“Did not,” I said in an entirely way-too-defensive voice.
“But he wanted to.” She nodded as a smug grin spread over her face. “I could tell by the way he kept looking at my cleavage and licking his lips.”
“Dear God, I know I deserve everything I get, but hell, could you just stop for one minute?”
She grinned. “Nope. I like driving you insane. You like that I like it too. Admit it, and I’ll stop.”
“Never.”
“Kids...” Nixon held up his hands. “…bicker later. And Phoenix, a word?”
I glared at Bee and followed Nixon out of the house. How I hadn’t noticed that his car had been parked in front was just another clue as to why the hell I needed to stay focused on my job and not Bee. I missed details when I focused on her, details I couldn’t afford to miss.
“How’d it really go?” He put on his aviators and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“Oh, you know.” I crossed my arms as the winter air bit into my sweater. “As can be expected. I hate that place, Nixon, you know that. Just being there…”
That was the most honest I’d been with any of the guys.
Nixon was the only one I felt like I could let my guard down with. He wouldn’t hold it against me, would merely nod his head and pat me on the back.
He was a rock. One I didn’t deserve.
“Have you thought of maybe talking to someone about it?”
“Ha!” My smile mocked his sentiment. “And say what exactly? Pretty sure any shrink is going to turn me in for the demons I unleash in his office.”
“You have me.”
“I have no one,” I spat then instantly regretted being an ass. “Look, Nixon, I know you’re trying to help, and I know I don’t deserve it. Let me just deal with things on my own. I promise it will get better. I just need time. It heals all… right?”
He hung his head. “I wish I believed that.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“See you tonight.”
“Can’t wait,” I said sarcastically. “You know, being boss isn’t exactly an all-night party with unlimited booze and girls.”
Nixon barked out a loud laugh and unlocked his Range Rover. “No shit.”
WE MET AT EIGHT that night. To my great dismay, Bee wouldn’t let me leave her at the house; she’d said she was afraid of the dark, and frankly, I was so tired of arguing with her I had only been able to only grunt and make sure she wore a seatbelt.
I was exhausted.
Nightmares had a way of stealing all sleep from a person while systematically eating at the soul.
When we got to Nixon’s house, Bee opened the door and rushed past the guys and straight into the living room, where I’d told her the girls would be hanging out and watching movies.
“Did I ever have that much energy?” Tex asked, once I joined them at the kitchen table.
“Your sister’s on drugs.” Chase tilted his head. “Either that or she just really likes movies.”
“Yes, to all of the above,” I grumbled and reached for a glass of water.
It was our second meeting. All the bosses were present, and since I was new, I had the unfortunate job of having to take notes at the meetings to make sure I didn’t take a misstep.
What made it worse was that Luca had been a crazed man when it came to how he ran his network.
All killings were clean.
All transactions so clean it made a man wonder if he was even in the mafia.
All connections? Clean.
He was a relative god, and I had to follow in his footsteps. Right, the dirtiest of dirty had to take over the business. I spent most nights alternating between delegating jobs out to the associates and wondering what the hell I was going to do if any of them decided to rise up against me.
Loyalty wasn’t passed down.
It was earned.
And I’d barely been given two weeks to get it.
“So, how was school?” Chase asked, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.
I itched to punch the ass in the jaw. “I learned so very much.” I scowled. “How was babysitting?”
He swore under his breath. “I wasn’t babysitting.”
“You were,” Tex piped up. “Like all day.”
“Babysitting means I was watching a kid. Instead, I was watching some punk-ass-associate do his first deed.”
“You watched him in the bathroom?” Nixon joked.
Chase flipped him the bird just as Mil, my stepsister, took a seat and huffed out. “How long does this have to be? I need to clean my gun.”
“Hot.” Tex winked.
Chase growled.
The door opened, and Sergio walked in with Ax.
The entire room fell silent as all eyes watched Sergio take a seat at the table. Ax held up his hands. “Before everyone starts yelling, yes, he cut his hair. Yes, I helped him. It’s not a big deal.”
Tex stood. “Nobody changes a hair on their head in this business without some pretty damn good reason.”
“Sit!” Nixon barked.
Tex’s eyes narrowed, but he sat, which was a small miracle, given he outranked Nixon in every freaking way.
“Let’s start at the beginning.” Nixon held out his hands on the table.
“Like…” Tex sneered. “…why the hell Sergio decided to stop looking like a little girl and cut his hair like a big boy? If you run, I will find you.”
“I’m not running.” Sergio’s voice was gruff, his accent more pronounced. “I have intel from your boy that a Petrov’s at Elite.”