Page 80 of Scandalous Contract

“I just saw their family on the news. Did the Cattaneos have something to do with that?”

“Did someone pay you to ask me that?”

He chuckled. “You Cattaneos are a suspicious lot.”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“No, no one paid me to ask you that. It was my own curiosity. But if you’re calling me, it means you can’t go through the proper channels because you fear your father or someone in your family will find out you’re looking for this Scott.”

“No. I’m going through you because you get things done fast, and so far, I’ve been able to trust you.”

Plus, if the don got involved, he’d only make the problem bigger.

“I’m glad you trust me. But remember, I do what I do for money. Trust and loyalty are part of my code. However, if I’m ever put in a situation where my family is in danger, I’d give you up like a hooker whose rent is late.”

I laughed at his word choice. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been betrayed. I don’t expect you to choose me over your family, ever. But I also have a family and a woman with a child to protect. And I’d kill anyone I have to in order to keep them safe. Even someone who gave my information to my enemy.”

“It seems we’re on the same page. That’s why I like you, Julian. You don’t pretend to be holier than thou or promise to help me keep my family safe if a problem occurs. You tell it to me straight. That’s why I’m going to tell you this. Your cousin, Patrick Cattaneo, I think he’s up to something. Something I will not get involved with because I love my family, plus my wife would kill me. He asked me to look into something for him, and I turned him down. If he comes for me, I won’t be able to continue working for you. I won’t give up anything about you or what you’ve hired me to do. I just... my family comes first.”

Fucking Patrick!“I understand.”

“One more thing, there’s talk that Patrick has been making moves.”

“Our don is aware of the things his brother does. Look, for the safety of your family, don’t get involved with my cousins. They’re dangerous.”

“Your entire family is.”

“Yeah. But my older cousins...”

Have no code.I couldn’t tell an outsider that. Family was family. Even the ones I generally tried to avoid.

“This is the last thing I’ll ask of you,” I told him.

“I’ll get you the information you need as soon as possible.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, Julian....”

“Yeah,” I said.

“The woman you had me look into. Stefanie Adams.”

“What about her?” I asked, wondering if I’d have to kill this motherfucker.

“I found out something about her husband.”

Her husband?I took a deep breath and released it slowly, my mind moving to the conversation I’d overheard the very first time I saw her in the hospital waiting room. If her husband wasn’t already dead, I’d kill the bastard with my bare hands. He hadn’t deserved her. I was glad he was dead.

“I know all about her husband already,” I told him.

“Everything?”

“Yeah. All of it.”

“That was fucked up what he did.”

“Yeah. If he wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him for her.”