Page 18

CHAPTER 18

Ford

“ F uck. Another one? Really?” Hawke says, devouring a burger in two bites as he looks over the body. We’re on the wharf, between two cargo ships Eli owns. It’s where we conduct most of our business, and where we take delivery of our imported stock.

“Move everything out and relocate immediately,” Eli’s fast to instruct.

“Waylon was in town this week,” I mention. “He knows these locations.”

Eli thinks this over. “He wouldn’t be stupid enough to attack on the same weekend of being here, and besides, it’s only one person.”

It’s pissing down rain, and I’m soaked through. “Think it was the same poison?” Hawke asks after swallowing the last bite of his burger.

“It’s hard to tell since the rain’s washed everything away, but most likely,” I reply.

Fuck . This isn’t good. It means someone really is targeting Eli’s men. When we watched the surveillance video from his club, the bouncer had spoken to three women at the bar. There was nothing obvious linking any of them to the poisoning, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It just means the person was either lucky or acutely aware of the security camera angles. This, however, is too close to home.

“The poison used on the bouncer at the club took about twenty minutes to take effect, and this guy just started his shift, didn’t he?” I ask the security guard.

“Yeah. I literally swapped positions with him five minutes before I found him like this. I thought it was weird he hadn’t replied to my cross-check message.”

Eli tsks under his breath. “We need to figure out where he was before he started his shift.”

“It’s possible the cargo wasn’t the target. So far it’s just been your men,” I point out, but it’s still best to move the product and operation just in case.

The rain picks up, plastering my black hair to my forehead.

“One of us should be with you at all times,” I say to Eli.

“Fuck that,” Eli growls back. “We’re around one another enough as it is.”

“That’s literally what you pay us for,” Hawke adds, rolling his eyes.

“I won’t be intimidated by a coward who hides behind poison. Get in touch with Will. Have him backtrack this guard’s every move over the last few days and note who he’s been in contact with. You.” He points to the security guard. “Clean up this body. And no one finds out about this, especially not my father.”

“Roger that!” Hawke salutes like an asshole, and I nod in acknowledgment. Eli has only officially taken over as head of the Italian mafia in the last year, and he doesn’t want his father, Crue, interfering in any of his dealings. Frankly, the guy’s a ruthless helicopter parent. Not when it comes to Eli but with regard to the business. And he’ll do anything to dip back into the game.

“We’re done here.” Eli dismisses us. I don’t move, and when Eli notices I’m hovering, he frowns. “What is it?”

I clear my throat. “Don’t you have anyone who needs to be dealt with? A cleanup, maybe?”

He looks me up and down. “It’s usually Hawke who’s trying to pick fights.”

“I’m not trying to pick a fight, per se. I’m just… trying to blow off some steam.”

Hawke chuckles. “Then why don’t you fuck someone?”

I’m the face of calm because there’s no fucking way I’m letting them sniff out the truth of my frustration. But I can’t fuck another woman. I haven’t been able to for over a year, not since a certain little chaotic mess coaxed me into the back of my car.

My phone dings with a message alert, and I pull it out of my pocket. My security system has picked up something on the front cameras. My grip tightens on the phone because there’s Billie, standing in the pouring rain and setting my front yard on fire with a blowtorch.

That little-

I pocket my phone and take my leave.

Why is it that chaos seems to ensue in every part of my life this woman touches?

Maybe she’s pissed about the tattoo shop. I manage to fight a smirk as I get into my car.

The tattoo shop had to go. So I set it alight.

And I will do the same for the next shop she thinks she can go to.

Because that is not happening. She is not letting another man finish my job. I’ll get to it when I get to it. It’s not my fault she couldn’t sit still long enough for me to finish it in the first place.

But this? This is an entirely different game altogether.

If she wants to play, then we’ll play.

But she’ll be punished for it in the process.