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Rhett clamps his mouth shut, but looks like he wants to say more. He may disagree with the way my family deals with our problems, but it’s the safest option.
We stay quiet for a while, each of us concentrating on our own workout.
He’s the first to break the silence. “What’s going on with you and Alexandra?”
“Nothing.” And unfortunately, that’s the truth.
His eyebrows furrow as he starts to jog. “Why?”
“Because apparently I’m a fucking masochist.”
His laugh echoes off the walls. “Not the role I would have guessed, but to each their own.”
I glare at him and he only laughs. “I’m kidding. Lighten the fuck up.”
“I can’t. I’m on edge.” I push my muscles to their breaking point before returning the bar to its resting spot.
He stops the treadmill and gets off. “Damn, dude. What are you training for? The Strongman Competition?”
“I have to work towards something.” I hop on the treadmill and set it to my normal jogging pace.
“What about working toward bettering your hockey career?”
“The Sharks aren’t my future, and you know it. I love the sport, but eventually, I have to hang up my skates and face the real world. My father is expanding the family business faster than I expected, and it’s too much for him to keep up with alone.”
“Damn, dude. I didn’t know. I just thought the only thing on our agenda was the club rebuilding.”
“No one knows what is really going on behind the scenes. Not even you and Spencer. Dad’s been meeting with several new partners, and I had a meeting with the Valentino family.”
“Who?” Rhett grabs a set of dumbbells and carries them over to the bench.
“The Valentino family. They are another mafia family from New York. They want to expand their empire to Florida so the father can retire down there.”
“Why would you want to work with another mafia family? Especially one that is close by and can take over your territory? Do you know anything about the Valentino family? Are they comparable to Giuseppe Rossi or more like Arturo?”
“Dad and I aren’t interested in expanding our operations in Florida. We would keep our territory and they would keep theirs. They have a huge demand in the clubs down there, but they can’t keep up with supply.”
I turn up the speed until I am running.
Why is he being so combative? Where is this coming from?
He places the dumbbells on the floor and grabs a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. “So we are going to be their supplier? Why not just take over the territory if it’s that in demand?”
“Because we aren’t a Rossi. We have enough drama dealing with them and the Reapers. We can supply them with capital for now, and they can have their own market.”
He chugs the water and throws the empty bottle away. “That doesn’t seem wise when the feds are already on your asses.”
“The Valentinos are still in the early stages of setting up their operations. They are looking into purchasing a warehouse so they can make their own products.”
Rhett picks up the dumbbells and continues his workout. “Do you not hear how risky that is? They are back on square one. They are desperate for money. Aren’t you afraid they will turn to the feds and strike a deal with them?”
“No, because then the spotlight will be on their family and their activities. They do everything we do as well as run a prostitution and escort ring. Their crimes outweigh ours.”
He drops the dumbbells to the ground and stands up. “What the fuck? Prostitution? Really?”
I narrow my eyes on him. “Did you become a prude all of a sudden or adopt a holier than thou attitude? The mafia is a business that deals in organized crime. We do what we have to and save the judgment for our death day.”
“I understand it’s a business. I get it, okay? But there are certain lines I thought we didn’t cross, and harming women and children wasn’t on the list.”