That only took a few days to circulate. My brother never paid attention to that stuff, so if he knew about it, so did everyone else.
“And knocking up a woman is pretty difficult these days, considering all the shit you can use to prevent it.” He gave me an accusatory look. “A condom, for instance. Birth control…”
“She was on birth control.”
“Or was she…?”
“She was.” I believed her. She had no reason to lie. “And I don’t regret what happened, so it doesn’t matter. Seeing her get bigger every month just makes me look forward to meeting my daughter.”
Bates stopped giving me a hard time about it. “I think there’s something going on right under our noses.”
“And what are we supposed to do about that?”
“Storm their headquarters.”
“Even though we’re under a truce? That’ll make me look like a liar. That’s the last thing I need.”
“Looking like a liar is better than looking like a fool. We could at least stop by and see what they’re up to. You know, scare them a little bit.”
“How would you respond if Damien stopped by our office just to see what we’re doing?”
Bates’s gaze darkened.
“They’d probably shoot us. I get you’re paranoid, but a lack of activity doesn’t mean they’re plotting anything against us. And even if they are, they’ve got way fewer men than we do. Way fewer assets. Way fewer allies.”
“And now they know what we’re capable of, so they’ll be better prepared. The fact that you granted them a truce just shows you underestimate them. If they realize that, it’ll make them even more likely to attack.”
When my brother set his mind on something, he didn’t change it. Sometimes he was right; sometimes he was wrong. This time, he just seemed paranoid. “I think we should let this go until we have concrete information. Stating that business is slow isn’t a good enough reason to assume war is on the horizon.”
“Let’s not forget that they foolishly tried to get a woman to take you in. They want you for something, Cato. I would have been an easier target, but they still went after you. Why?”
I didn’t have a clue. “I don’t know, man.”
“I feel it in my gut, Cato. Something isn’t right. I can’t explain it, I can’t give any facts. But I just know there’s something going on right under our noses. These guys aren’t big enough to replace us, but they definitely want something. Anyone who could overthrow us and access our accounts could shortcut their way to the top of the food chain.”
“But they would need both of us. Just taking me down wouldn’t accomplish anything.”
“Unless I was forced to surrender everything to save you.”
We’d talked about this eventuality in the past. It wasn’t a topic we discussed often because it was too painful. “You know you can’t do that. I’d rather die than let our enemies take what we’ve built.” Siena would be disappointed in me for saying that, that I would die for money. But it was more than money to me. It was pride in everything I’d achieved.
He nodded in understanding. “Keep your eyes peeled. Make sure Siena doesn’t leave the house. Their behavior may have something to do with her.”
Damien would never get close to Siena ever again. I wouldn’t shoot his other shoulder if he did. I’d shoot him right in the head this time. “Coming over for Christmas?”
“You know I have no other plans, except with the whore I bought myself.”
The corner of my mouth lifted in a smile because I knew he wasn’t joking. “You get tired of that?”
“Not yet. You get tired of fucking a pregnant woman?”
“Not in the slightest.”
He made a disgusted face. “I’m not into that shit.”
“If you get a woman pregnant, you’ll understand.”
“I’m not dumb enough to do that. I always wear a rubber—even when the woman begs me not to.”
“If you found a good woman, you wouldn’t have to. And trust me…there’s nothing like it. I could never go back.”
“What does that mean?” he asked. “You could never be with another woman besides Siena?”
“No. I just couldn’t wear a condom again.”
He took a big puff on the cigar. “That sounds like the same thing to me.”
“It’s not.”
“Is it?” He let the white smoke drift from his mouth. “You’re so pussy-whipped, I can’t picture you with someone else. If that’s how you feel, then fine. I just figured you would have the balls to own up to it.”
I rolled the cigar between my fingertips. “I feel like all we ever talk about is what I’m doing with my dick.”
“I just told you what I’m doing with my dick on Christmas. And she’s the most expensive hooker I’ve ever paid for.”
“Bates, you don’t need to pay for a hooker. You can get whatever you want.”
He was about to smoke his cigar again, but he lowered it. “Did you just give me a compliment?”