Page 84 of Hidden Ties

No longer hiding his indifference, Desmond set his glass down on the table. “I’ll tell you when. When I have to watch a woman who should have been fired a year ago is instead being given a position she abuses.”

“Don’t blame me. I’m not the person who promoted Livvy.”

“Hollingsworth?”

Nodding, he saw Desmond’s lips tighten into a grim line.

“Son of bitch.”

“In case you plan to share your displeasure with Livvy’s behavior, I would save my breath. Garrett doesn’t care she’s a soulless bitch as long as she’s readily available whenever he wants her.”

Desmond’s shoulders tautened under his designer suit coat. “So, the guppy will continue to be shark bait until Livvy finishes her off.”

Giving Desmond a curious smile, he tilted his head questioningly. “Aw. I haven’t seen this side of you,” he teased. “You’ve grown a heart since you got married and had a kid.”

He received a humorless smile in return. “Do you really assume I’ve become soft?”

No, he didn’t, but he needed to rouse the sleeping tiger Desmond had turned into.

Seeing he had accomplished his mission, he flashed his friend and sometimes boss an apologetic smile. “Of course not, but I want to focus back on the problem Lucca is having, which is the reason you invited me to lunch.”

Expressionless, Desmond stared at him, aware he was being maneuvered away from discussing Livvy’s behavior. “I want that bitch fired. I don’t care who she’s fucking.”

Kent returned his implacable gaze. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Desmond continued to stare at him. He didn’t need a psychic to tell him Desmond wasn’t happy with his non-committing answer.

“I’ll get it done,” he conceded. Dealing with Desmond could be a pain in the ass sometimes.

Relaxing back, Desmond picked up his glass again. “Lucca wants you to represent a woman who has been arrested for cyber attacking the Horseshoe Casino.”

“He didn’t mention me representing her this morning when I was in his office.”

Seeing he wasn’t going to explain Lucca’s decision, he took out his cell phone to pull up notes. “What’s her name?”

“Valerie Monroe.”

“I heard about the attack on the news. Tell Lucca I want double my usual fee, triple if she’s guilty.”

“Sal says she isn’t.”

Salatore Lastra was Lucca’s tech genius. His tech skills were also enhanced by his lethal qualities to take out anyone who threatened the Caruso business, those which were legal and those which weren’t.

“What’s Sal’s interest in her?”

“I didn’t ask. Does it matter?”

“It is if she’s pulling the wool over Sal’s eyes. I don’t want Sal coming after me if I have to be the bearer of any bad news.”

Desmond’s lip twitched in humor. “Sal is no one’s fool.”

He had to agree with Desmond. Meeting Sal several times in the course of working for Lucca, he had never given him the impression of being anyone’s fool. Sal was more the type of slitting your throat then returning his attention to his computer.

“Has she been arrested?”

“Yes, yesterday evening.”

Tucking his cell phone back into his suit’s jacket, he saw their waiter coming.