Page 26 of Obey

Spinoza nods. “Yeah, that makes sense. Gotta keep those fuckers on their toes.”

“Exactly. No need to make it easy for them. The boss wants extra security everywhere, too.” I sigh and lean forward. “Between you and me, the whole thing’s a fucking mess. Sure, we’ve got the Winters operations under our control now, but what fucking point is there to that if we can’t handle one single fucking delivery?”

“Fucking right,” Spinoza mutters. He exhales smoke again and shakes his head. “What can I do?”

I grin at him. “The boss has a plan. New schedule, yeah. And… Well, maybe the next delivery has a little surprise in it.”

Spinoza’s eyes widen. “Yeah? What kind of surprise?”

I laugh, ignoring the disgusted feeling in the pit of my stomach that’s telling me that my hunch was right. “Can’t tell you. But I don’t think anybody who tries to steal our shit is walking away from that with all their limbs intact.”

I’ve definitely got his attention now. I detail the new schedule for him, but his eyes keep flickering between me and Lance.

Once I’m done with the fake delivery information, I get up and clap Spinoza on the shoulder. “You’ll handle everything, right?”

Spinoza nods. “Yep. Consider it done.”

I head to the door. Lance gives me a questioning look, but I shake my head.

Once we’re back in the car, I pull out my phone and tap the app for the listening device I planted under the coffee table.

“I’m fucking telling you, leave the next shipments alone! Yeah, next week.” Spinoza is saying to somebody.

Lance rolls his eyes. “Didn’t fucking take him long.”

I give my phone a disappointed look. “It’s kind of predictable. He should have waited a little longer, at least.”

“How long you want to wait to grab him?” Lance asks.

“I’ll record a bit longer. We can rough him up and turn him over to the boss later.” I grin at him. “A little violence is okay.”

Lance laughs and extends his hand for a fist bump. “Sure thing, boss.”

“Good job,” Silvano says, and I fight to suppress a blush.

I always drink up any praise he gives me, but it’s even more critical now. I fucked up too much to take it and run, but it’s a welcome reprieve from the guilt and shame that have been gnawing at me. “Thank you, boss,” I say, my eyes flicking from him to Spinoza, then back.

It had probably been overkill to drag him to Silvano myself, but I’m nothing if not thorough on a good day—and I haven’t had enough good days lately.

“So I made a phone call!” Spinoza sputters. “That doesn’t mean I’m guilty of anything else.”

I give him a scornful look. If it wasn’t for Silvano and his consigliere in the room, I might’ve dished out a few more blows just to try to work off some of the anxiety.

Finding the leak was key, sure.

But now I have to deal with the aftermath… which means dealing with Knives.

Silvano leans forward at his desk, clasping his hands in a way that looks menacing. I don’t know how he manages to command all the attention in the room when Kyran Winters is standing right behind him, all raw muscle, but he makes it look effortless.

“Spinoza, we didn’t ask you,” Silvano says. “I heard the recordings. I already know that you’re the reason a lucrative deal fell through.” He glances over his shoulder at Kyran. “There was that other thing too, wasn’t there?”

Kyran snorts and nods. “You mean the bank statements you had me look through?”

Silvano smiles. “Yes, those.” He turns back to Spinoza. “You’ll have to explain where all your extra funds come from.”

Spinoza starts sweating even more profusely, and his body trembles, but he’s been tied up and beaten bloody. There’s nowhere for him to go.

“Anyway. Maddox, you’re dismissed. Kyran and I will decide what to do with our dear Spinoza.”

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