AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It takes me an hour to reach the abandoned house we use as our storage facility for drugs before shipping them out. We still haven’t received the next load from Ajello, so I decided to use the place to hold the first firearms shipment for the time being. Six of my men, weapons in hand, are guarding a big truck parked in the back. Only half of the cargo has been unloaded. Several yards to the right, there are two black cars. Bogdan, the head of the Romanian crime organization, is leaning on the hood of the car closest to the truck, his arms crossed over his chest.
I park my bike between the truck and Bogdan’s car, remove my helmet, and face the Romanian leader. “You wanted to meet.”
“I want an explanation,” he bites out.
“About what?”
“That!” He points toward the crates piled next to the truck. “We’ve had a nice collaboration for the past ten years. I gave you the best product and great rates. So, I want to know why you suddenly started buying weapons from someone else, and what the fuck are you planning to do with ten times the amount you usually order.”
I take a quick look inside the cars. There’s a guy in the passenger seat of the vehicle Bogdan is leaning on, and one more in the other car. Someone obviously told Bogdan I had a truck full of guns and ammunition arriving, but he doesn’t know I plan on reselling the goods. If he did, he would have brought more men with him. I could tell him my needs have changed, that I need more weapons, but he’ll soon realize what’s happening.
“I made a call to the home country,” I say, “and struck a deal with Lutovac. As it happens, we went to school together. He knows what I like, and we came to an understanding that a partnership would be to both our benefits.”
A mix of surprise and anger flashes across Bogdan’s face the moment he hears the name. There are two major dealers of small firearms and ammunition in this part of the US—Bogdan and Endri Dushku. They both get their product from Lutovac, a Serbian supplier based in Belgrade. The fact I’m now working directly with Lutovac makes it clear I have the product available for resale.
Bogdan pushes off the car. He’s nearly shaking with rage, fists balled at his sides as he comes right up to me. “You won’t be selling arms on my turf, Drago.”
“There is nothing you can do about that, so I advise you to accept the new situation and walk away. For old times’ sake, don’t make me kill you.”
“We’ll see about that.” Bogdan’s nostrils flare as he grinds his teeth, but he turns and gets inside his car.
I watch both vehicles leave, then dismount my bike and head toward my men standing by the truck.
“Load everything back inside. We need to move the goods to another location. This site can’t be used anymore.” I turn to Filip. “How the fuck did the Romanians find this place?”
“The driver says they followed him from the border. He thought he lost them at one point, but they turned up here while the guys were unloading the crates.”
“Who talked?”
“It can only be the man we bribed to arrange for the truck to bypass cargo inspection. Wesley P-something.”
“Find out his full name and address. I’ll pay him a visit tomorrow,” I say.
“What are we going to do with the Romanians? Bogdan isn’t likely to let this go.”
“He won’t. I need you to add more men at each storage location.”
“You think Bogdan will try something? Why not kill him now?”
“If you go around offing past business associates, no one will do business with you. Unfortunately. But if he attacks first, I’ll have cause to dispose of him.” I bend and grab the closest box of ammunition.
* * *
It’s almost six in the morning when I get home. I climb the stairs to the top floor, heading for the last door at the end of the hallway. The lights are off in my bedroom, but the curtains are pulled back, allowing the faintest morning glow to fall onto the body curled up on the left side of my bed. The plush carpet muffles my steps as I walk across the room and come to a stop next to the footboard.
Sienna is sleeping on her side, clutching a pillow between her arms and legs. Her hair is loose, and some of it has fallen over her face. I cast my eyes down her curled form and feel my lips tilt upward. It seems that my wife’s eccentric fashion extends to her nightclothes, as well. She’s wearing silk pajamas—pants and a top with spaghetti straps. It’s a zebra print set, but the colors are purple and pink.
I watch her for a few moments, wondering why I’m so fascinated by her. From the moment I left her in the dining room earlier this evening, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I don’t like it. The only thing that should interest me as far as my young wife is concerned is her ulterior motive for marrying me, but I find myself completely captivated by her strange essence. It’s as if I’ve discovered a previously unknown creature, one whose behavior is completely contrary to what would be expected.
For a girl as sheltered and spoiled as she probably has been, coming to a new place where she doesn’t know anyone should be stressful. Uncomfortable. I expected her to start whining, asking me to take her back to her brother. Instead, she took it all in stride. All along, she wore a mischievous smile on her face and emanated that irritatingly cheerful energy. It’s as if she’s not bothered by this whole situation in the slightest.
Sienna DeVille is a surprise.
And I hate surprises.
With one last look at my stunning bride, I head into the en suite on the other side of the room to take a shower. Ten minutes later, I climb into bed and sprawl next to my wife. She’s turned away from me, and hell if I know why, but I don’t like it. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her closer until her back is plastered to my front. Then, I throw one leg over hers, entangling her body with mine, and close my eyes.
Chapter 6
