tesoro.”

“Ugh! I forgot the tequila for the Cinco de Mayo celebration.” I want to laugh at her dramatics. She sounds like the world stopped rotating because she didn’t bring her drug of choice to the party.

“What, do you not have enough weed at your brother’s house to keep you happy?” I’m teasing her and she knows it, but she’ll still bust my balls, I have no doubt about it.

“Is it too much to ask that you simply say, ‘Yes, darling, I’ll pick up a couple of bottles before I drive out there’?”

It’s way too fucking easy to rile her up.

“Technically, you didn’t ask a question.” I’m guessing angry sex is on the menu tonight.

“You know what? Forget it. I’ll fucking get it myself.” I love it when she drops an f-bomb. It means I can turn her luscious ass into a pink spankfest.

“Watch your mouth, Tesoro, or I’ll assume you’re asking for a punishment.”

“I’ll ask for divorce papers, how’s that?” Three months ago, that threat would have me leaving this meeting and driving out there immediately so I could show her the error of her ways. Today, I just growl in her ear, knowing damn well it soaks her panties and makes her putty in my very capable hands.

“Say that again, Tesoro, and I’ll make you swallow every single syllable by fucking your throat like a savage animal.” My voice is low, lethal even, and the small moan that escapes through the phone is all I need to know. “Now, be patient. I’ll be there soon with enough tequila to keep you happy and my hard dick to keep you satisfied.” She’s right, I always have to go too far when it comes to her. I can’t help it.

“Whatever. Don’t forget the lime.” That little minx hangs up on me. No one in this fucking city would ever dream about hanging up on me. Hell, just having my number and knowing I would answer her calls at any time, in any place, is a fucking privilege.

Fuck, it’s refreshing.

Ten seconds later, as I’m making my way back into the conference room, her name lights up again, freezing me in my spot.

“Did you forget something?”

“Thank you.” And she hangs up again.

Progress.

When I walk back inside the room, I have to school my features, wipe the silly schoolboy grin off my face and get back to work.

“So, who was your guy talking to?” Sitting back down, it’s now I notice the solemn look on everyone’s faces, and the high I was riding from my phone call with River morphs into a pile of bile in my stomach.

“It’s bad, Boss. We may have a war on our hands.” At his words, I stare at Ray while trying to process this new information.

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