“I couldn’t say.” I’m not about to tell this woman that she’s right. As it is, I’m going to have to figure out if she’ll be a liability.
I don’t hurt women. Not as a practice. But I’m not above intimidating them. I step closer to her, towering over her.
“Please don’t kill me.”
“Why would I do that?”
She swallows. “I…ah…”
“Where is Darius? I won’t ask again.”
“He’s at the club…the one in Atlantic City. Then he’s gone. Says you won’t find him.” She looks up at me with determined eyes. “I hope you do find him, the prick. He stole my mothers diamond earrings.”
Fucking hell. I don’t want to drive all the way down there.
And yet, two hours later, I’m in Atlantic City, feeling sure the woman won’t tip Darius off.
In fact, I’m sure she hopes I torture him before I dispatch him. I’m not one of those sick fucks that enjoy watching grown men suffer.
The only exception will be whoever kidnapped Rocco.
I enter through the back of the club to the main office. Darius is counting money.
For a moment, he looks excited. I imagine he’s dreaming of a great vacation somewhere warmer than here with an exotic woman sucking his dick.
When he looks up and sees me, all the blood drains from his face. “Boss.”
“Darius.”
He looks down at the money and then at me. I wait wondering what sort of bullshit he’ll feed me.
“I…ah…the money is off, Boss and I’m trying to figure out who’s skimming?—”
“Tsk tsk.” I shake my head. “Haven’t I been good to you, Darius? Paid you well. Rewarded good work.”
“I have no complaints.”
“And yet you’ve stolen from me.”
“I’m just protecting myself.”
I laugh. “From what? Because from where I stand, nothing can protect you from me.”
“You’re going down.”
That surprises me. “You’re going to bring me down?”
He shakes his head. “The Feds. They’ve been circling for years, getting closer and closer. I’m taking what I’ve earned and getting the fuck out.”
“Except that’s not what you’ve earned. It’s what you’ve stolen.” But his comment has me curious. “What makes you think the Feds are anywhere near bringing me down.” Does he know I’m fucking Olivia? I don’t know how.
“Because they’re infesting the business. Even I was approached, but I turned him down.” He says it like I should feel grateful to him.
“Who approached you?”
“That same mother fucker who’s approached everyone in La Corona. Blackwood. I see the writing on the wall. I’m out.”
He’s definitely out. “So let me get this straight. Blackwood approaches you and you turn down giving him info but decide to steal from me and run away.”
