Page 7 of Dagger in the Sea

“No, thank you.” I sat down on the sofa, my fingers smoothing down my trousers along my thigh. “I just came from a breakfast meeting.” A business meeting where my cock ended up being breakfast for two prostitutes. Theyweremy employees after all.

One well-groomed eyebrow arched ever so slightly as she sat and crossed her slim legs, her posture as straight as a ballerina’s. I pressed my back against the stiff red leather sofa. I couldn’t wait to hear what she needed from me.

“I’m about to open a new restaurant in a month’s time,” she said. “Everything’s on schedule, except for a few minor things, and one major thing: the liquor license.”

I suppressed the smirk that began its creep along my lips. Ah, now she needed my help. My under the table magic. I’d been waiting for this moment for years. That one day she’d call on me and be desperate for the help only I could provide in this town.

“I’ve tried every avenue possible,” she continued. “Everything and everyone I know.”

“You need me to grease the right wheels for you?”

“No, this isn’t about that. I’ve been cockblocked.”

“Cockblocked?” I let out a dry laugh.

“Yes.” Her gaze leveled with mine. “And it’s not the first time.”

She crossed her legs in the other direction. Graceful and elegant as all hell even when she was laying down the law, going for the jugular, giving no quarter. I’d seen many a man taken aback by her in this mode, and it had always made me proud. I took in a breath.

“I need you to get your boss to let it go,” she said.

My boss.“You think it’s Mauro?”

“I know it’s him.” She never said his name. She detested him that much.

“How do you know that?”

“He told me so himself.”

My pulse twanged. “You spoke with him?”

“He misses no opportunity to speak with me. We’ve been playing a chess game for years. His pocketed politicians and city planners against my political friends and city planners.”

I shifted on the sofa, leaning forward, my jaw set. I had no idea.

Her lips pursed, her face remaining cool. “You didn’t know?”

“No. I’ve never been party to any discussion about your business.”

“Well, he spends a great deal of time and energy on my business. The Cuban restaurant we opened last year?”

“Aja de Bolero?”

“Yes.” Her brow furrowed and relaxed. Was she surprised I knew? I kept track. I went to all her restaurants.

She cleared her throat. “He held up construction for months. The renovation on The Chophouse the year before? One inspector after the other had issues. I could go on.”

My back went rigid. “I had no idea.”

“This opening is very important to me, Turo.”

“Every opening is important to you, Mother.”

“Yes, it is,” her voice dipped. “It takes an extraordinary amount of time and energy and focus for me to deal with these issues. With him. This time, I’m asking you for your assistance.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Her eyes narrowed at me.

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