Chapter 21 Teo #2
“Baby,” Orlando tried to interject, his voice a low warning, but Bianca waved him off, her eyes locked on mine.
“You didn’t even know we had eyes on your whole damn operation before the wedding,” Bianca snapped, eyes narrow and locked on mine.
“You think you’re the only one with reach?
One Reed down... only a Donatelli or two to go. ” She smirked.
It wasn’t surprising she was so brazen and spoke recklessly.
Bianca and her family were a powerhouse.
At least they were back in the day. It was the reason she and Orlando married in the first place Her family gave him legitimacy, but between Reeds and Donatellis, we had practically dismantled their entire empire over the years.
“What did you say?” Yanna who had been sitting quietly chimed in, her eyes narrowing on a heated Bianca. She turned just enough to face Bianca fully. “Say it again. Louder this time.”
Orlando’s wife didn’t even blink, but her mouth pressed into a tight straight line. She hadn’t been talking to Yanna, but now she had her full attention. Her fingers tapped impatiently on the table, and the small muscles in her jaw ticked.
Oh, she was pissed, but it didn’t faze my lady.
That was the one thing I never had to worry about with her. Defending her family... she would always stand her ground, no matter who it was. She stood up to me multiple times. Bianca would be light work.
“I don’t believe I stuttered. You heard me,” Bianca replied, unfazed by the rising tension.
“Damn, baby... and here I was thinking you were being a little too hard on them. Thinking they weren’t even the real problem.” Yanna turned her pout toward me, then looked back at the couple and let out the smallest giggle.
Before I could even say anything, or even agree with her, Yanna waved over a bottle girl. “Let’s get a round of drinks, shall we?” she said with a mischievous grin. “We might as well celebrate since we are commemorating our losses. Celebrating a fallen Reed. Right?”
The tension in the room was palpable. Bianca blinked slowly attempting to downplay the hidden message. But Orlando shifted, telling me everything I needed to know. He’d caught the threat... or rather the promise.
“Don’t worry,” Yanna said sweetly. “We’ll raise a glass for everybody’s loss tonight.”
The barmaid returned, handing us all a glass. Yanna accepted hers without looking away from Bianca, and I took mine without lifting it yet. The tension was so thick the server didn’t even linger around for a tip.
“I guess we should forego a toast. Or long drawn-out speeches.” Yanna lifted her glass taking a long drink.
Bianca’s jaw tightened. Her fingers tapped against the side of her glass, then curled around it like she was seconds from tossing the cocktail across the room. The more she looked at us, the redder her light face got. She was fuming.
“You’re not going to drink with us? That’s kind of rude don’t you think?
” My girl taunted her. “I mean the least you could do is share a drink, especially since you ruined my honeymoon with this guy.” Her thumb flicked toward me without looking.
” The North is up for grabs. The South is in shambles. You won, right?”
She gave a soft shrug, her smile stretching wider. “Why not celebrate?”
“You know what? You’re right.” Bianca reached for the glass with the nastiest smile on her face. “Fuck the Reeds. And the Donatellis. Good riddance!”
She raised the drink and looked Yanna straight in the eye before tossing the liquor back in one long pull.
“The only reason you are here is because your house is falling apart. You’ve lost the respect of your men, and your precious faction. You’ve lost control.” She giggled. “You’ve shown your hand. You’re desperate. This is good.”
My face was stoic when I finally lifted my own glass to my lips and looked at Orlando. “You should really consider putting a leash on your bitch. Or maybe a muzzle. Her mouth...” I shook my head, watching her run it freely, not even realizing she was giving me everything I needed.
“B, quit talking,” Orlando finally demanded.
“Why? It’s nothing he or his bitch can do to us.
Everyone with power is gone or running scared.
The wedding put a target on his back. No one will ride with him now.
And once Isabella take full control of her family, we will move on all the territories you took from us.
Take back all of our contacts you stole.
And will get revenge for every family member you’ve wronged.
” That last little bit of her rant she slurred.
I looked at my watch. “Well shit, that worked fast.” I glanced back at her. Glassy eyes peered back at me, while her hands trembled. “Go on. You were saying?”
She blinked slow, like her lashes were all of a sudden too heavy.
For a second, that cocky smirk slipped from her lips, and her hand dragged down the column of her neck.
Whatever had been creeping in, it was already starting to show.
When her elbow hit the table, the thud wasn’t loud, but the panic that jumped across Orlando’s face was.
He squinted at her, finally noticing the way her posture had slumped just enough to be off.
“What did you do to her?” Orlando’s voice boomed across the table. “Hey—look at me!” He yelled at his wife. Her movements were slow, but she managed to meet Orlando’s gaze.
He picked up her glass, inspecting its contents. “What did you put in here? I swear if anything happens—”
“You swear what?” I finally let my anger surface, slamming my glass down, hard enough to rattle the table. “I told your bitch ass the last time we crossed paths to stay outta my fuckin’ way and to control your bitch. You’ve done neither.”
Yanna took a slow sip, still watching Bianca with that same soft smile while I delivered the real message.
“You got twenty-four hours to put Isabella in front of me, or you’ll be planning more than your wife’s funeral. Your son...”
I pulled out my phone, showing the video surveillance of his son’s house in Decatur.
He stared at the screen, quietly. His shoulders stiffened when he recognized the street, the house, and the white BMW parked in the driveway.
He didn’t bother asking how I got the footage.
He already knew. We were both men with the money and means to get the info we wanted.
My pull was just a little bit stronger than his, though.
“I will wipe out your entire bloodline. You remember what war with me was like...? Hmm?”
I leaned back in the booth and took a long look at both of them. Their faces were pale, eyes wide, and full of disbelief. For years, women and children had been off limits, but this level of disrespect couldn’t go unpunished.
Orlando’s voice dropped, finally cracking.
“No… no, you don’t gotta do this. We can work this out before this shit gets too far.” He shook his head, still processing my threats, watching the life drain from Bianca’s eyes. “What did you give my wife? You poisoned her?”
“That’s what we are doing right now. Evening the scale. Your wife has been busy. Her and her new friend... Isabella. Did you really think you could fund a hit, poison guests at my wedding, and it go unchecked? The way I see it, this makes us even.”
“Good riddance… right?” Yanna chimed in a little smirk on her lips. “I don’t know maybe you’ll make it. My father did.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. I say you got a good eight or nine hours. Do yourself a favor, take her home now, and at least make love to her one last time.” I told him honestly.
The poison was already starting to take effect, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
“Go take care of your wife. Or don’t.”
“You will pay for this.” Orlando started shouting and fussing but I was already standing. My demands had been made.
“No, you will if Isabella isn’t delivered to me in twenty-four hours.” I slid out of the booth, taking Yanna’s hand and pulling her with me. “You know where to find me. Clock’s already ticking.”
As we moved toward the exit, one of the owners peeled away from a nearby booth, catching pace with me for a few seconds. I didn’t stop walking, just spoke low enough for him to catch it.
“Good looking on the Moccasins. Make sure the girl gets paid… the server,” I murmured, slipping him a stack of hundreds. “For her services. She did good.”
He nodded once, and I continued toward the door, knowing tomorrow would be a whole new set of problems. Killing Isabella was going to create a problem with Gianni. There is a good chance that I would have to take care of her entire bloodline.