25. Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Ronan
“ L arge americano, please,” I said, holding my card out to the barista before he had finished entering my order into the register. I stifled a yawn, thinking instead about Nellie pinned beneath me and the whines of pleasure that kept me up most of the night. It had been worth it.
When I turned around, Detective Stanton was standing there with his mousy partner in tow. “Well, look who it is, Ramsey,” he said, feigning surprise. We both knew he wasn’t surprised to be standing just out of the line but right behind me at nine in the morning. It was intentional placement.
I smirked, reaching behind me for the cup the barista set on the counter. It was the scalding burst of caffeine I would need to deal with the officers. “You following me, gentlemen?” I asked, blowing over the top of the cup before I took a small sip. It burned my tongue, but I swallowed the bitter lava and took another drink anyways.
“We haven’t seen you around here lately,” Stanton said, gesturing around the coffee shop like he needed to specify where he meant.
“I’ve been getting my coffee elsewhere these days. What can I do for you?” I took another drink of my coffee before I placed the lid over the top.
Detective Ramsey put his hand on his belt and puffed out his chest, but when I looked down at him, he still cowered. I swallowed back a laugh. It was always the ones with the biggest egos who were the easiest to intimidate. “We want to ask you about the increase in drugs in the area.”
“Why? Do I look like I do drugs?” I lifted a brow, satisfied when he looked at me and half-shrugged, as if it wasn’t a rhetorical question.
“I have good sources that tell me they’re coming through The Full Spread, and we know you Morettis have close ties to the joint.” Stanton lifted his chin, as if to reassure me he wasn’t scared of me. He should be.
Our arrangement with Nikki to keep an eye on her club wasn’t one the police needed to know about. There was nothing with our names on it tied to any part of the strip club, and there never would be. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Both officers looked increasingly annoyed with my lack of agreement. Did they really think they were going to get information from me before I’d even had my coffee? By now at least, Detective Dumbass should know better.
“Listen, Moretti,” Stanton spat, getting closer to me and drawing nervous glances from the young baristas behind the counter and the line of patrons who just wanted to get their coffee. “We know there’s something going on between you and the Cassidys, and I’m going to find out what it is.”
“You’re going to be looking a long time, little man,” I said, taking a towering step toward him and forcing him back one. I flashed a smile at him when he stumbled over his feet briefly before he caught his balance. “There’s no connection between me and the Cassidys. Don’t ever put our names in your mouth at the same time again.”
Stanton glared at me, and Ramsey stood between us, looking like he was nervous he was going to have to get involved. “You and I both know that’s not true.” He lowered his voice, like he was only suddenly aware of the crowd around us dispersing as quicky as they could. Some hung in the corners of the coffee shop, watching and trying to listen while pretending to read the ads plastered over the bulletin board. “We know they vandalized your girlfriend’s bakery. Now, one of them is missing, and I have a feeling you know something about that.”
I huffed, grabbing the lapel of his jacket and tugging him close enough that I knew he could smell the few bitter sips I had taken of my coffee. He tried and failed to hide his wince. “You leave Nellie out of it, or there will be a real issue that actually needs taking care of.” I dropped him back to his feet, and he wobbled for a second to catch his balance.
“Is that a threat, Moretti?” Stanton brushed his hands over his suit as if I’d left debris behind, and I clenched my fists at my sides to avoid grabbing him again. If I did, I wouldn’t be setting him down nearly as gently.
Next to him, his partner almost bounced from one foot to the other. He reminded me of a yippy chihuahua squaring off against a rottweiler that would be able to eat it in a bite. I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same thing if they brought Nellie into this again.
“Yeah, was that a threat?” he echoed. I cocked my head to the side and glared at him, and Ramsey stilled instantly. The regret was painted on his face, like he wished he could take back his words and disappear into the shadows. It wasn’t a bad thing to stay off my radar, or the radar of anyone in my family.
“It’s a fucking promise,” I sneered, gritting my teeth. “Leave my girl out of it.”
Stanton chuckled, even though his hands shook when he lifted his arm to elbow his partner in the side. “Looks like we struck a nerve with the girl,” he said. His partner forced a laugh that couldn’t be considered natural, and Stanton turned his attention back to me. “You’ll let your guard down, and when you do, we’ll be watching.” Then, they turned around to leave.
