Page 60 of Callan

She was right about those men. I saw them. Some low-ranking crooks, violent in nature, and not the sharpest tools in the toolbox, possibly looking for a threesome.

Or maybe serving as Carmen’s connection to some gang leader.

I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that they work for her.

Whatever the case, she and them might be the answer to my riddle.

I have eyes on Thomas, and while he’s involved with some nasty people, handling Daniela was a one-time thing, apparently something he’s done without his wife’s knowledge.

He’s also bedded Daniela without Carmen’s knowledge.It goes without saying.

What has brought me to his wife?

I checked every possibility.

Every place where the necklace could've been hidden.

One of those places was Thomas’ place. To get inside, I needed to charm his wife. One thing led to another, and she seemed more than willing to invite me to her place if my dick was as good looking as my face.

Her words, not mine.

Fucking her came with the bittersweet taste of revenge since her husband fucked my date.

But that wasn’t the only thing that brought us together. I wanted to know more about these people's affairs.

Usually, I’m not that messy.

Sex and crime don’t make for a good combo, in my case.

But it kind of worked in this situation. I earned Carmen’s trust. She told me enough about her husband to figure out his life. I have eyes on him, but he’s only some fool with a big mouth and a short fuse.

She likes him like that.

And she obviously has him wrapped around her finger.

It's too bad that whatever I know from her cannot help me find what I want.

I’ve played my role well.Rocked her world a few times. Had nothing to say about her ways with men.

Pretended to be intimidated by her old man.

Everything I did made her believe I was another sucker on her long list of suckers.

She might be an innocent player in this story, but honestly, I doubt that. One thing is for sure.She has no idea I am one of the Bard Brothers.

Which only hints at two things.She is not familiar with this world although she might be connected to some cartel people.Or she’s not connected to anyone, her husband is thebiggest liability in their house, and she’s more preoccupied with getting her fix than playing the thuggish games of those underground people.

My train of thought is interrupted as my focus moves to the woman living below Carmen’s apartment.

Mackenzie is so different than her neighbor.

We had women like her in our family as we were growing up.

My father wanted them to have a normal life and marry outside our world of crime.

He wanted the same thing for everybody, but things didn’t work that way for me and my brothers.Sometimes, fate chooses you. Sometimes, you’re not choosing your fate.

My father got killed on the day I graduated college, and he wasn’t the only one who perished that day.

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