Page 68 of Protective Phlox

“So, you thought you’d be a fucking piece of shit and try to ruin her new life. I should kill you. I’m so fucking tempted, but instead, this is what you’re going to do if you want to live. Listen closely and shut the fuck up. You will do exactly as I say, or you’re going to end up floating in the ocean for the sharks to find.” Shawn nodded as enthusiastically as he could but didn’t open his mouth. “Good, you have some sense. You’re going to go home, and you’re never going to call, text, visit, or do anything else with Savannah ever again. You do that, and I’ll let you live because you helped take care of Savannah’s mother when she was out of the country. But…if you so much as look in her direction for any reason, you’re a dead man.”

As I leaned in closer, my fist pressed harder into his chest. I could feel the thumping of his heart as it beat out of control. “I can promise you that before you die, I’ll make sure you beg for death. Don’t fuck with me, Shawn, and don’t make the mistake of thinking the cops would be on your side. I own this city, and I can make you disappear without ever lifting a finger.” Removing the gun, I kept a firm grip on the worm that thought he was a man. “Do we understand one another?”

He nodded. I smiled even as my eyes promised death. Just the thought of him touching Savannah, let alone fucking her, was enough to make me want to skin him alive. The possessive rage that burned in my gut where she was concerned was lethal, and he was so fucking lucky Cutter was here. I didn’t want to bring that kind of violence into his life so young. It was inevitable, but not now, and hopefully not for years to come.

“Excellent. I’m glad we understand one another. Now get the fuck out of here before I change my mind,” I said, stepping back and letting him go.

My phone dinged with a message, but I ignored it as I watched Shawn scamper around the front of his car. It took the idiot three tries to get the door open before he finally fell inside and took off.

“You want us to follow him and make sure he actually leaves Cali,” Robert asked. I was really starting to like this guy.

“Yeah, take Sal with you. If that fucker stops anywhere, I want to know about it,” I said, pulling out my phone to stare at the notification from an unknown number.

“You got it, Boss,” Robert said as the two men ran for one of the cars and sped away.

I unlocked my phone and stared at the short cryptic message accompanied by a voice recording.

Unknown: I thought you should know.

I skeptically hit play and froze at the unmistakable sound of my father’s voice.

“I thought you would be thrilled with this deal.”

“Would I like the information…yes, of course, I would, but I’m not stupid. This is an extremely volatile situation, Dimitri.”

That was Romeo Mancini. I’d spoken to him a few times and he had a distinctive tone to his voice that I’d know anywhere.

“I know that it’s risky, but what is life without risk?”

“I just don’t know.”

“Romeo, I thought you were not just ambitious but the smart Mancini. What I’m proposing solves both of our issues and keeps our hands clean. No one would blame you for your uncle’s death, and no one would blame Nathaniel for killing him. I’m telling you, Romeo, this is a win for everyone.”

What the fuck was my father talking about? It sounded like Romeo wanted Aldo dead. What the fuck did I have to do with that? I walked inside the house to get away from the breeze that was making the voices harder to hear.

“I may agree with you, but are you really willing to put your grandson’s life in danger? Aldo is insane, and I can’t control what he does or when,” Romeo said, and my heart pounded faster, the pressure building inside my head.

“He’s the bastard son of a federal agent that Nathaniel doesn’t know exists. I don’t care if the girl dies. In fact, it will make my life easier if she does. If Nathaniel makes it in time to save them and kill Aldo, then fine. If he doesn’t, then we will still get what we both want. Nathaniel is hotheaded with a misguided sense of loyalty. He won’t be able to help himself and will kill Aldo either way.”

My hand gripped the phone tighter. There was a long pause, and I looked at the message to see if that was it.

“I don’t know, Dimitri. I don’t like this. It feels like a setup that could backfire six different ways, including starting a war that neither of us want,” Romeo said.

“I’m not setting you up, and you hold the power to get me what I want, which is a place in the overseas action. An in to all the channels I’ve been repeatedly blocked from. I also get free passage through your area whenever I need it. I’ll provide the names of the federal agents in your organization, including the mother of my grandson. I will also make sure that Nathaniel finds out about his son. This is very valuable information that no one else knows, and you can use it to get what you really want. It is a fair trade that you can’t pass up, and you know it.”

“This is a deadly game you’re playing, and if Nathaniel ever finds out what you’ve done….”

“My son will never find out, and as I said, I don’t care if the girl dies. I’d prefer if my grandson lived, but if not, that’s why I have multiple children, isn’t it?” My father laughed, making it clear that none of us were worth more than the next dollar he could make. I almost dropped the phone as the rage and shock collided in my system and froze me in place as I sucked in deep, ragged breaths.

“I guess we have a different view of family, Dimitri, but fine. I agree to your terms, and when you hand the information over, I’ll leak the paternity results to Aldo. I don’t feel right sending Nathaniel in there without protection. So, I’ll have my men on standby to intervene if things get out of control. I don’t need the blood of a kid on my hands.”

“Do what you want, Romeo. As long as you sign the contract, I’ll give you everything you need to know.”

“Send over the paperwork. I’ll read it and get it back to you tomorrow.”

The recording stopped, and all I heard was a ringing in my ears as the thoughts swirled around and all the little dots clicked into place. It was never Cesare, and there was a good chance he never got my messages or even knew what was happening at all. My father leveraged the life of my son on my loyalty and willingness to kill Aldo for going after Cutter and Savannah.

My feet were on the move before I could finish processing what I’d heard. I was going to kill him.