Luc, Eddy, and the kids were staying at Pop’s house. Dare and Angel stayed at their place because he had decent security but whenever he wasn’t home, he’d been dropping Angel off with the other girls.
I’d had my house’s security system upgraded so Tia and I were back home at our place. It was a pain in the ass and a few things about the security of the place didn’t sit well, so I decided I wasn’t buying it. I’d find or build us something later.
She was still suffering with morning sickness but all fucking day in between trying to help out with the boys over at my Pop’s. The girls had pulled together.
On day six after my sister’s disappearance, me and Dare were in Pop’s office at the conference table with Nino and Tino, reviewing options about what to do next, reviewing details about Denarda’s top guys and what they were all up to. We had eyes on the ground in Vegas and were getting regular reports from people.
The house phone rang with an unknown number. I answered.
“Yeah?”
“This Tommy Ferrano?”
“Yeah, who’s this?”
“Leo Denarda here. I understand you been looking for me.”
This fucking guy. Acting casual and nonchalant.
He continued.
“There was disrespect and it was not acceptable. That said, I believe there’s no reason why we can’t move forward. Provided that stuff don’t happen again, of course. I’m finished with my vacation and I’m ready to discuss movin’ forward. When and where should we meet?”
“Where’s my sister?”
“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”
Fuck. Bullshit.
“Then what is it you wanna discuss?”
“A way for us to move forward as partners on Fete. I’ll need my share of the business to be equal to yours and Lewis’s.”
“If that were to happen, you telling me my sister might magically re-appear?”
“I know nothing about your sister’s whereabouts,” he said and there was ice in his voice, “I’m simply givin’ you an option to reconsider keepin’ me out of the Fete action. I can offer a lot of benefits as part of the project. I think you know this.”
“In the middle of something. I’ll call you back when I’m ready to discuss,” I said and ended the call before he could get another word out.
“Motherfucker,” I said aloud, “We have no time for these fuckin’ games.” I shook my head, my eyes on Dare.
My phone started ringing immediately and it was fucking Zack calling me.
I declined it. A text came through immediately afterwards from him.
“Call pls. About Tessa.”
“Call him,” Dare said, glancing at my screen.
I glared. Dare and I nearly came to blows over involving Zack. Dare argued that Zack had resources, was already in our business, so we’d might as well make use of him. We’d scaled down our security team before Pop died because we were using a few of Zack’s resources as it was, so Dare was kinda right.
But I didn’t fuckin’ like it.
Zack had earned my trust and betrayed me. And now what? He thought he had us under his thumb?
No one fucked me over and didn’t feel my displeasure. I wasn’t about to make it easy on Zack, let him off the hook. Not a fucking chance. I still had no idea what his end game with me was.
“I’ll do it. Fuck,” Dare grumbled, swiping at his own phone, and then put it on the table and leaned over.