Page 32 of High

“What is it?” I asked in irritation.

“You have a phone call, Jefe.” Rafael waved his hand at the landline phone on my desk, which we only kept because some of my father’s former associates still used it, older men who preferred to call on that than a cell phone. “It’s Antonio.”

I stiffened, jaw tight, and nodded. Walking around to my side of the desk, I fell into the dark leather chair and waved my hand at Rafael, gesturing him to sit in the seat on the other side. He bowed his head and settled down like I’d ordered, before I picked up the phone and took the call off hold.

“Hola, Tío Antonio,” I said in a snipped tone. “Long time.”

“I’m not your uncle, boy,” Antonio growled, his voice deep and full of the anger I’d become used to hearing since he parted ways with us. “Cut the bullshit. I want my son back.”

I laughed. “That’s not going to happen, Antonio. He’s mine.”

He spewed out some colorful Spanish curse words that almost made me nostalgic because I hadn’t heard much of them since my father died, and then his breath grew heavier on the line, like he’d pulled the phone closer to his face. “Listen here, pinche pendejo, I’m coming for Emmanuel, and when I get there, I will put a bullet in your head. I will watch your brains splatter the ground, and I’ll enjoy every second.”

I leaned back in my chair and stared up at the portrait of the Virgin de Guadalupe hanging on my wall. Mamá had insisted on it when I’d first moved in, and I was weak to her demands. “You won’t get anywhere near me, Antonio, just like you won’t get anywhere near Manny. If you set one foot past that border, I won’t hesitate. I’ll kill you. Manny may love you, but you’re a threat to me and my business. Do you understand?”

“Fuck you, Thiago. I’m coming for Manny.” The line went dead, the dial tone blaring at me.

I slammed the receiver down and cursed that fucking bastard and his stubbornness. I didn’t want it to come to violence, but I had no choice now. If Antonio came near us, he’d have to die.

“He’s threatening to come get Manny,” I said to Rafael, leaning my elbows on the desk. I glared at the coffee stain on the dark wood in front of me.

“He won’t get anywhere near us, Thiago. Our men are ready for him.”

I shook my head. “I can’t risk Manny being taken. Double the guards. I don’t care if you have to hire mercenaries.”

“Thiago, think rationally,” Rafael said, leaning closer to the desk. The dark curls on his head seemed tighter today, as prominent as the stress lines on his face. It took a lot to be my second-in-command. “The men will wonder about wasting resources on Manny.”

“I don’t give a fuck. He’s mine, and I won’t risk him being hurt.” I stroked my chin. “Maybe we should go to Pleasant Beach early.”

“Then you wouldn’t have that many men protecting you,” Rafael argued, mouth pressed in a thin line.

“But it would be harder for Antonio to find us, and Pleasant Beach is neutral ground.”

“Do you think Antonio will care about that? He’s not living in America. Odin’s rules don’t apply to him.”

I snorted. “Oh, they will. Trust me. Odin has fucking contacts.” I decided that leaving today was the best idea as I stood and stalked around to Rafael. I gripped his shoulder. “Tell the men I’m going for a few weeks. Put out a contract for Antonio’s head.”

“Are you sure that’s wise? Manny said he didn’t want his father dead.” He stared up at me, dark gaze firm. He looked worried for me as a family member and not a businessman.

“He doesn’t have to know. It’s in his best interests.” I squeezed his shoulder. “Get everything ready for me. I’ll let Manny know we’re leaving.”

I didn’t give him a chance to say anything more. Stalking out of my office, I headed back to the kitchen to find Manny. He smiled at me when I entered, licking at the last drops of syrup on his fork. The plate was clean.

I smiled. “Did you enjoy it, hermoso?”

Manny licked his lips, eyes twinkling mischievously. “Second best thing I’ve tasted.”

“Second?”

“I haven’t tasted you yet, but I bet you’d be the first.” He grinned.

I chuckled and kissed him. His lips were as sweet as he was, but it might have been because of the maple syrup, too. “Funny, hermoso.”

He shrugged. “What can I say?”

Shaking my head, I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “How do you feel about going on a vacation?”

“Vacation? Where? I just got here, and I haven’t surfed yet.”

I stroked my thumb up his cheekbone and across his jaw. His skin was soft to the touch. “You can surf in Pleasant Beach, too. I have business to attend to next week, but I thought we could go earlier. Spend some time together.”

“Really?” He cocked his head, grinning. “I haven’t been there before, but I’ve heard about it.”

“It’s beautiful. Tall buildings near the beach. Big waves. It’s not far to drive, either. About halfway to Los Angeles.” I pressed my forehead against his and smiled. “We can get a beach apartment for a couple of weeks. What do you say? If you get uncomfortable with the wide-open space, you can always just go right back to the apartment. I’ll keep you safe, hermoso.”

He closed his eyes, nodded. “Okay.”

I slanted my mouth over his and kissed him gently. “I’ll take care of you. Always.”

“I trust you,” he whispered.