Chapter 10
Nine Months Later
PULLING INTO THE driveway at my estate, I saw a small black car waiting, and my stomach plummeted. Fucking Maria. I did not want to deal with her shit today. Hell, I didn’t want to deal with her shit any day.
After I got out of the car, she followed suit. She was blonde and beautiful, but there was nothing between her ears and more dicks had been between her legs than humanly possible.
“Hey, baby, it’s been a long time. I missed you,” she purred, making me want to retch.
“I didn’t. What do you want?” I walked right past her to the front door. She wasn’t getting in, so she had better make this fast.
“Can I come in and talk?” Even her most seductive voice fell flat with me.
“No. Talk or go.” I turned, crossing my arms over my chest, ready to be done with this shit.
She sighed dramatically, like it would buy her some time with me. Nope.
“I need money.”
Anger rose. “I give you fucking money every damn month. Way more than I need to, by the way.”
“I need more. I got into some trouble with Mickey. It’s just a bit, and I promise I’ll pay it back.” Mickey was a loan shark who had ungodly rates. There was no reason she even needed to go to him with the cash I gave her every month to leave me the fuck alone.
I scoffed. “You won’t pay shit back. I’m the only money you have. What did you do this time?”
“I needed some new things and didn’t have the money, so he helped me out.”
My eyes turned cold. “Was that before or after you sucked his dick and fucked him?” I hated her, and I was getting damn tired of her shit. Her train was about to run the fuck out of track.
Her face turned red with anger. I didn’t care. “That is none of your business. I’ll make it up to you.” She approached me like a hyena ready to pounce on an antelope. Her fingernails came up, scraping my arm in a seductive dance meant to entice. It didn’t.
“Get your fucking hand off me.” She complied quickly at my tone. “How much?”
Her shoulders drooped in defeat. “Ten K.” Her eyes met mine, wincing. She was ready for the anger, but it didn’t come. I was done. This was it.
“I’ll take care of it, and then I’m done. No more money. No more coming by. No protection. I’m wiping myself clean.”
Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened just a hair to allow the gasp to escape as she stumbled back a bit. Good, I was glad I’d finally shocked her.
“You can’t do that. How will I live?” Her protests fell on deaf ears, and the screeching was giving me a headache. I had too much to do.
“Told you I’d handle it. From now on, you’re on your own. Divorce was final a long time ago. I helped you out for years so you’d get on your feet, but you can’t. Not my problem anymore. I’m done.” I turned to the door, unlocking it with my finger print, some technology the techie guy had installed for additional security.
An arm latched onto me, and I spun around. Before I could say a word, Maria dropped to her knees and hurriedly tried to unbuckle my pants. I jerked away.
“What the fuck are you doing?” The sound bounced through the night sky as she fell forward on her hands and knees in front of me.
“I’m sorry. I won’t screw up again. Please give me another chance.” Her pleas did nothing for her case except make her sound even more pathetic. Tears began streaming down her face, and once upon a time, I might have fallen for it. Not this time.
“Get up and leave, or Dan will make you. You are to stay away from everything I am a part of. If you come near me again, it will be the end.” I quickly walked through the door, locking it behind me. Dan could come in after he got rid of her.
***
I watched as Vinny grabbed the pliers from the metal drawer, his eyes full of hate. We had been in this dump of a warehouse for three hours, and our patience was wearing thin. Mine was nonexistent.
The building was right outside of town with enough acreage around it to hide all the screams this asshole was dishing out. Rats and spiders infested the place. Not that we had been on the ground, but having those huge-ass fuckers run across my feet wasn’t happening. After I’d shot four of the nasty things, they’d learned to move away and stay away.
The rain had torn part of the roof away before giving way to the sunlight shining on one of Zan’s enforcers who was kneeling on the ground. I didn’t even give a shit about his name. It was pointless. Either he had information on the whereabouts of Zan, or he was dead. Who was I kidding? He was dead either way.
Diego, my right hand, stood next me. His arms crossed over his body, watching Vinny work. He and I had been working on finding that fucking shit Zan since I had gotten back in town almost nine fucking months ago. Every time we got close, the fucker ran again. A huge feat considering how many men I had everywhere, looking for him. He seemed to be one step ahead every damn time.
That in itself pissed me off, and each day I was here in California and didn’t find that fucking piece of shit made me angrier. I took it out on my enforcers more than I should, but they should have found him by now. Even Vino and Sal couldn’t get a track on him, making the amount of time we had spent working on this astronomical. It was like he was a ghost, moving without a trace. I had even hired some top notch guys, ex-military, to help recently. They had been on the case a day and brought me the fucker now at my feet. Apparently, he was one of the last people to have seen my uncle before Zan had left.
I couldn’t give two shits at that point whether Zan was my father’s brother. He was dead. When I found him, I would gut him myself and enjoy every fucking cry of pain that came from his throat. This runaround was ending. I was done dealing with all this bullshit.
Not only was I having to chase the fucker, but Catarina had stopped taking my calls. For over six months we would talk on the phone and text daily, even started to use Skype back and forth. I had learned more about her than I probably would have if we had been alone together because I would have been balls deep in her instead of really talking.
