Page 17 of Maldives & Mistletoe

“Buyer has arrived.”

Tommas shot Adriano a look, and without saying a single word out loud, his gaze said more than enough. Here we go. No time for a fuckup, get it done.

“Be open to negotiation on some aspects,” Adriano said quickly, standing from the table with the rest of them—except Tommas; a boss stood for no one except another boss at his level, “give a little to get a lot, Tommas.”

“We’ll see.”

He would, though. Adriano knew it. Tommas wanted this first contract to go off as well as the rest of them did. It meant more money for the Outfit, and in respect, for Tommas, too.

Next to his wife and son, there was fuck all Tommas liked more than money.

Soon, it was the buyer standing in the doorway. An initial meeting with the man months ago had given Adriano the chance to meet the man face to face. He was stockier, and tall. Mean-faced, but usually soft-spoken, which was a surprise.

Harold Torres’ gaze drifted over the room before landing on them. The man behind him stayed two paces behind his boss, but it wasn’t him that Adriano was interested in, but rather, the items hanging from the guy’s grip.

Two black duffle bags.

Likely full of money.

What else would be in there? He’d been told after all what to bring, and how to bring it. And just the fact that the man had followed every single direction to a T told Adriano one thing only.

This meeting was going to go just fine.

The nod Tommas passed his way said the same. And also, a silent well done from his boss as well. Adriano finally felt like maybe he could breathe.