Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Nine
Adrik
“Jefe, none of my dealers know anything about this. Either they’re planning on replacing the supply without telling the dealers or they know which dealers are mine and have avoided telling them. Do you have any other dealers that you can talk to without raising too much suspicion?” he asked.
I looked to both Viktor and Ivan. Neither had an answer right away. “We’ll find someone,” I said. “What about Anthony and Lorenzo? Still there?”
“Si, Jefe. They’ve got a renewed sense of hope since I met with them yesterday,” he said, laughing. “Now that they know you’re alive, they’re being slightly more aggressive with their offer. It still doesn’t come close to yours, but it’s fun to make them work for this.”
“What about Dario and Massimo?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Jefe. Your woman is a gift from the angels.” He paused. “She was exactly right about both of them. I think Dario might need a psych ward before this is all over. I met with them separately. I told them both that I knew they had my nephew killed. Dario immediately went on the defense, telling me everything he knew about what happened, where they dumped him, and he threw Massimo all the way under the bus. I’ve seen fear before, but that man is terrified of Massimo. Dario asked me if I could protect him. There’s something deeper there.”
“Feel free to find out as much as you can on what else Dario knows. What did Massimo do when you told him?”
He laughed. “He threw Dario under the bus and tried to blame everything on him. Sephie was right. He is a truly evil man. He kept his cool during the entire conversation.”
“Did you happen to notice that he never blinks when he’s talking to you?”
“I did notice that. He maintains eye contact like he’s trying to send you messages telepathically,” Trino said, laughing.
“That’s his tell for when he’s lying. Sephie picked up on all their tells during the meetings they used to have at the restaurant. Dario will repeat the question back to you when he’s lying, like he’s trying to buy himself time to answer. Massimo never blinks.”
Trino cursed in Spanish. “Jefe, how did you find her? I need a woman like her by my side. I’m going to take her up on her offer,” he said, laughing.
“She amazes me, even still. I constantly question what I did to deserve her,” I said, “What’s your plan for Massimo?”
“I haven’t completely decided. I might light him on fire and throw him off a cliff. I have them separated and heavily guarded for now. I sent that woman that’s with Massimo home. I’ve had the house fumigated twice now and we can still smell her,” Trino said, the disgust apparent in his voice.
We all looked at each other, completely surprised and trying not to laugh. Viktor said quietly, “Sephie is going to love this.”
*Trino, I’ll find a dealer to talk to and let you know what I find out. All your guys are aware of what’s being planned now, correct?”
“Si, Jefe. I talked to all of them personally, but I told them to keep it between our network for now. They don’t have much contact with the other dealers anyway, but I didn’t think you wanted it getting out just yet that we know what’s going on.”
“You’re right, I don’t. Thank you, Trino. And if you do light Massimo on fire and throw him off a cliff, maybe get video. I’d like
to see that.”
Laughter on the other end of the line. “I will.”
“I’ll let you know what I find out on my end. Keep me posted on Tony, Enzo, and Dario.”
Of course, Jefe.”
As I ended the call, we all erupted in laughter. “How?? How does she know these things??” Viktor asked.
“We’re getting that wh ite board today,” Ivan said, still laughing.
“Have flowers sent to the penthouse too,” I said.
Viktor nodded. “As appreciation for not smelling like Vanessa?”
“Exactly.”
They both laughed. Viktor said, “I’ll make sure they’re there before she wakes up. I can’t wait to see her face when she hears what Trino said. She’s not a little bit psychic. She’s a lot psychic.”
I busied myself with the pile of work on my desk. I had a few short meetings that morning that went quickly. Before I knew it, it was early afternoon. Just as I looked up, wondering to myself whether Sephie was awake yet or not, she walked into my office. Her smile lit the room.
She walked to my desk, as I pushed my chair back. Instead of climbing in my lap, she gathered the papers that I was working on and put them aside. She sat on my desk in front of me, pulling my chair back toward her. It was a surprisingly hot move. She was above me now. She leaned down, placing her hands on either side of my face as she pressed her lips to mine. The kiss started sweetly, but I could feel her struggling to control herself. She clearly lost the battle as she deepened the kiss. I felt her hook her feet around the back of my chair, pulling it as close to the desk, and her, as she could. I sat up straighter, sliding my hands up her thighs. I grabbed her a ss, pulling her toward me as she laughed against my lips. She kissed me passionately, making my mind return to the night before with her on the couch. Now, I was the one struggling to control myself.
She stopped the kiss, looking at me briefly, then pressing her lips to mine one more time. She smiled at me, making my heart threaten to stop. “Hi,” she said, breathlessly.
“I’m very glad you’re awake now, solnishko,” I said, returning her smile.
“Have I mentioned that I love you even more for letting me sleep longer occasionally?” she asked as she ran her fingers through my short facial hair.
“You only do it when you need it. It makes me happy that you can. Although it always makes me wish I could stay with you, That’s why I send one of the guys up to wait on you to wake up. If I can’t be there when you wake up, at least I know one of them will be,” I said.
Her smile grew. I found myself lost in her bright eyes. She leaned down and kissed me once more. “Thank you for the flowers. How did you know I’d been missing the gardens at the house?”
I laughed. “I didn’t. I got lucky on that one. The flowers were more in appreciation for not smelling like Vanessa,” I said. I couldn’t help but grin at her.
She laughed. “You must’ve talked to Trino this morning. Is his sense of smell completely gone yet?”
“He said he had the house fumigated twice already and they can still smell her. He sent her home,” I said, laughing at the situation.
“That must mean that he’s talked to Dario and Massimo. How did that go??” she said, her unique eyes wide, but with a hint of wickedness.
I couldn’t answer for laughing. “Wait, Viktor and Ivan need to see this.” I grabbed my phone, calling Viktor and telling him to bring Ivan to the office right away.
