AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Fuck.
The lack of concentration was starting to get to me. I’d been in my own bed and I’d slept maybe two hours. If that. I had to get her off my mind. It wasn’t doing me or my business any good.
“In other words, we could be fucked if we don’t track down Rico.”
While I heard Miguel’s voice, I was paying little attention, my thoughts remaining on Georgia. And little Dillon. The kid had reminded me that we were all born innocent. Some of us simply lost our way early in life. Often that was because of the family we were born into. That was the case in my world. I’d wanted to be an astronaut when I was a little boy, adoring everything about space and the stars.
My mother had encouraged it, even hiring painters to turn the ceiling of my bedroom into a night sky complete with twinkling stars and a bright, glowing moon. My father had quickly shut down my dream, telling me in no uncertain terms that I was following in his footsteps. I’d felt jealous of my brother early in my life because he hadn’t borne the weight of being in our father’s shadow. From the time I turned eight, I’d been groomed to take over.
So much for a fucking childhood.
But I’d had a father and a mother, my grandparents active in my life as well. Dillon had nothing but his mom, but the kid was well adjusted, loving, and highly intelligent. Georgia had done an extremely good job with his upbringing.
I chuckled to myself at the thought. What the hell did I know?
What I knew was that I’d enjoyed myself more than I’d believed possible. What I also realized was that I valued a woman who refused to surrender so easily. She’d fought my control while pushing me to regain my memory.
“And you didn’t hear a goddamn word I said. Did you, bro?” Miguel asked.
“What?” I finally spun around, glancing from my father to my brother. “I’m sorry.”
“You were lost in thought. What the hell did you go through while you were taking that couple of days off?” While Miguel was just teasing, I found myself bristling anyway.
While both Connor and Andres had honored my order about keeping Georgia, her son and dog out of their report and where they’d found me to the basics, my family was pushing for answers about where I’d been. How could I tell them that being nothing but an anonymous stranger had been the most freeing feeling I’d had since I was a boy?
That alone was the kind of weakness I didn’t need. Not when a war could ensue because of what had occurred. I pressed my hand down on the second pair of cheap jeans Georgia had purchased. I’d gravitated toward putting them on instead of trousers and a button-down. While I wasn’t standing in bare feet, the boat shoes were as close as I had to comfortable footwear.
“Is the other shipment still on track?” I asked.
“Yeah. I checked on it this morning. We need to consider what location it’s coming to.” Miguel continued to study me as if he didn’t know me any longer.
“Yes, we do.” I looked away again, still unable to get her off my mind.
My father seemed to sense what I was thinking about, lifting an infamous thick, dark eyebrow as he studied my appearance. “You’ve changed.”
“What does that mean?” I threw at him.
“Two days of living someone else’s life has rubbed off on you. You’re off your game.”
“Well, being hit in the head and almost drowning can do that to a man.” I finally took a gulp of my twenty-year-old whiskey and frowned. It tasted nothing like the liquor I’d had while at Georgia’s place.
“That’s not what happened. I can see it in your eyes, son. I get that almost dying can bring a different perspective but the last we need is a daydreamer. Remember your place in this family.”
As if I needed another reminder. “Don’t worry, Pops. I am well aware of what is required. And what is necessary. We need to track down and keep an eye on Rico. While I doubt he has a death wish, which he’d need if entering our territory, that doesn’t mean he won’t send another group of men to attempt to derail every aspect of our business given his need for retaliation.”
“His brother’s body is really at the bottom of that lake?” Miguel asked as he walked toward the bar to refresh his drink.
I placed my glass on my desk, no longer interested. “Apparently. Since I doubt the lake patrol in Smith Mountain is going to dredge the lake in search of a goddamn criminal given no locals were hurt or killed, his body is likely not to surface.” I’d yet to mention the drugs, not that it mattered at this point. The only thing that bothered me was the possibility my DNA would be discovered on one of the bags.
“It’s possible given all the fishermen on the lake,” my brother countered, which was something I hadn’t thought of.
“If that happens then we’ll need to be prepared for an attack on more than just our operations. Did anything happen while I was gone?”
Miguel shook his head. “No, but after we believed you’d bought the farm, I had my soldiers do a sweep of the streets and put additional security details on every warehouse.”
I walked closer to him, amused at his choice of words. “The last time I checked, they were my soldiers, Miguel. I am the Don of this organization.”
He bent over, turning his extended hand in several circles. “Mea culpa, oh great one. How rude of me. Our leader has returned from the dead.”
