Page 21 of The Sting of Love
“Please sit,” I say, gesturing for them to sit around the table.
They sit together. Gibbs sits next to me.
“Although it’s great to meet one of Claudius Morientz’ men, I’m surprised at the impromptu request,” Amadeo states.
Impromptu would have been him agreeing to see me on Sunday when I called his office. I had to wait for three days to see his ass, and I already don’t like his attitude. I guess since he’s the underboss in his family, that makes him think he can act like he’s the boss of everybody.
“The situation called for it,” I inform him and straighten up.
“Oh, and what situation is this?” he asks, his accent stronger with the hint of annoyance.
I reach into the envelope I kept to the side and pull out the pictures. I have no idea how he’s going to react, but my men down below were supposed to check him to make sure neither he nor Leo were carrying guns. I have my piece in my pocket just in case they have a gun shoved up their asses they’re thinking of pulling on me.
I hand him the pictures, and his skin goes noticeably paler.
He tenses, and when Leo observes his reaction, he takes the photos from him and looks at them.
I love when I catch people in the shit they think they can get up to and get away with. It’s a good feeling, especially when I can see them trying to come up with excuses and can’t think of one thing that doesn’t sound like bullshit.
“I can explain this,” Amadeo says with a slight stutter.
“How? What are you gonna say that doesn’t look like what it is?” I challenge. “Looks to me like you’re supplying girls to a human trafficker. We are not into that.”
“It was just the one time,” Leo counters, speaking for the first time.
“I don’t give a shit if it was the first or the hundredth time. It’s not going to happen again, and not on our turf.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we’re done with you.”
He looks back at me like I just slapped him. Squaring off his shoulders, he glares at me, eyes blazing.
“You can’t do that. I want to speak with Claudius.”
“Like fuck. You can call him if you want to, but right now, you’re getting me, and the words coming out of my mouth are as good as his.” I steel my spine and make sure I look him right in the eye, staring him down the same way his eyes are boring into me. I won’t be the first to look away either and make him think he’s intimidating me. I stare until he’s forced to blink.Fucker.
His gaze flicks to the photos in Leo’s hands, and he hardens his expression.
“We’ve been in this alliance for many years. My family has been in business with you people since before any of us were born, and you’re telling me you’re done? This is business. Sometimes you take opportunities when they arise.”
This asshole must be on crack because there’s no way he’s justifying his actions as business.
“Human trafficking with a wanted prick is not an opportunity, Amadeo. It’s asking for trouble. You got our names mixed up in there, so it begs the question of whether you know who you’re truly working with and if you know what you’re doing. Whatever the fuck it is, we want no part of it.”
“One little mistake, and that’s it, a fifty-year alliance and business contract over?”
“Yeah,” I answer simply.
“One little thing, and this is it?” He bares his teeth at me.
“This isn’t one little thing though. It’s human trafficking.” He doesn’t seem to get it. It just makes me wonder what the hell must be going on in his head. That leads me to the next question. “Where’d the girls go, Amadeo?”
He tenses and cuts Leo a sharp glance. “That is none of your concern.”
“No? I didn’t think you’d tell me. You sold them to Xiou on our property. That makes it my business.”
“You people are a disgrace to La Costa Nostra. Business is business. There is nothing clean about what we do. We do what we do.”
