Page 94 of Cartel King

Small comfort.

“Moscow?”

“Maybe. It could be Tokyo or Osaka.”

“Nishida? I’ve been nowhere near his family in ten years. Why now?”

“Because you don’t have family close. That’s my guess. I think it’s someone foreign who’s banking on your being alone.”

“But they have photos of Enrique with me. That’s what doesn’t make sense. Who’s willing to take him on? I can’t think of too many people.”

“I doubt staying with him will be good for your health. You need to end things, Elle. You’re not a fool, but this is the most foolish thing you’ve ever done.”

“I won’t do that. You can’t order me to, and whoever this is won’t scare me into it.”

“Then you have no one to blame but yourself. I wash my hands of it and you.”

“Good. Then you won’t call me for anything else. If you’re playing me for a fool, and you’re behind this, Tommaso, there will be no recovering from this. Don’t make me put Will in that kind of position. Don’t make me discuss this with my father.”

“You’ve been doling out a lot of threats lately, Elodie. Most people don’t survive even one. Yet, I’ve been putting up with your attitude ever since you called me about this the first time.”

“If you really think my anger is misplaced, then you shouldn’t have gotten me involved in this to begin with. You should’ve kept me away from Ignacio. You had to know this was the only reaction I’d have to you breaking your word of honor to me.”

“The organization will always come before you or anyone else. I needed you to do the job I paid you for.”

“About that. I’m still waiting on that payment, Tommaso. I haven’t seen any change to my account since I’ve been back.”

“It’s the weekend.”

“And your point? You know that doesn’t prevent all transactions from going through. So, I expect to see the money in my account bright and early tomorrow morning.”

“Or what, Elodie? What threat are you going to issue now?”

“I’ll tell Enrique. So far, all of this has been just business between you and me. Push me harder, and you’ll find out what it means to push me into the arms of thejefe de jefes. Is that what you want?”

“Bullshit. Don’t say I’m pushing you toward him when you’re probably on his dick right now.”

“Tommaso!”

Stella’s voice rings out in the background. She must have followed him to his office, or he decided it was safe enough to go back to his bedroom. Staying on the phone for them arguing isn’t a good use of my time, but I’ll let her chew him out for a moment before I interrupt.

“I’ll ask one last time, Tommaso, so tell me the truth because if you don’t, you’ll be lying in front of Stella about me. That’s one thing you haven’t done. Are you responsible for these photos?”

“For the last time, Elodie, no. I don’t even know what the fucking photos are besides what you told me.”

I sit back in my desk chair.

Tommaso is like every other syndicate man who lies about any and everything. But he vowed to Stella a long time ago that with family—which she considers me—he’ll either omit things or tell her straight to her face he can’t talk about it. He wouldn’t give her a bald-faced lie like he does about other things. It makes me confident he’s telling the truth. If not for my sake, then for Stella’s.

“All right, I choose to believe you. Don’t let Stella down, Tommaso.”

“Whatever, Elodie.”

“Bye.Va’ con Dio.” Go with God.

“Bye, Elle.”

“Bye, Stella.”

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