Page 59 of The Woman on the Jury

“I’m fine,” Venezio insisted.

But Miko was already on his phone, ordering shit.

“How long on that leg?” I asked.

“Six weeks, give or take,” Venezio said, exhaling hard.

“Alright,” I said, reaching for my wallet.

“What’re you doing?” he asked, watching me grab a stack of cash.

“You’re outta commission for six weeks because of me. You’re losing money because of me. I owe you a salary.”

“I don’t take shit for nothing.”

“It’s not for nothing,” I said, holding out the stack until he took it. “You earned it. So shut the fuck up about it,” I suggested.

To that, Venezio’s lips twitched slightly.

“Fine,” he said, tucking it into his pocket.

I moved over toward Miko, finding him just hanging up.

“You mind doing Lorenzo’s by yourself?” he asked. “He can’t function in this place,” he said, waving around.

Leave it to Miko to rush in and take charge.

“That’d be good. If he overdoes it, it will just take him longer to heal.”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Fucking stubborn ass.”

“So, I’m hearing you like him,” Miko said, smirking.

“I do,” I agreed. “Alright. Let me know when you’re done here,” I said. “Venezio, I’ll be in touch within a week,” I told him as I made my way out of the door.

I was walking down the street toward the car when he came out of nowhere.

Fucking Leon.

“You poaching my men now?” he asked, with just enough friendliness not to call him on it.

“I had a job. I needed men. They’re allmymen,” I reminded him.

“He can’t work now,” Leon said.

“And?” I asked, sensing where this was going, and not fucking liking it.

“And I’m out money if one of my biggest earners is down.”

“That sounds like a you problem,” I said, bleeping the locks on the car.

“I think I should be given an extension on—“ he started.

“Absolutely fucking not,” I cut him off. “And Venezio works directly for me now,” I told him, climbing in my car, and trying not to smirk at his flabbergasted look.

I got to Lorenzo’s place to find him out for lunch, so I sat in his dining room, and ordered lunch for Halle. While trying not to picture her in my house, wearing nothing but my shirt, her legs bare, easily spread for me to move between.

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