Chapter 27: Chapter 5: Loose Ends

RICARDO

These two weeks have to be the hardest, being away from mi amor. It’s only been a week, but after seeing Tank and Frankie flip when we left for break, I hope she didn’t get into too much shit at her house.

I heard from Mary via text that her family drilled her and she blew up at them. I can’t wait till I can reveal everything and make her mine.

My guys are doing good at making sure no one interacts with her at the school. Mi amor thinks everyone hates her and is scared of her. This shit is working out better than we planned.

I’m sitting at my office desk when my phone dings and I look at it. A text from Mary saying that at the end of the year Jocelyn is having a party.

I immediately start to think about what I can get her. My mom walks in and sits in front of my desk. I smile at her and tell her about Jocelyn’s party. She grins and says not to worry, she will handle the gift, and quickly exits.

I know my mom will rock that shit, so I go back to looking at paperwork for what shipments we have coming in to our clients. When another ding comes across my phone, I look and just stare.

Mary gave me Jocelyn’s number. If I text her and her family sees it, it can compromise everything. So I go ahead and put it in my phone for now, but don’t text it. I can’t risk it just yet.

The day goes by so slowly dealing with work. I get all the papers in order and send my guards to go and take care of the shipments. They are over eighteen, and since my mom doesn’t want me out there just yet, I have to stay here.

Not till after I graduate high school, she says. So I send my guys on the runs then wait for the phone call saying everything is done.

I had an earlier shipment today that almost got taken en route to the client. My guys caught both men and brought them to the house to be dealt with.

I am looking over more proposals at my desk when Tomas and Cane walk in and sit down.

“How close was it, Cane?”

“Real fucking close, man! They had to have gotten some insider info. They knew every turn we were making before we made them.”

“Shit, that’s not good. Are they downstairs?”

“Yeah, they are.”

I nod as I stand up, leave my office, and head toward the stairs going to the basement. The moment I step out my door, there is my mom.

“Where are you going?”

“I gotta deal with an issue downstairs.”

“Cardo, I swear, if you deal with an issue that ends up with someone’s death, I’ll…”

I walk over and stand right in front of her and yell back. She brought me up in this lifestyle, and she knows the game. Now, when shit gets real, she wants to act like she’s a saint.

She’s drilled into my head that I need to take back my dad’s empire, then wants me to play nice.

“You will what? Huh? You raised me in this life and made it my life. Little late to start acting righteous now. This is the life we live. You knew this when you got together with my dad. You knew this when you ingrained it in my brain—the need to get my empire back.”

She just looks at the floor and nods then walks away. What the fuck does she expect? I have to build my empire and my name. I can’t do it being a pussy. I turn and walk past my guys and head down the stairs.

We walk through the first door and down the hallway to the back room. When I enter, these two pieces of trash are tied up to chairs. Looks like my guys had some fun before they came and got me. This should be very interesting.

I scoot a chair over and sit in front of them as my guys dump water on them to wake them up. Apparently, they thought they could sleep while waiting.

They both gasp and lift their heads toward me as we flip the lights on. I look at these two and I have never seen them before. Who could have given them info, I wonder.

“So, we are going to play a little game. I ask questions, and if you don’t answer, we start breaking bones. The one that answers is spared for that question.”

I can hear Cane and Tomas behind me, each grabbing a bat and walking to stand right next to them.

“Who do you work for?”

They look at each other then back down at the floor. I can see neither will answer, so I give the okay and my guys hit their legs. There’s a crack and then screaming. I wait for the crying to die down and ask again.

“Who do you fucking work for?”

One blurts out, “Vinny Romano.”

Agh, okay… So, I give my glare to Cane who hits the other one in his other leg. I hear it crack.

“Who gave you information?”

They both say “Angelo” at the same time.

I look at my guys—we know that fucker. He just started not too long ago and was fucking vouched for by his cousin, Ray. Well now, we have a problem, don’t we?

I stand up and stick out my hand to Cane who hands me his gun. I quickly shoot these two in the head and hand Cane back the gun.

