Page 114 of Taste of Blood
“If I didn’t know better I’d swear you were trying to spoil me.”
I grin. “Of course I am. You deserve it. Come on, get dressed. We can even have a drink in the bar afterwards. It’ll be like a date.”
He groans. “A date?”
“You got something better to do?”
“No,” he grumbles, but I can see the smile in his eyes.
35: Cord
TUESDAY MORNING DANTE calls me in for another job. His men were able to bust up a nest of Python operatives from the intel they got from Cosgrove, and they’ve been chasing strays ever since. Dante is pissed at how many of his own men are among them.
“I’ve still got men going missing,” he informs me when I get to the warehouse. He’s out on the floor going over supply demands with some of the dock guys. This whole Python thing has put a dent in business, which has him in a sour mood.
I try to keep the annoyance out of my voice when I ask, “What do you want me to do?”
“I told Zeke to pick a team to go down to that area where you guys were attacked and see if they can scare those assholes out again. I want you to go with them.”
“And what makes you think we’re going to have any better luck if we find them?”
“Crossbows.”
I quirk a brow. “Crossbows?”
“I ordered three dozen of them. It won’t equip everyone, but at least every group in the streets will have access to one. I had two men filling bolts yesterday, so we’re stocked. If you come across those ninja bastards again you can burn their asses alive.”
If we can get off a shot. As I recall, they ambushed us without warning last time.
“You think one team is enough?”
“Don’t you?”
As long as he’s asking…
“What if we go in as the first wave, and have another team watching our back? Maybe put them on top of the buildings.”
“Don’t tell me you’re scared of these guys,” Dante taunts.
His tone makes me bristle; he wasn’t there last time. “Not scared. Just a healthy respect.”
Dante motions Zeke over. “Cord wants to take backup.”
Zeke thumbs his lip. “Wouldn’t hurt. In fact, that’s probably a good idea, considering we got our asses handed to us last time.”
“Even with the crossbows?”
“They jumped us from behind, and we didn’t see where they came from. Kind of hard to get off a shot in those circumstances. Someone on the roof watching our backs would make me feel a whole lot better.”
“Fine,” Dante snaps. “Put together another team.”
After he storms off with Gio, I turn to Zeke. “Other than losing money, what crawled up his ass this morning?”
“He’s bleeding men, and not from injury. They’re deserting for the Python’s crew.”
“How many?”
“At last count, eleven. Some of them were kind of high ranking, too.”
