Page 57 of Only You

“Ok, let’s talk this out. Costa is a low-level mafioso trying to take over,” I said, waving my hands around.

“Right!”

“There’s no way he was permitted to steal from The Cartel, right?”

“Right!”

“Right!” I repeated. I was only slightly more confident than I had been previously. I glanced at the clock on the wall to see we’d been at this for hours. It was well after noon.

“We’ll come over for dinner tonight. If I keep this up, I’ll be late for my appointment with Melanie.” I closed my laptop and left JoJo in the office

“Lock up for me,” I yelled as I left through the garage.

Damn, life be life-ing

CHAPTER 31

Brice

It was approaching one AM. Dinner had been eaten hours ago. However, we were all still sitting around the dining room table with intel spread all over it. We’d compiled so much that the wooden façade was no longer visible. Jourdan and Tayla had damn near panicked after finding out that’s who Costa had been to see. It did present some problems, but I wasn’t sweating the shit, and neither was Steph.

On top of all the papers were Steph’s, Tay’s, and JoJo’s Laptops. The loud sounds of their fingers tapping on the keys were the only sounds in the room. They were scouring the web to find a phone number for Bonetti’s estate.

“I think I found it,” JoJo said. It was a long shot that the number was valid or that anyone would answer. If they did answer, would they put us through to Bonetti?

“We’re deep in it now. We may as well get it over with,” I said as I dialed the number on my encrypted phone and placed it onspeaker. As the phone rang, we all shifted into our alter egos. I could feel the change in the room.

“Pronto,” The deep male voice answered. There was a pause before I answered.

“Mi chiamo, Due.” For a moment, all we could hear on the line was heavy breathing before we listened to a door close.

“I’m sure you understand who you called.” It was him, and I didn’t like how he said ‘understand’. To my ears, it sounded like a threat. I didn’t deal in threats.

“I’m sure that understanding is mutual,” I returned.

“Let’s proceed with why I called, although I think you already know.”

“Go on,” Bonetti said.

“Costa.”

“What’s done is done.” I inhaled deeply because I was unsure whether he was accepting responsibility. If he did, it meant war. I probed further.

“Elaborate,” I said, seeking answers.

“Costa’s acts were off the record. We sat, and he’s on the outs. Do with him what you will,” he said and hung up.

Damn, it’s a cold world.

With Costa’s unsanctioned movement of our products, he’d fallen out of favor. If we didn’t take him out, they would. I was sure the news had spread. Even if we weren’t permitted to take him out, he would have to live the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

“Let’s move,” Rock said as he stood pulling the gun from his back to check the clip.

“Tonight,” I said tersely.

“The last time we freestyled a hit, shit didn’t exactly go as planned.”

“The plan is to take them the fuck out. Every last one of them. We have more than enough info to move. D always said family over everything. That’s what this is, amo a mi familia. I can’t believe I’m saying this shit,” Rock said with a pained expression.

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