Chapter 13
Luca pulled out a separate phone as soon as he settled into the back of the SUV. His friend, Maximilian Diatras, answered on the first ring, his voice tight with immediate concern. “What’s wrong?” he demanded, recognizing the emergency line.
“Tanaka is after you,” Luca said, his voice low, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “He’s here in Vegas threatening me, but I received a note this morning indicating that he’s really trying to get to you. And he’s trying to use me to lure you here to Vegas.”
“What do you know?” Max demanded, his tone shifting to analytical and controlled, as always.
Luca explained about the poem, the cryptic message and the attacks on Ava’s company.
“Why the hell would he try to lure me away from Seattle?” Max scoffed. “Even if I were to leave the area, I have competent managers and capos to run the docks. They’re not going to allow Tanaka to just saunter in and take over.”
Luca looked out the window, the city blurring past him as his mind raced through the possibilities.
“My sources say that it has to do with the control you have over the drugs that you allow to filter into your territory,” he explained, his voice tight with frustration.
“Apparently, Tanaka couldn’t break through your defenses, so now he’s trying to weaken mine to force me to call on you for assistance.
He thinks that if he stirs things up enough here, you’ll send a contingent of support to Vegas and confront him, leaving your ports open to invasion. ”
He paused, his jaw clenching as he processed the situation.
Tanaka had been relentless in his attempts to destabilize things, focusing on Ava’s business and trying to use her as leverage.
“He’s trying to get under my skin, to create enough chaos that you’ll have no choice but to intervene.
It’s a power play to get you out of your territory.
It’s not about my turf—it’s about drawing you here. ”
Max was silent for a moment, then he burst out laughing. “He seriously thinks you can be weakened?”
Luca nodded, his friend’s humor lightening his mood. “That’s his theory.”
Max’s amusement faded as he considered the implications. Then he began, “I’ll be there in—”
“No,” Luca cut him off with a grim, determined voice. “You’ve already shut Tanaka out of your territory. It’s my turn to explain to the man that he can’t sneak in here and cause trouble.” He paused, but Max couldn’t see the smile of determination. “My turf. My fun.”
Max chuckled at that, and Luca imagined him shaking his head, amused despite the situation. “Tanaka is messing with the wrong man.”
“Exactly,” Luca replied softly, a dangerous edge to his words. “Just stay where you are and make sure you don’t leave any cracks open for a cockroach to infiltrate.”
“I never do,” Max said with a grin, his confidence unshaken. Then he ended the call.
Luca exhaled deeply and pulled out his other phone, dialing Jim. He needed to move quickly now. “We need a plan,” he announced, then relayed the contents of the poem.
Jim’s chuckle came through the line, full of anticipation. “Music to my ears, boss.”