Page 38 of Stolen Christmas
“Not robbed. No, sorry.” I could hear a woman talking over him on the other end of the phone. “The cleaning lady said that the door was broken, and the house was a mess.”
“Fuck. I need to know what was taken and if anything can be salvaged. She lost her parents, damn it.”
Everything else has to wait because her area isn’t known for break-ins, and it obviously didn’t appear like the house was unoccupied as we’ve been there recently.
“I’m heading back to the condo. Find out what you can and then keep me informed.” Fuck, how am I supposed to tell my Angel about the house? She’s going to be devastated.
I already know that fucking Fields and his boys have something to do with it. I haven’t had a word with Torcello and his men, but if he truly wants a war, he’ll get one. There’s no doubt in my mind that he is itching for one. As rivals, we’ve been dancing around each other for years. All it takes is a single incident. Georgie had been on the take. Torcello had gotten to one of my guys, a weak link.
I’ve had several of my men scope out his people, but what I have learned is that Torcello keeps his inner circle all family. Fields wants in that circle, but he isn’t getting there. Not the way he’s playing. He is a fool to even consider it. Blood means more to Torcello than anything, and nothing Fields does can get him in.
I have to make a call. “Tommy Boy,” I greet the asshole as soon as he picks up the line.
“What the fuck do you want, d-bag?” How charming. I want to rip his balls off, but the crusty fucker never makes things easy. He hides behind the brass. He has so many more on the take than I have. It’s bullshit. For every single cop or politicianI have working on my side, he has six. Sex sells, and he gives it away for the right price: a bribe here and a bribe there.
“Cute. Did you come up with that all by yourself? Or did you have to find someone to do that for you?”
“Are you pissed about Georgie? I know he’s gone missing. It’s interesting no one can seem to find him.” The bastard is trying to get me to incriminate myself, like that shit would happen. I wasn’t fucking born yesterday.
“The dirty rat ran when I found his little flash drive of my employee’s addresses and passcodes. I learned that he was paid a lot of money by you to retrieve them. Why, pray tell, would you need access to our homes?”
“Why else?”
“Well, then, he better pray I don’t find him, and as you know, trespassing will get intruders shot.”
He chuckles. “You need to do a better job with your men. I only have the best, the most loyal family members. Speaking of loyalty, I hear you’ve got a pet. A pretty one at that. I was truly hoping to add her to my own menagerie.” He’s goading me, and it’s working.
“It’s like you’re asking for a bullet to the head.”
“Did I strike a sore spot?”
“You speak about my wife like that again, and I’ll make sure that I hit your sore spot.”
“Wife? Since when is the great Luca D’Antonio married?”
“Soon.”
“Ah, so you’re not settled down with the very sexy Angel. We’ve had our eye on her for a while. She belongs to us. Georgie spotted her and made it clear that she’d be perfect for my club. Then we laid the plan in motion, one small step at a time. Or one accident.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Just give me back my little whore. At least the girl probably learned some valuable skills at your hands. I’ve heard that you’re a talented lover, so she’ll be good at pleasing my higher-up clientele.” My blood heats, and I’m about to strangle the bastard through the phone.
“Come near her, and I’ll end you.”
“You can’t always protect her, and she has that little hiccup with her. He seems to be a bit of a problem.”
“Don’t test me, Torcello.” I end the call before I lose control and flat out call for an open war. He’ll pay, but it won’t be obvious. I know he has business dealings with major players when it comes to high-class escorts from the books I’d recovered, but I never expected them to be forced. It’s clear what their intentions were for Angel, and that’s not going to happen.
I summon Matteo to my office. “Triple the security on the house. I don’t give a fuck what anyone says. Everything goes through me when it comes to Angel and her brother. Everything. She doesn’t leave the condo at all. Understood? I can’t take any chances.”
“What’s going on, Boss?”
“Torcello wants her, and we’re not going to let that happen.”
“Damn, okay. Should we add extra patrols around the area?”
“Yes. How is everyone’s property looking?”