“Get me Angelo and Ray here in an hour. Get these pieces of shit out of my sight. We have some loose ends to clean up.”

I walk back upstairs and see my mom standing there, clearly upset. She can see the blood on my shirt and starts to open her mouth.

“Don’t even fucking say anything. I almost lost a ten-million-dollar shipment because of someone leaking info. Turns out they got info from the inside. So there are more loose ends to be dealt with.

“I run the business the way it needs to be run. Don’t like it, you don’t have to be here. I will get my empire back, so you can either support me or leave.”

I walk by her and into my office, slamming the door. I make my way over to the bathroom and wash my hands and splash water on my face.

I can’t believe we had a fucking leak. I bust my ass checking everyone to try and prevent this. I go and sit down in the chair and wait. No point in changing if I gotta deal with more shit.

I lean back in the chair with my hands behind my head, thinking about mi amor. I cannot wait until I can make her mine in every sense of the word. To feel her body against mine, her lips on mine. My hand tangled in her hair, yanking her head back to get access to her neck. To place kisses going down her…

KNOCK KNOCK

Fuck me, man—again. I quickly adjust myself and yell, “Come in.”

Cane and Tomas walk in and give a nod. Okay, round two is about to start downstairs. I walk back downstairs into the back room where these two fuckers are tied up.

Poor Ray has no fucking clue what’s going on. So I sit and wait to see how they will react.

“So, there is a reason you two are down here. Anyone want to talk about the incident that happened today?”

Ray glares at Angelo. Angelo just looks at me. No one says anything, so I continue.

“Apparently, we almost had a shipment stolen today. Luckily, we caught the two guys and they confessed who they worked for and how they got their info. So I will ask again. Anyone want to shed some light on how they got the info?”

Ray, at this point, is clearly fuming. Trying to get out of the ropes, not to get at me, but to get to his cousin.

“You fucking asshole, Angelo. I vouch for you and this is what you fucking do? Backstab me and put my life on the line? I know I sure as hell didn’t give any info.”

“Ray, you know what will happen right? What happens when someone betrays me and is unloyal.”

“Yeah, I know.”

I untie Ray who is clearly saddened to know what will be happening but knows there is a code we go by. I have him leave, so I can chat with Angelo alone.

“Why, Angelo? Why would you take this opportunity and then backstab me by leaking info to a rival? Let alone a rival related to the Maxwells?”

I didn’t get an answer back, just a shrug of the shoulders. I stand up and grab Cane’s gun, placing it against Angelo’s temple and pulling the trigger. Man, why did he have to do it? I just ask for loyalty, that’s it.

I hand the gun back and walk back upstairs into my office and into the bathroom this time to take a shower. I turn on the water, stripping out of the bloody clothes, and jump in. I let the hot water hit me.

I slowly wash the blood off and down the drain, reflecting on what just happened. I brace myself against the shower wall thinking about Jocelyn, mi amor.

What will happen when she finds out who I am? What kind of man she is getting involved with. Will she still want me?

Just thinking about her, I can feel my dick twitch, and her body invades my thoughts. I picture her writhing around on my bed begging for me to take her.

She spreads her legs, and I see her core glistening with her juices slowly dripping down. I crawl across the bed to her, placing myself in between her legs, waiting at her entrance. She slowly lifts her hips as I thrust myself deep inside her.

I grab my throbbing cock and start pounding it thinking that it’s her I’m ramming my cock into. I can feel her tighten around me as she screams my name, sending me over the edge. I brace myself against the shower wall, gasping for air. This girl is going to be mine—period.

I know I only have one week left till we are back and I get to see her again. I cannot wait—I am so excited. I know my mom wants me to get in with the family and take it over, but what happens if I fall for this girl, and her family?

I know my mom won’t be happy, and who knows what she would do? I can’t…I just can’t fall for Jocelyn. I know I will have to take out her dad and older brother to take over.

My only question is how to deal with the rest of the family. Maybe I can have an ambush at a restaurant or something. Would Jocelyn still be with me after? I don’t want to make her, but how else could I do it?