I remembered when she had told me her favorite movie was Grease. I hadn’t been able to keep from laughing. All I could picture was John Travolta dancing and singing on a car. Such a travesty.
I knew her favorite color was teal because that was all over her room, but she also loved the color red. Said it made her feel sexy. Another thing, she loved to read, yet didn’t have much time to do it. She preferred those sappy romance bullshit stories. Whatever made her happy.
Then, as time slipped away and Zan kept slipping out of my grasp, Catarina added another blow by not accepting my calls out of the blue. I asked Val and Matteo, but they wouldn’t tell me much, just that if she had wanted to talk to me, she would have. I respected that because it was family, even though it pissed me off. Sal and Vino said they wouldn’t get involved and to leave her alone. Keira said she didn’t know what was going on either. I sent gifts to her house that got returned. If I had a single damn moment where I could have gone to her, I would have, but that didn’t happen because this fuckwad kept slipping through my fingers.
“Ahh…” The sound pulled my attention back to the moment.
Vinny had the pliers, grasping the asshole’s fingernail and pulling it hard, yanking it partially from the skin, droplets of blood splattering to the dirty floor. Vinny had already broken the guy’s fingers. This was simply a little more torture on his nerves.
“Tell me where to find him!” Vinny barked, tugging harder.
The man kneeling on the ground only grunted and yelled, so Vinny yanked harder, pulling the nail away from his finger completely. The man let out a piercing scream, his face coated in sweat as it dripped down to the floor, mixing with his blood. With a hard kick to his stomach, his eyes flew open and up, moving from side to side frantically.
“I … don’t know nothing.” He didn’t; it was written all over him. Enough of this shit.
I stepped forward slowly and tilted my head ever so slightly, taking in the man’s face. He was young, too young to be doing Zan’s bidding. The bruising around his face cut out his features.
I stood in front of him, looking down at his bowed head. I was surprised he was actually still up; I thought for sure he would have fallen by then with nothing holding him. Strong kid. What a shame.
“Pick him up,” I ordered to Vinny.
Diego, who instantly complied, held the man up by his arms. His head bobbed with their movements, but he didn’t fight them.
Picking up my fist, I clenched it hard, swinging and connecting with his jaw. There was no need for it except that I needed to hit something, and he was there. His eyes rolled back in his head. His head fell forward, his chin touching his chest. He was in total surrender.
“Last time. Give me something to find him, or I go after your family next.”
He looked up, his eyes widening. Gets them every time. Family was the most important thing. Every decision we made, every choice we were faced with was to better our family, to keep it strong, healthy. Secure. It was also the reason my ass didn’t hop on a plane every time I thought about Catarina.
I couldn’t, not until the threat was gone. She meant too much. She might not see it, but she would one day.
“Start talking.” Sounds came from his lips that I couldn’t understand, mostly gibberish, probably saying penance or something, but I continued to listen.
“Flynn,” he muttered softly.
Son of a fucking bitch. Anger pulsed through me like a tidal wave consuming my body. I couldn’t control my fists as they began swinging of their own accord. Hit after hit, I pummeled the motherfucker in front of me.
Grady fucking Flynn was helping him. Flynn was one of our major competitors, always trying to take over our lines. We had made many house calls to the stupid fucker and his associates over the years.
“Jag?” Diego’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts long enough for me to step back for a moment.
The guy lay limply on the floor, blood oozing out and his breaths shallow.
I heaved deep breaths in and out roughly, the rage still burning deep within, but I eventually reined myself in. This wasn’t helping.
“Do it,” I ordered to Vinny, moving quickly out the door with Diego at my heels. “Dig up everything on Flynn. We should have most of it already, but find out what he’s been doing lately, what he wants with Zan, and why the fuck he’s helping him,” I growled, not looking back at him, focusing on the car in front of me. “Meeting in two hours.”
I got in the car quickly, needing to get some air. Every nerve inside of me was coiled so damn tight it was about to burst at any moment. I needed to burn it off fast.
“Gym,” I barked at Dan in the front, who nodded. Looking at my hands, they were covered in blood. Shit. “Pull in from behind.”
Associates of ours owned the gym and gave us all free reign, including the private entrance to his back office. I needed to clean up before the law-abiding world saw me.
After an hour of pounding the bag and lots of cardio, the fury began to recede, and my mind began to clear. This was the best time for me, when my mind wasn’t stuck in a perpetual circle, feeling pissed off at the world.
Showering, my mind turned to Flynn. He was a conniving man, and the only reason he would help someone like Zan, besides the thrill, would be because he was working with him. Zan knew in the beginning the little stunt he had pulled with Damian would end him. He was either completely stupid—which I had little doubt of—or there was another angle here.
Jumping out of the shower, I grabbed my phone. Dialing Diego, he answered on the first ring.
“Need all of Flynn’s phone records, credit cards, passport, everything on him.”
“Boss, he more than likely didn’t use anything traceable.”
