Page 61 of Precious Hazard (Perfectly Imperfect #11)

“You know we can’t get into it with them, Arturo. Or retaliate against Katrakis.”

Yeah, I do. As it turns out, the Vipers owe quite a bit to the Greeks.

Money that they got on loan to pay for their shipment of coke.

Until this morning, we were unaware of that connection.

Still, even knowing that Katrakis was pulling their strings, we’re up against a code that allows the underworld to coexist without blowing itself to kingdom come.

It dictates that only the wronged party may retaliate.

Since it was the Serbian establishment that was assailed, only Drago can take action against the gang or the Greeks.

Even though the Serb is our business partner, in this matter, Cosa Nostra’s hands are tied.

“I don’t fucking care.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you in such a great mood on a beautiful sunny day like today,” Nino snickers. “Married life obviously agrees with you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah? You want me to show you how overwhelmingly happy I am by giving you another split lip?”

“Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad.”

Yes, it can. The jury is still out on whether my ass wants to be home right now so I can strangle my wife for her audacity, or so I can fuck her senseless.

“I told Tara, in no uncertain terms, that until this situation is resolved, she is not allowed to leave the property unless I’m with her.

I wasn’t gone five minutes before my security guy called to let me know that she tried to sneak out through the gate. ”

“You were no doubt tactful and very courteous when you informed her of that requirement.” Nino’s smirk widens as he crosses his arms behind his head. “And you surely assured her that you care for her deeply and that you’re only worried for her safety. Right?”

“No.” In fact, I did everything to make it sound as if I was only trying to avoid potential trouble between Cosa Nostra and the Serbs that would spring up should anything happen to her.

“Why not?”

“It’s none of your business, Nino.”

“You two need serious couples therapy, my friend.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Yeah, I’m afraid no amount of relationship counseling will be enough to fix how badly I fucked up.

Even if I ignore my pride and confess the truth…

that I’m desperately in love with her, it wouldn’t do any good.

The woman absolutely detests me. And what would I tell her, really?

Forgive me for being a dumb fuck. I did what I did because I wanted to push you away.

Because I couldn’t stop myself from falling for you, and I didn’t know how to deal with that.

Yeah, that’ll certainly set everything right.

How do I make her understand the reason for my dumbassedness?

That, for years I’ve associated love with pain.

With loss. Losing someone you love is the fate of everyone in this world, but when that love is ripped away from you in the most brutal fashion, it leaves a scar so deep, so jagged that it never heals.

I lost my parents. Almost lost both my sisters, which opened that wound all over again.

The last thing I ever wanted was to allow myself to love my wife.

And then to lose her, too. That would destroy me.

Decimate me completely. Annihilate my soul.

Tara’s appearance in my life was a knockout punch I never saw coming.

From the moment we met, I was a goner. For her.

But I couldn’t admit it. Couldn’t accept it.

Couldn’t face the possibility of losing her.

Deep down, I knew I would never survive it.

So I’ve said and done horrible things to the woman I love to prevent my own destruction. To avoid love at all costs.

“Arturo.” Ajello’s voice booms across the room and startles me. “When was the last time you heard from Riggo?”

I look up, meeting his steely gaze. He’s still on the phone.

“I’m… not sure.” My forehead furrows as I try to remember.

“Two, maybe three days ago. He was driving me nuts, wanting more responsibility. So I sent him over to Pietro’s crew.

Figured he could lend a hand while they tail Katrakis.

Pietro sent me a text, though, saying he had plenty of people on it already.

So I assumed he found another job for the kid. Why?”

“His sister told Milene that she hasn’t been able to reach him.”

“That’s strange. The boy can be annoying as fuck, but he’s always been reliable.” I turn to Nino. “Has the surveillance team checked in?”

“Yeah, but as far as I know Riggo wasn’t with them. Would he be dumb enough to try tailing Katrakis on his own?”

I groan. That definitely sounds like something Riggo might do. “Can you ask one of your boys to check the GPS locator on his car?”

“I can do it myself, from here.”

Ajello nods and goes back to his phone call while Nino flips open his laptop.

The rapid tapping of his fingers on the keyboard provides a subtle soundtrack to the boss’s occasional groans.

He’s probably hearing another anecdote about Milene’s demon cat.

Ajello is about due for his weekly threat to “gut that scrawny little shit.” No matter how much he grumbles, though, he ends up capitulating to his wife and her ever-growing collection of pets.

“Fuck.” Nino’s curse echoes through the room.

“What is it?”

“The main tag in Riggo’s car has been disabled, so I ran the search through the secondary GPS. I had it installed as a failsafe on all vehicles used by our greenhorns.” He turns the laptop around. “Check out the location of the pin.”

I grab the laptop and pull it closer. On the screen, the map shows the red marker over a place in Queens, just outside the airport.

“A self-storage complex.” I glance up. “One that belongs to the Greeks.”