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I open my arms wide. "I'll smile. Cassidy will smile." I smirk and lean back in my seat. "Our son will fucking giggle."
Jimmy laughs that throaty laugh and this time it's directed at me. "You remind me of Clay toda-"
"I want something from you," I cut in because his warmth feels like a blade peeling my stomach.
He deadpans, his brown eyes narrowing on me. "Se?"
I fix my jaw but try to keep my voice steady and impassive. "Last time I spoke to you about this, I disrespected you and our Family. Which is why I understand how you missed what I had said. So this time, and the last time, I'm going to make myself clear." I lean closer to him. "Wedo not have Cassidy.Ihave Cassidy. She is out of this. I don't want her hands touching anything dirty. And whatever plans you have that deal with Ben Slater is to be discussed with me - I have the final say. I represent that family in our business. And I won't be collecting, so besides full Family affairs, I don't want to be disturbed at night. " I pause and let him absorb what I have just said. Let the trace of aggression that is simmering at the surface of my tongue dwindle. I exhale, eyes still trained on him. "Finally, when the moment is right, I want Dustin. I want to deal with him. My way. If you agree to that, under this scheme, we will have so much control over industry in the District that not even a little fucking cafe renovation will be able to get through approvals without our stamp and cut."
A slow smile spreads across Jimmy's lips, which means he's either going to fucking shoot me or kiss me – sometimes he'll do both. Relaxing into his chair, he swivels it to the side and rests his ankle on his opposite knee. He pulls the document to his lap and begins to read the first few pages. I doubt he has a clue what he's reading, but it doesn't matter. All the fucking fluff and flowers are right there in the introduction. He chuckles to himself and shakes his head as he mouths a few words. Then he slaps the document down on the boardroom table. "When can you have this policy finished?"
"Six months."
He nods slowly and then, without taking his eyes off me, reaches into his pocket and retrieves his cigar tin. He folds back the paper sheet and pulls one out. Wedging the cigar between his teeth, he draws the smoke in, the ember glowing with more vibrancy as he puffs and puffs.
When he slides the tin over to me, I stop it with my hand.
He blows out a cloud of white. "Have a cigar with me, Max."
I close the tin. "So we have a deal then?"
A rough sigh leaves him as he stares straight at me. Lies are easy for dishonourable men to tell. But Jimmy is a man of his word, so although I can see the agreement on his face, his tongue is having trouble sealing the deal. I just need to be confident that this proposition is worth more to him than his pride, more than Dustin, and more than whatever he has planned for Ben Slater, because I will surely say no when the time comes to use him.
"I couldn't run a scheme like this without Max. And we can't trust anyone else with this either," Clay states plainly.
I stifle a grin, burying my cocky fucking nature deep for a moment.
Jimmy removes the cigar from his lips, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. "You, my boy" –he points, waving the cigar– "Facìsti n’affare."
Deal.
Cassidy
Floatingon my back in the canal just outside of casa Butcher, I make water angels with my arms, moving the water forward and back to keep myself stationary. There is no current here, but it's deep enough to allow large boats through. Toni and I tried to dive to the bottom a few times, but I couldn't touch the sand and the water is green and dark and slightly murky. It's clean though, or so I've been told.
I glance down at my bathing suit to look for grime, but there's none to be found. A smile curls my lips. I'm wearing the same pink one piece I wore the first time Max and I ever spoke without the added delirium of alcohol. Pink. High riding at the hips. Arching at the buttocks. I like them. They are both modest and somehow not. . .
As the sun's warmth hits my cheeks in a lovely, soft way, I listen to the water swishing against my ears. Combined with the slow relaxed beat of my heart, it reminds me of my blob. Having only heard his heartbeat a few hours ago, I can honestly say it's such a similar sound.
I have no idea why Max booked me in for another ultrasound so soon. It wasn't necessary until twelve weeks gestation. Maybe, it has something to do with his caveman decision to switch my fricking phone off and have me sleep until fricking 10.am. Yeah, maybe it has something to do with that.
Fricking controlling butthead.
So my later than ideal start, combined with a spontaneous midday ultrasound appointment, basically wrote off today for me. When I feel fingers thread through mine, I grin over at Toni, who is now floating beside me. I drop my legs beneath me and begin to tread water so I can talk to him.
Water beads on his bronzed skin and dark lashes. "How does he even know my screen-lock pattern?" I ask.
He rolls his brown eyes. "Firstly, you don't need to know someone's lock pattern to switch a phone off. Seriously, grandma? Secondly, are we still on this?"
"Yes!" I state, splashing him a little. "I'm pissed at him for making a decision like that for me. If he wanted me to have another ultrasound, he could have just asked. I would have said yes. I would do anything for him. I let him run every aspect of our lives but not my daily schedule. He is at work or the gym. I do my own thing. I'm. . .ugh. He's such a butthead."
Toni wiggles his brows. "Speaking of butts and head. You have to stop holding out on the details. So if you love it when he licks your arsehole, just say it."
My mouth drops open; I am once again floored. "How do you find a way to redirect every conversation to suit your agenda?"
He chuckles, tipping his shoulders in delight. "It's a talent of mine."
A cheeky grin forms across his face, provoking flashes of last night to hit me in a rush. Max's tongue and teeth and. . . I press my thighs together, ignoring the pulsing between my legs. "Yes." I breathe the word. "I like it. Can we move on from that?"