I nodded, unamused by the assumption. “You fellas forgot your coffee,” I said behind them, chuckling when Stanton’s spine stiffened briefly. I took another sip from my cup, already knowing it wouldn’t be enough to chase away the annoyance I felt. Just before the door to the coffee shop closed behind them, I raised my voice and called after them. “See you around!”
Detective Dickhead’s threat echoed on repeat in my mind the entire drive to my office. We struck a nerve with the girl. I huffed, slamming my fist against my desk. They were right. Nellie in general had struck a nerve with me that I wasn’t used to. Women didn’t get under my skin, but it was different when that woman was the now breathtakingly beautiful sister of the man I owed my life to. Even more so when she sounded the way she did last night.
“Damn it,” I grumbled, picking up my phone. I scrolled through my contacts list, clicking on the name of the only real estate agent I could trust with this.
“This is Drake,” he said, answering the phone. He sounded as gruff as always, almost like I had caught him at a bad time.
“It’s me.” I waited while the realization registered with him, first with a confused inhale and then a quick exhale.
“Fuckin’ hell, Ronan. What’s going on?” He sounded almost excited, followed immediately by suspicion. He knew I wasn’t just calling for a friendly chat.
I sighed. “I need to cash in that favor.” I didn’t have to remind Drake I had helped him with his own problem a couple years back, and favors always came back to the surface.
“What’s going on?” Drake lowered his voice, and after a quiet rustle, I heard a door close in the background. “Is everything alright with you and Giaco?”
“Everything is fine.” I considered where to start. “I need your help buying a building.”
“Really?” He laughed on the other end of the line. “Dude, I thought this was going to be something serious!”
I cleared my throat. “This is serious.” Drake coughed to stifle the last of his laughter while I continued. “From what I understand, the sale is almost finalized. I don’t know how far is too far to stop it, but I’ll pay any cost. I need your help to make that happen.”
“What kind of building?” Drake asked, and I could hear him typing in the background.
“A bakery.”
The typing stopped, and Drake laughed again. “A bakery? Really?” He continued typing. “What happened? Did you guys get bored of making pizza?”
“It’s not for me.” I was debating how much to tell him when he gasped theatrically and loudly enough that I had to pull the phone away from my ear. I rolled my eyes. I knew he was going to be amused by it.
“Not your bakery. Don’t tell me it’s for a girl.” He paused, but not long enough for me to answer his question. “It is, isn’t it? Who is she?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I sucked in a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose between my finger and thumb. She was all that mattered. “I just need your help, okay?”
“Yeah, you’re in love.” Drake laughed, deciding for himself that he was right. “What’s the address?” I gave him the address to the bakery, waiting anxiously while he pulled it up. “You’re right. It’s already under contract.”
“Is it too late to stop it from going through?” I already knew it wasn’t, but it wasn’t going to be easy. I would do whatever it took. Drake hummed in the background, and I could practically see him rocking his head side to side. “How much?”
“I’d say you need to go at least twenty percent above the current sale price. If you really want the guarantee, I’d go with thirty.” Drake had gotten me every building I’d wanted in the past, some with a battle, but I always walked away with the deed. I trusted him to make sure this would be no different.
I nodded. “Think you can make it happen?”
“Of course, I can,” Drake assured me, laughing like he was almost offended I’d even asked. I could hear his keyboard clicking more furiously in the background—the sound of determination. “So, who is she?” he asked when the typing slowed.
“Her name is Nellie.” I left it at that. I didn’t have to explain to Drake that she was my best friend’s younger sister, not that he would have any trouble understanding that. “I’ve known her most of our lives, and she’s had some rough cards handed to her. I just want to take care of her.”
Drake chortled. “I know how it goes, man.” He sighed the way he only did when he was talking about his wife, and suddenly, I found myself missing Nellie. Images of her somehow always glowing brown eyes blinking up at me took over my mind. My fingers twitched, aching to run over every inch of her skin again. “I’ll get the offer sent over to them. We’ll get your girl her bakery.”
“Thanks for the help,” I said. “I knew I could count on you.”
He laughed. “Well, I owed you a big one. We’ll call it even after this.”
“Get me the building, and you’ve got a deal.”
We struck a nerve with the girl.