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Six
It was nearlymidnight when Max stepped out onto the porch and walked with Carlos to the red Audi in the driveway. The dinner had been surprisingly enjoyable, and while he’d been grateful for Abby’s presence in the beginning, he’d gradually gotten used to Carlos being in his home. He liked the other man, and if he still had a ways to go to trust, liking him was astart.
“It’s nice out here,” Carlos said. “Quiet.”
“It is,” Max said. “We can still see the lightsthough.”
Carlos looked toward the city, shining like an electric mirage in the distance. “Best of both worlds.” He turned and held out a hand. “Thanks for dinner. It wasgreat.”
Max shook his hand. “Our pleasure.” He hesitated. “Nico tells me in your business, a right-hand man is called an underboss, but I have to be honest, it sounds melodramatic tome.”
Carlos laughed. “I don’t disagree, although I’ve never been close to the positionmyself.”
Max nodded. “Thing is, I need someone to keep an eye on Abby when Ican’t.”
“Are you asking me to be your wife’s bodyguard?” Carlosasked.
Max sighed. “Fuck. No. Sorry. It’s not just Abby. I’m not bringing anybody to the table in my association with the Syndicate — and Nico tells me I need someone at thetable.”
“What do you think?” Carlosasked.
“I think Nico knows a hell of a lot more about this business than I do. I think Jason fucking Draper is back in town, and he once pointed a gun at me and tried to have Abby killed. And I think by taking over this business, I’m opening myself up to other enemies likehim.”
Carlos nodded. “You’re notwrong.”
“So?” Max asked. “Will you do it? It comes with a hefty raise, but more worktoo.”
“Can I ask yousomething?”
“Sure,” Maxsaid.
“Are you offering me the job for a specific reason? Or because there isn’t anyoneelse?”
Max grinned. “Why not a little bit ofboth?”
Carlos chuckled and shook hishead.
“Listen,” Max said, “I told you I’m not bringing anyone to the table. That’s true. I don’t have any close friends besides Abby, and I don’t come to trust easily. But you have the skills and background I need. You’ve been a big help in bringing me up to speed on DeLuca’s operation, his men, his interests in the city. That’s as close to trust as I can get rightnow.”
“What about me?” Carlos asked. “Why should I risk my life foryou?”
It was an honest question, and one that took Max by surprise, mostly because Carlos had the balls to askit.
Max let his gaze travel out over the brush around the house. The moon was full over the desert, the sagebrush and cactus casting strange shadows on the crackedearth.
“I didn’t come to this business lightly,” Max said. “In fact, I didn’t want to come to it at all. It started as a desire to protect Abby from Jason, to shut down the trafficking operation and weapons game he was running with DeLuca. The plan was to get it done and go back to my normal life, although looking back, it wasn’t much of a life after I came back fromAfghanistan.”
“What happened to change your mind?” Carlosasked.
Max shrugged. “Realized this shit is going on all the time whether we see it or not. We can either let people like DeLuca run it — people who take advantage of the depravity of a few — or we can try to run itclean.”
“Never heard someone describe the Mob as cleanbefore.”
Max ran a hand over his face. “It’s crazy, isn’tit?”
“Not so crazy,” Carlossaid.
“The Syndicate makes their money illegally. There’s no sugarcoating that. But they have an honor code, lines they won’t cross. Seems better than thealternative.”
