"So you were there," Des said in surprise.
"Answer me, Des."
"I heard it from Tallen, okay," he said, gazing away.
Othello gritted his teeth and planned on punching the shit out of his new capo when he saw him.
"Tesoro, look at me." He waited for Des to look his way. "I'm fine, and nothing will happen to me."
"You don't know that."
"I do." He leaned down and kissed Des on the forehead. "After I settle everything, how about we go somewhere."
Des sighed. "I know this is your way of changing the subject, and I'll go along with it for now." He hugged Othello, wrapping his arms around him. "Just don't get hurt. I can't live without you, especially now that you've wrapped your way around my heart."
Othello pressed his face on the top of Des's head, closing his eyes. "You too, Tesoro."
They stayed like that for a few minutes before Des stepped back. "How soon do you have to leave?"
"I can spare a few more minutes. Why?"
"I need a shower. Want to join me?"
Othello smiled. "You never have to ask."
They made love again in the shower before Othello left for his drive to Silver Port. There, he met his team and had the weapons taken care of, but he had other things to take care of. He had to get them out of the country before the cops figured out what he was doing. So, in the following hours, he and his men worked tirelessly to get the weapons shipped out by land and sea before he could return to Verona Heights, just as the cops and feds pulled up at the auction house.
"What's going on here?" Othello asked, getting out of his car.
"Othello Moor," a familiar voice said as they approached him with a neatly folded paper in his hand that Othello didn't reach out to take. "We have a warrant to search your property."
"Why?" he asked calmly, staring at Detective Oz. "Has someone reported us for a forged painting or something? I can assure you that our collections are all genuine. So you can take your men home."
"Are you hindering us from enacting a court-ordered warrant?" Oz growled.
"You haven't told me why you want to search my property," Othello said, putting his hands in his pockets. He leaned against his car as if he had no care in the world.
Detective Oz narrowed his eyes at Othello. "We got an anonymous tip that you are harboring illegal guns and other weapons in this vicinity."
"I'm an upstanding businessman, Detective Oz. I wouldn't do anything to bring shame to my family's name," Othello told him.
"Businessman, my ass," Oz snarled. "I know what you and your family are into.”
"I would never look at your ass, detective. I can honestly say you're not my type," Othello said, ignoring his men coughing to mask their laughter.
"I feel you're trying to stall for time, Moor. Whatever the case, my men and I will search every nook and cranny of this place."
"Far be it from me to stop you from doing your job, Detective. However, please be gentle with the priceless art. I promise not even two years of your salary would cover the cost." He waved a dismissive hand and watched as Oz huffed, then walked away.
The men searching his property were not as gentle as he had asked and broke at least one piece of the priceless collection worth over fifty thousand dollars and up. Othello remainedsilent, keeping his posture calm, especially when Oz moved the bookcase, revealing a safe where he had kept the weapons hidden.
If Othello had doubted that someone on the inside was working against him, he would have been more convinced now than ever. Only he, Alessandro, Iago, and a handful of his trusted men knew where they were. Three hours later, Othello was sporting a bright smile as he watched an unhappy Detective Oz leave the auction house.
His face became serious the second the cops drove off. "Fuck!" he cursed, kicking the broken piece of statue the cops broke during their search. "Get this place cleaned up." Looking around the showroom, Othello realized there was no way he could have the auction now. He had stock, but not as priceless as the ones the cops broke.
"Fucking cops," he growled, wanting to punch something or more like someone hard.
Des openedthe door at the insistent knock, hoping that it was Othello returning quicker than he said he would, but he was stunned when he saw his mother standing at his doorstep.
