Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“We’ll help cover some of the cost, and I’ll do what I can to help your reputation.”
“I appreciate that.” He clears his throat, shifting in his chair. “It’s just that, this is all very strange. Why would someone write your name on my walls?”
“I don’t know.” I push the photo back to him. “But thank you for bringing this to me. I’ll handle it from here.”
Doyle puts the photos back into his briefcase. I walk with him to the door. We make small talk about my family, mostly about my father. I stay with him to the elevator and make sure he gets on before returning to my little command post in the conference room.
I don’t sit back down. I’m way too on edge for that. Instead, I call Seamus on speaker.
He answers right away. “If it isn’t Declan Whelan speaking from on high. What’s the deal today, m’lord?”
I swear, Seamus can’t do a damn thing without turning it into a joke.
“I just spoke with Patrick Doyle.”
“Fucked up what happened to his place. I had some guys look into it, but nobody has a clue who did it.”
“You weren’t going to mention anything to me?”
He’s silent for a moment. I hear street noise in the background and feel a stab of jealousy.
“What’s there to talk about? It was just some bullshit prank.”
“Prank? Seriously?”
“Come on, what else would it be?”
“They wrote my name, Seamus.”
“Well, maybe, or maybe they wrote his youngest kid’s name. You know he’s got a son called Declan, right?”
I frown, furrowing my brow. “I forgot about that.”
“It’s a common name. I didn’t think it had anything to do with you.”
I start pacing, hands behind my back. “Right now, we have to assume everything’s connected. Senesi’s out there poking around.”
“Come on, you think the Butcher of Milan broke into a dry-cleaning place and tagged it up just to get your attention?”
“I’m not sure what he’s capable of these days.”
“You’re being paranoid.”
“And this is Vincenzo Senesi we’re talking about. You’re not being paranoid enough.”
Seamus lets out a long sigh. “I’ll check into it from that angle. But I’m telling you, they didn’t leave a shred of evidence.”
“All the more reason to suspect it was him.”
“I hear you. God, I hope this bastard’s not really back. The rumors about him are pretty fucked up.”
“I’m aware.”
“Well, other than the creepy dry-cleaning graffiti, you having a good day at the office, bro?”
“Goodbye, Seamus.”
“What, no small talk? Come on! I want to hear what you’re having for lunch!”
I hang up on him.
Seamus is right. It does seem strange that Senesi would vandalize a dry cleaner just to send me some vague and unclear message. It’s more likely that whoever did it holds a grudge against Doyle’s youngest son.
Except he was so on edge. He seemed almost afraid, like there was something else he wasn’t telling me. If it was just about his son, wouldn’t that have been his first thought?
Instead, he came out here and set this meeting.
Casey appears again a few minutes later. “Your next meeting got pushed out an hour. Want me to order your lunch?”
I nod distractedly. “The usual.”
“Anything else?” She turns to go.
But I call her back. “Hold on a second. I actually do need something.”
She lets the door shut behind her. “What can I do for you, sir?”
I resist the thrill at hearing that title come out of her mouth. I wish I could smother her moans with my thick cock. But that isn’t very professional.
“From now on, I want you to start sitting in on certain meetings.”
“Of course. You need me to take notes?”
“Absolutely not. These aren’t the kinds of meetings that should be recorded.”
Her eyebrows raise. “You’re talking about… family business?” She basically whispers the last two words.
“The room isn’t bugged. You can talk normally.”
“Right. Sure.” She clears her throat. “Why do you want me around for that stuff?”
“My transition into leadership is coming sooner rather than later, and I think you can help with some of this work. I want you to get familiar with what I do for people.”
“Which is what, exactly?”
“I solve problems.”
She laughs like I’m joking. But when I don’t smile, her grin fades. “Seriously? I thought you were a criminal.”
“There are illegal aspects of what we do. Many of my solutions involve creative skirting of state and federal laws.”
“Oh, that makes more sense.”
“I need to keep my family members happy. It’ll help having my pretty young wife around.”
“Now I’m a prop?”
“An attractive prop.”
“No thanks. Anything else, sir?”
“You don’t get to turn me down. I’m giving you this order as your boss.”
Her lips quirk. “Then I quit.”
“Stop being petulant.”
“If you want me around, you’ll treat me as your wife, not as your secretary.”
“Here I was thinking our relationship wasn’t even real. What do you care if you’re some pretty prop?”
She bristles slightly at that, smoothing her skirt. “I guess you have a point.”