Page 163 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

I manage a small smile. “Eh, I just keep you on your toes.”

“Talk,” he says in a stern voice.

“I met Sergio Villani,” I say in a low voice. “And for the record, the guy is a complete dick. He’s arrogant, and egotistical, and…and…” I let out a huff before the other more salacious words come spilling out of my mouth. “Just a total prick, completely full of himself. He walked around like he owned the place.”

“Which he does,” Nate affirms.

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Right. Anyway, when I went to his office, he was about to meet with a group of guys. Real dirty scumbag types. Things kind of went sideways, though. The meeting didn’t happen.”

“Why not?”

I shrug. “Something about their boss not being there in person. Sergio got a little bit pissed off at that and refused to talk to them.”

“I don’t get it. How does any of that tell you we need to cancel the meeting? We needed to find out his agenda…what he wants from us and who he’s working wi?—”

“He’s working with the Becerra Cartel!” I sputter.

Nate’s lips twist, his eyes blazing with pent-up fury at the mere mention of the name. “How do you know that, Jae?” he hisses, inching closer to me.

“Don’t be mad,” I whisper.

“Oh, fuck, I wish you’d stop saying that,” he mutters, sweeping a hand through his hair.

“The guys he turned away got a little, uh, handsy with me. He stopped them, kicked them out of the club. But when I walked to my car, one of them grabbed me. Attacked me.” I bite down on my lower lip, opting against reliving the disgusting experience. “Sergio and his guys came to my rescue. But as they were dragging him away, I saw it. The same symbol that was sliced into the headrest of Dad’s car. It was them, Nate. They were there to discuss something, a partnership.”

Nate’s head falls into his hands and he mumbles to himself before he looks up at me. “Do you realize how stupid it was for you to go after him like that? How dangerous? What if they hadn’t gotten to you in time? You could have been hurt, or worse.”

“I know but?—”

“No!” he thunders, putting his hands on my shoulders. “I’ve already lost so much, Jae. Things could have gone in a very different direction tonight. You got lucky, do you understand that? You escaped some potentially serious shit!”

“Yes, I get that! But Nate, I escaped. Just like you said.” I shake my head. “Don’t you understand you’re the most important person in my life? I won’t just sit back and let anyone bulldoze you or what you built! To me, you’re worth the risk.” I manage a quivery smile. “And I know you’d do the same for me.” Tears spring to my eyes for the second time tonight. “And we’re all we have now,” I whisper, squeezing his hand.

“I should have never asked you to go there,” he mumbles. “I’d have never forgiven myself if anything happened to you.”

“Hey, we’re together in this,” I say, nestling my head against his chest. “I’d do anything for you.”

“And I was stupid to think you’d actually follow instruction,” he says with a smirk. “I mean, seriously, kid. You’re about as subtle as a hand grenade.”

“Yes. I can’t argue with that.” I smile. That’s actually kind of an understatement, and we both know it.

Still, it makes me happy to know that no matter what, I’ll do anything for him.

And I know he’d do the same for me.

“So what happens now?” I ask. “I mean, we definitely need to cancel, right?”

Nate lets out a deep sigh but doesn’t respond.

I pull away from him, my eyes wide. “Wait, you’re not considering keeping that meeting, are you? After what I found out?”

Nate frowns at me, his forehead pinched. “Jae, do I have to spell it out for you? If Villani is working with the Becerra Cartel, canceling the meeting isn’t gonna save us. The reason you’re here right now is because they didn’t know who you were.”

Well, yeah, that and theotherthing.

“If they’re here, if they’re trying to get inside, there’s no fortress strong enough to keep them out. We have to come up with another plan. Or…” He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Or what?” I say, my spine stiff as I feel the tension weaving through each vertebrae.

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