Kazimir grits his teeth as he glares between the three of us.
Salv grins. “Don’t worry, I’m going to put her out of her misery.”
“You will not fucking touch her,” Kaz snarls, slamming his hand down on the table, causing our dishes to rattle.
There is a pause of silence at the table. Then, like a domino effect, Salv, Mase, and I laugh. Despite being grown men with careers and empires under us, when we’re together, we can’t help but to act like those dumbass boys that were forced to room together.
“Stop being a bitch and make your move, Kaz,” Mason says. “Before someone comes in and takes your opportunity.”
Kaz shakes his head. “She doesn’t need someone like me.”
Salv places his hand on Kaz’s shoulder, but he shrugs it off.
“If you need help to get your girl, just let me know. You know how good I am with the ladies.”
This time Kaz joins in with Mase and I as we laugh at Salv. He really thought he was a Casanova. Salv thinks because he fills his list with strippers and party girls, he’s this debonair muthafucker, but he’s as crazy as they come.
“I will advise you not to take lessons from him,” I say. “But you can always do like I did.”
Salv snorts. “Yeah, by all means, follow after the asshole that kidnapped his wife and trapped her with a baby.”
“Fuck you, Draco,” I say using Salv’s street name.
We all had street names we used to deal with Brotherhood Familia business. Salv is Draco, I’m Saint, Kaz is Nox, and Mason was Lux or the light. Mason never showed his face; he was known by name only. Because if you ever saw Mason’s face, it was the last thing you’d ever see.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Ask us again when Tiffany forgives your ass,” Mase adds, and the table laughs. I flip them all the middle finger.
For the rest of the meeting, we talked about our plans for the next few weeks. We have a lot of products moving into the States in the coming weeks, and we all need to be on one accord as to when and where to make sure shit runs smoothly.
The waitress comes and clears our plates and glasses off the table as Mason tips the waitress this time. Although our meal is on the house, we still pay the waitstaff.
“So, Nic, any more letters from the Horseman?” Salv’s question grabs my attention.
I quickly glance over at Mason before answering. “No. Nothing else.”
I didn’t tell Salvito and Kazimir about the latest letter. The thought of them reading what the Horseman referenced makes me feel as if my skin is being peeled off. The only person who knows the true trauma I faced at that school was Mason. Trust me, it wasn’t by choice. He happened to walk in on it. I’m still tothis day thankful that my brother came back to that room that day.
“Silence doesn’t mean the asshole isn’t planning.” Mason hands the cash over to the server.
“I agree,” I say. “I’m taking all the precautions.”
“Sis and nephew have been back for a while now. Everything going well?” Kaz asks.
I run a hand down my face. Quickly, I fill them in on Tiffany’s request to go back to work and the fake search for a nanny for Noah.
“I don’t like the idea of her going back to work,” Mason says.
“And you think I do? I don’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice, Nicholas.”
I glare at Mason. He knows nothing about being in love. Mason has arrangements. He finds a woman he likes and offers her a six-month contract to spread her legs for him. When those six months are up, he leaves them with a nice settlement and moves on to the next. To him, romance and commitment is waiting for the ink to dry on his latest contract.
“If he fights her on something as simple as her wanting to go back to work, he will never win her back. He broke her trust. Not intentionally, but he ruined the image she had of him.” Salv finishes the rest of his bourbon, then slams the glass down on the table.
We all stare at him. We can depend on Salv for some bullshit remarks and comic relief. Never has he been the sane voice of reason.
