Page 22 of Labria

“He seemed confident that he could find him and bring him to us.”

“Good. Did you make it clear we needed him alive?”

“Yes, and I offered a bonus for information on Ignacio’s sister and her children, but I made sure he didn’t have to turn the woman and the kids over to us.”

“Good work. I knew you could handle it.”

“I picked up a few things. The Chicago Asian community is tightknit, but there’s a hierarchy and Wu’s Triads are at the top of it.”

“The Chinese are always at the top. I hope he comes through with Ignacio.”

“I’m sure he will. He has a hard-on for the Flip territory.”

“And since I don’t give a fuck about the Filipinos, he can have it all. Did Primo LaGrassa want anything else other than to pimp his other daughters out to a boss?”

“He mentioned his son Nikoli and an invitation to N.Y.C. I told him I would reach out to his son.”

“I wonder what Nikoli wants. I guess we will find out soon enough.”

Our conversation didn’t last much longer. We all had to be right back in this office tomorrow to hear grievances and listen to requests.

Cenzo went back to his house, and I retired to the room I once occupied with Bria before we found a place of our own.

My girl didn’t have to know that I was back in town yet. As long as no one told her I was here, I was safe from her wrath. I wasn’t running from her. I just wasn’t mentally able to spar with her at this time. As a lawyer, she argued for a living. I had to be at one hundred percent to verbally scuffle with her.

I needed to refresh. I was going to return to the house after the meetings with my brothers tomorrow. This would give me enough time to figure out my next move.

I showered and toweled off. As I entered the bedroom, I grabbed my cell phone off the bed. I had a text message from Lolita LaGrassa. No messages from Bria.

I opened my cell. [Did you make it back to Vegas safely?]

[I did. Thanks for asking.]

[I hope we didn’t scare you away.]

[I had a great meal and great company.]

[You don’t have to be nice. It was torture.]

[I wouldn’t call it that.]

[What would you call it?] I texted.

[Why the late night text?]

[Because a phone call would’ve made me look desperate.]

[I want to see what desperate looks like.]

I changed screens so I could call Lolita on FaceTime. She answered the video call right away.

Lolita was wearing a pale pink satin camisole from what I could see on my cell screen. Her natural makeup free face was glowing. She looked different without a face full of cosmetics. She even looked better this way,

“What are you doing up so late?” I asked.

“I could ask you the same thing. Chicago is two hours ahead of Las Vegas.”

“I have a hard time sleeping in other states with the time difference. I’m flying back to Chestnut Hill in a few days.”

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