Page 29 of Steal My Heart

A smile touches my lips. “His loss.”

She goes to hand it to me, but I shake my head. “Serves him right. You keep it.”

“Serves him right for talking to your ‘houseguest?’” Remi raises an eyebrow.

Yes, I want to irrationally answer.

Clearing my throat, I announce instead, “If you’ll excuse me. I have business to attend to. We’ll discuss our ‘project’ later this evening.”

“Your bicep must be huge, carrying around such a heavy hand.”

I give her a blank look.

“Come on! Not even a hint of a smile.”

My “heavy” hand bands around the thin column of Remi’s neck, her eyes going wide. “While you’remyhouseguest, you’llrefrain from flirting with other men. Unless you want to find another dead man floating in the pool.”

Letting the threat settle in nicely, I release my hold and walk out, but not before giving myself another pat down.

Joining Nic in the study, I close the French doors behind me.

“I’m sorry, boss, about the woman,” my cousin says. “Meant no disrespect. I thought she was one of Al’s tutors or something.”

“She’s not your concern, and that’s all you need to know,” I say gruffly.

He holds up his hands. “Understood.”

“Loan principal with interest.” I hand him an envelope.

“Thanks, boss.” Nic pockets the cash. “Did last night’s banking have anything to do with the shootout?”

“Who in the family has heard about that?” Nic serves as a sort of de facto underboss while Fabien continues his residency at Club Fed.

“Not sure. But it was all over the local news.”

“Keep your ears open.”

“Sure, but boss, uh, there is some rumbling. Not about the shooting, but about the rumor of you phasing out the skin trade.”

“Who’s running his mouth now?” I sigh.

Nic goes down the list of aging capos. “They think you’re too concerned with your image.”

“The old guard needs to get with the times,” I say dismissively. “We can make just as much money, if not more, through legal channels, with less potential for exposure.” Between the revolving door of girls, a diva of a madam, and family members being unable to keep their noses cleanandtheir cocks in their pants, the prostitution ring is more trouble than it’s worth.

“That’s the issue, I suppose. Mafia old school versus businessmen and boardrooms.”

“Those things aren’t mutually exclusive,” I snap.

Nic holds up his hands. “Just relaying the information.”

“Very well. Call a family meeting. I want to make sure everyone’s on the same page.”

“You got it, boss.”

Remi

The family.