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Jessop sounded tired and strained. I guess Raffaele has turned up the pressure, and Orion and Dante have been filtering money out of his account at a steady pace, making it look like his current wife is overspending and not that it’s being siphoned out by us. His wife makes it easy with her spending habits to move money out. The woman likes to shop, and from what Raffaele has reported, the men have been making Jessop’s life a living hell, after doing their own research and discovering that his wife is a gold digger. Without his money, she’d leave him in a shot.
“Money. It’s always about money,” he spit out.
Nero dug a little deeper. “Are you running a con? Can I get in on that action?”
“It’s taken me months to set this up just as I want,” Jessop said, going into his sales spiel. “I can let you in on it, but it’s a costly venture. You’d have to put up over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
Nero let out a whistle. “That’s a lot of dough, Pops. What do I get as a guarantee?”
“Guarantee? Really! Alessio Cassini is smart enough to get in on this and you think you’re too good for it? I think this is a little too rich for your blood,” Jessop said.
The thing is, Jessop’s whole reason to buy in to this new product was the two hundred and fifty grand. He already thinks Alessio is putting up half for a piece of the pie, and he’s stringing Raffaele along for the other half. Now he’s trying to pull money out of Nero. Fucking guy is as greedy as it comes. He’s planning on walking away with all their money before the deal is done, leaving a mess for Nathan, Alessio, and Raffaele to sort out.
“You’re right, Pops. Not in my league. I’ll have a man deliver your passport in two days. The other half of the money is in cash on delivery. My guy’s not likely to take kindly to you not having it ready for him. No money, no papers. Easy as that, Mac,” Nero warned.
“Yes. Yes. No problem,” Jessop concluded.
The ten thousand that we’re charging for the passport is depleting his resources to an uncomfortable level and the extortionists who have been paying visits for their cut have made it difficult for him to move freely throughout Moldova. Word is that with this money, he’s leaving his new wife and his life behind him and settling into another nonextradition country. After tracing his handle on the net, Orion’s finding him in chat rooms where he’s trying to secure new living arrangements elsewhere. He’s not going to make it that far.
The best part is that we have him on record mentioning a fake passport. That only constitutes falsifying documents, but with everything else we’re accumulating, Jessop’s going away for a long time.
He arrives in New York at six o’clock tomorrow, where he’ll meet with Reno and Alessio. He’s supposed to meet with Raffaele the next night. That won’t happen. Raffaele will enter as soon as we have Jessop in a controlled little room.
I want to see his face when I mention Francesca. I want him to know why this is happening to him. No one fucks with my woman and gets away unscathed. I promised Guard I wouldn’t kill him, and I won’t. I can’t speak for the Mafia men, though. The longer Jessop strings them along, the angrier they’re becoming.
Reno is sending a plane for Guard, War, and me. Orion is hanging back to look after things, Alexander has the flu, and Vi is losing her mind. She hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in two days. Gabby has been extra demanding. Orion’s going to work from his home office and give Vi a chance to rest.
* * *
War and Guard are waiting for me in the driveway, but Francesca is holding on tight to my leather jacket.
“Frankie, it’s going to be fine,” I reassure her. I had to repeat the same thing all last night and this morning. I hate leaving her like this. “We’re going to get this done, then I’m coming home. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.” I drop a kiss onto her pouty lips.
“Don’t take any unnecessary chances. Promise me,” she pleads.
“Promise,” I confirm.
“Nobody gets hurt,” she adds.
“No one except Jessop.”
Reluctantly, she drops her hands and lowers her head. “Call me often,” she asks, adding a very emotional “please.”
“Every chance I get. Keep your phone with you,” I tease and kiss the tip of her nose. “We’re at the finish line, baby.”
Her grin is forced, but I’ll take it. I want this to be over as much as she does, and the only way to do it is to get Jessop Cannington put away for good.
I tear myself away from the door and walk to the two brothers waiting for me.
* * *
Francesca
While Hammer is gone, I keep myself busy any way imaginable. So far, I’ve cleaned the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the bedrooms. I did laundry, which is my least favorite chore, which only emphasizes how jittery I am, and mopped the floors. I’m about to tackle the last few boxes I haven’t opened since the move when the doorbell rings.
To my surprise, I find Quinn standing there.
“I thought you could use some company,” she says, then walks past me and into my living room. I’m surprised because I know she’s on a very important project and hasn’t been able to come to many of the coffee dates with the Lady Pride.
