LAKE
As soon as Terzo agreed to meet me, and he was clearly in town for some business, I let Rusher meet with my supposed business meeting.
We arrived at the address, a warehouse downtown. Owen and the other men from Osmium checked the area before they allowed me to get inside the warehouse full of boxes and crates. I didn’t know if these products were even legal, and I preferred not to get involved by knowing any information.
“The best place to do your dirty deeds.”
Terzo gave the guy the papers in his hand. “Deliver it today. I don’t want any delays, Jose.”
“Yes, boss.” Jose, in his late forties, left, ordering other men to load boxes into the delivery truck.
“Dirty deeds? This is legal, Winston. The wine just arrived from Italy yesterday from a family-owned vineyard. The rest are cheese and organic olive oils. I’ll give some to your wife.” He stole a glance at at least five men outside while Owen was standing behind me. “Do you have to bring men with you?”
“I don’t know you, and I don’t trust you.”
“I guess the feeling is mutual, Winston. I don’t trust you that you won’t hurt my baby sister. Why are you here?”
“Order you, man, to stop stalking my wife,” I said casually, slipping my hands in my pockets.
“Excuse me?” He looked taken aback. If I didn’t know what he did for a living, it was almost convincing- this man’s demeanor.
“Don’t play games with me. You’re terrifying her instead of protecting her.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? And I can do whatever I want, however I want. I don’t work for you and certainly won’t take orders from you, Winston.” His eyes hardened as he glared at me. The coldness in his gaze had finally turned into ice.
The tension suddenly rose inside the warehouse, and the hostility was instantaneous.
“Stop playing games, Siciliano. I knew it was your doing.”
“I’m not playing fucking games with you, Winston. I won’t deny it if I did. I pride myself on taking responsibility for my actions. And I value Mr. Braddson’s trust in me and my family, especially my father. I would never do something stupid to infringe on the relationship they had.” His words were steadfast. “What man are you talking about?”
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe someone else was playing games with me, but why?
“I asked Linden to assign a man to look after my wife after you knew I was digging into the identity of her father because she refused to take Homer as her driver. She said I needed Homer more than she does.”
“And?”
“She agreed to take Homer as her bodyguard provided that I would pull out Linden’s man. So I did, and Homer has been her bodyguard, but she said she was still seeing the man outside the Bazz.”
“Maybe you should just let her quit her bartender job.”
“I can’t do that. It’s like cutting her off the internet and away from her friends. She loves bartending.”
“You mean you can’t control your wife.” He scoffed.
“I don’t want to control her, Siciliano. I’m not a ruthless, piece of shit husband. I would never clip her wings.”
“Even if her safety is at stake?”
“She’ll be in danger because of your family, Siciliano. Not from me.”
“And who’s fault was that? Now you have to deal with that. Once the word is out, you can never take it back. And no, I did not assign a man to watch Maverick, and even if I did, I made sure she would never suspect to make her feel paranoid that someone was watching her.”
Then who?
“Ask yourself. Ask your wife. Does she have a stalker before? Maybe a psychopath ex?” he added.
“I don’t think it’s her ex.”
“I’ll take care of the situation.”
“Maybe one of your enemies’ minions.”
“No.”
“How would you know?”
“Most of our enemies can’t come to the States.”
“Did you tell your father about Maverick?”
“Yes, Winston. I have to, but my father would never go behind my back. All orders will come from me.”
“If it’s not your man, she can be in danger.”
“Don’t overthink. Just act.” He scoffed. “Let me guess, you never get into this situation. Well, excluding the women stalking you.”
“This is not a joke.”
“Of course, it isn’t. As much as it pains me to admit it, I respect her choices in men, and she seems happy with her relationship with you.”
“What made you say that?” I asked instantly. I felt like there was something I didn’t know.
“I met your wife after our meeting at Osmium.”
What the fuck? Why didn’t she tell me about this? I stared at Terzo momentarily, wondering what else my wife was not telling me.
“She did not tell you?”
“No.” I shook my head, finding it difficult to admit. I ignored the dull ache in my chest. “What did you two talk about?”
“I won’t tell you that, but that wasn’t the first time we met, and I already told you about it. She was upset, and I was there. We talked about you, and I could see she was fond of you. You make her happy. I could see it in her eyes, but I still don’t like you.”
“What’s not to like me, Siciliano?” I snorted.
“You’re too righteous. You don’t want to get your hands dirty, but maybe it would change your perspective when your wife is in danger for digging up a dirty family history.”
***
Later in the afternoon, I was still puzzled and alarmed to learn that someone was stalking my wife now that Terzo was off the list.
I called Homer. “Keep your eyes on my wife, and be alert. Someone is stalking her.”
“Got it, sir.”
“Where is she?”
“Doing her job. She’ll be out soon.”
A few minutes later, I received a text from her. She was meeting a friend but did not mention a name.
I called Homer again.
“Whose my wife is meeting with, Homer?”
“A man named Terzo, boss.” What the fuck was he doing with her? “They will going to have dinner at Jay Den.”
“Don’t leave her alone. Stay close to her.”
“Is there anything I should know about, boss?”
“He would never harm her. Just don’t leave her out of your sight. I’ll be there soon.”
I instantly informed Owen to ready the car and that we were leaving. “I need backup, OB. Tell them to park outside Jay Den.” Jay Den was Linden’s father’s restaurant, and I knew where it was.
“Right away, boss.”
The Bazz was just twenty minutes top from my office without traffic, and we arrived earlier than expected.
Surprisingly, the SUV was already parked outside the restaurant.
“I’m staying in the car,” I informed Owen.
I barely finished my words. Maverick was already leaving the restaurant, and Homer was following her.
“Something went wrong, OB.”