I grunted. “Are we not the Lambardoni’s? Do we not have the resources to dig up the dead? He’s no ghost yet, not until I make him one. I want everything: brothers, sisters, parents, everything on everyone. I want to know the nun who gave him his first rosary at catholic school if need be. Whomever he has in his pocket. There is a damn link somewhere.”
“Got it.”
“Have it when we meet.” I ended the call then called my ex-military lead. Rex grunted into the phone in greeting.
“Problem.” I relayed all the information, ordering him to be at my office in an hour to get the rest.
With another grunt from him, we disconnected.
One more call. I hovered over Vino’s name, knowing his patience was also at a breaking point. No one evaded Vino and lived to tell about it. I just got the brunt of the anger when it came down to it. I could handle that shit. It was the disappointment that gutted. No way did I want that shit.
I skimmed my finger over the name.
“What do you have?” he barked on the other end. Vino was as cut throat as they came. He hadn’t become the boss by sitting on his ass.
“Got a lead. Grady Flynn.” I waited.
“Fucking hell,” he snapped into the phone.
“Guess he’s helping Zan.”
Vino ground his teeth so loud I could hear it clearly.
“I’ve got information being gathered, and we’re having a meeting in an hour. Do you want to be on speaker, or do you want to know the highlights after?”
“Speaker. Sal and our boys are in on this, too. Calling them now.” The line went dead.
***
While I sat at the head of the table, Diego set up the speakerphone for Vino and the others. The room reminded me of the rush at Catarina’s home, only mine had a secure phone system that I’d made sure was untraceable.
After quick introductions on both ends so we knew who was listening, we cut to the chase. We hadn’t learned much. Techie was running more searches as we spoke, but he hadn’t had any hits. Another fucking wall.
“Jag!” Vino yelled on the other end, and all eyes went wide except for Rex’s and mine. I was used to this shit by now.
“Yes?” The best way to deal with Vino’s anger was to remain calm. Anything else would set him off ten times more.
“I want him,” he bit out, anger pulsating through the speaker. “Find him and bring him to me. Son, I know you will. I have no doubt, but make it fast.” His words were encouraging and demanding at the same time. He got his point across without a single indication that he was losing his shit.
“I’ll get him,” I said with conviction because I damn well would, and I would give him to Vino after I beat the living shit out of him.
“Done,” Vino announced then disconnected the call.
I sat back in the plush leather chair and stared at the men in front of me, all were men I had the utmost respect for. All were men I would lay down my life for. We were doing this.
“I want everything by tonight. I want to see it all firsthand and dig through this shit. Make it all clear and concise. If you need help, have Vinny set you up,” I said to our computer guy, and Vinny nodded. “Diego, get guys out on the street and dig up everything: latest girl he had up for bid … everything.”
“On it.”
“Rex, no stops. Whatever you have to do, do it. I want results by tomorrow morning.” I scanned the room. “That goes for everyone. This shit has dragged on long enough. We end it.”
“Yes, sir,” was heard throughout the room.
“Go.”
They exited the room, leaving me.
Not only had we been searching for this asshole for the past few months, but I’d had to deal with Remeo Capella. That stupid son of a bitch was itching to get shot in the head. I gave in and gave him another small territory to push our product. It wasn’t huge, but it was enough to keep him off my ass for a while. However, he was back and pushing for more, and I didn’t have time to deal with his shit. I had bigger fish to fry, so I kept putting him off with Diego.
The drive home was short, but I needed to get away. With too much riding on me, I couldn’t lose my shit again.
Entering my home, the calm that used to envelop me wasn’t there anymore. I hated this house. Sure, it was big with six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a sprawling kitchen, and decked out electronics in the living room, but it was empty. I could hear my damn voice echo throughout the walls. Each step I took, the noise followed me. If I coughed, three seconds later, I would hear it. I normally blared music just to try to cover up the silence.
Heading to my office, I pulled out the key to my special case. My office was lined with bookshelves, most of which were covered in some sort of football memorabilia. I wasn’t a reader.
The large, cherry desk sat prominently in the middle with a large, brown leather couch and two chairs facing the desk. I normally had no meetings in here except with Dan, Brett, or Diego. Meetings were all handled at the office.
I moved to the far wall, moving a signed football from Walter Payton then inserting the key into the small slot behind it. Hearing the click of the lock, I pulled on the bookshelf, opening it wide. The walls were lined with row upon row of filing cabinets. It was great to have all the technology these days, but that shit could be traced. Nothing was one hundred percent fool proof. Instead, I kept files, each one with a name, business or topic of some sort. Only three other people knew it was there—Diego, Vino, and Sal—and that was the way it would stay.
I headed straight to the Fs, pulling out Flynn’s file and bringing it to my desk after locking the room up. I sat at the desk, a picture of Catarina staring back at me. She was smiling, her beauty radiating. I would go back for her.
I tore into the file.
***
Banging on the door woke me from sleep. My head popped up from a hard surface, and I looked quickly around. My office.
I wiped my face, feeling dampness on my mouth, and looked at the clock. Five a.m. Shit.
“Come in,” I croaked out.
Diego marched in. “Sorry, boss. Know it’s early, but we’ve got something. Actually, Rex got it. We found him.”
Thank fuck.