Chapter 12 Kade
TWELVE
KADE
Machine and I limped out of Domino's Gym with me sporting a few new bruises and Machine with a bruised tailbone.
“Fuck, man, I think Badger broke my ass bone.” He rubbed his lower back, trying to ease the pain.
I couldn’t hold back my laugh. “Quit your bitchin’. You did this to yourself by antagonizing her.” I clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe you will think before you speak next time.”
Machine groaned as he got into the driver’s side of his Durango while I got into the passenger side.
As much as I tried to stay focused on my intercepted artillery, my mind seemed to wander back to Evelyn’s panicked face when I had my hands around her throat.
I was grateful that she was able to work through her emotions with me.
Her trust was an olive branch I didn’t deserve after the way I’d treated her in the office.
A knock sounded before Machine and his dog Lucy entered my home office. Lucy didn’t waste any time coming over to me, her butt wiggling from her excitement.
Lucy was a beautiful Rottweiler pup I had rescued for Machine after he came home injured from the war.
Although she was Machine’s dog, she always listened to me as much as him. She was as much my dog as his, especially since I had two dog beds in the penthouse—one in the office and one in the living room.
After getting her pets and ear scratches, she walked over to her bed and lay down. Machine plopped down on the sofa with a loud sigh.
Turning to him in my seat, I gave him an expectant expression and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m guessing by the look on your face I am not going to like what you have to say.”
Machine put his interlaced hands behind his head. “That’s a safe assumption.” He paused. “I've received word that Ricci is planning a shipment in the next couple of weeks.”
“Okay, this is good news. We can strike back,” I said, not understanding where he was going with this.
“The Sinaloas want a meeting with us and Ricci.”
My eyes bulged. “What the fuck for?!” I roared.
Lucy's head perked up at the noise.
“Miguel wants a new business arrangement and alliance that includes Ricci’s ‘merchandise’ after the stunt pulled with Moretti.”
This wasn’t good news. The Sinaloa Cartel’s leader, Miguel Stefanos, was a lethal mother fucker who had no business entering the skin trade. If he entered the ring along with his drug and gun smuggling, he would be untouchable.
Beneficial for me, but not when I was trying to take down Ricci while making an alliance.
“Cazzo!” I cursed. I sucked my lip into my teeth before asking, “When?”
Machine sat forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “In four days. I requested to have it here where it’s the most secure.”
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Make sure we have everyone on duty, ready to intervene if necessary. Anything else?”
Machine answered with a smug smirk. “So when are you going to admit that you have the hots for a certain brunette?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Don’t you have further arrangements to make with the Sinaloas and Ricci?” I deflected.
Machine chuckled. “Deflect all you want, brother, but I know I wasn’t the only one who noticed the bulge in your shorts when you were sparring with her,” he said as he got up and whistled for Lucy to follow.
When he got to the door, he turned around. “I mean, if you aren’t going to make a move, does this mean I can?”
I threw a tennis ball that I kept on my desk for Lucy at him. He laughed before closing the door.