Chapter 31
Newton
Max
Two weeks. Two fucking weeks of Zoe icing me out.
We haven’t gotten anywhere since the interrogation with Deangelo and Darren.
We’ve just been sitting on the information, and although Zoe’s little field trip to Kahl’s old house with Teddy and Brandon gave us more insight, we’ve decided to wait.
Seeing Zoe cuddle up with Teddy and Brandon these last two weeks, and their constant fucking, has me little angrier than I’d care to admit.
I’m not jealous. Jealousy is for little boys, and it always ends in some form of a bloodied broken nose. No, what I’m feeling would tear the universe apart, shatter the ground beneath her pretty little feet.
Not that I’d ever admit that.
I’m done seeing everyone lazing around this manor, just waiting for information to come to us. So, I’ve decided today was a work day, and Zoe will be joining Dean and me.
“What should I expect on this outing?” Zoe asks, and I don’t miss the disdain in her voice. I grit my teeth, trying to not let it ruffle me as I holster my gun.
“You, Dean, and I will be checking out a few of the businesses we hold shares in. A restaurant on Park Street hasn’t paid us their rent in a while, and one of our gambling rings has caught a cheater that we need to deal with.
” I explain, leaning against the door of the armory as she loads her own gun and holsters it.
“Sounds good, boss.” She gives me a tight lipped, cookie cutter smile that grates my fucking nerves.
Boss. I’ve been boss for two God forsaken weeks, and I’m over this bullshit.
All I did was send her to bed because she was so clearly exhausted.
How the fuck was I supposed to know she needed me?
Teddy’s words have been ping-ponging in my skull for days now.
And yes, I can understand now that maybe she wasn’t physically tired, but perhaps emotionally tired.
She was looking for something to take her out of the busy head space.
And, I suppose it would make sense, that I would be the one to do it.
She was in a place to relinquish her control, and she wanted me to take over.
It’s as if I ran face first into the point and just kept fucking running.
It’s been two. Fucking. Weeks. I’m over the games, and I am over being iced out. She should know, it’s either all of us or none of us. She can’t pick and choose from the brothers.
“I think I liked Maxi Pad more than Boss.” I mutter to myself, low enough that she doesn’t hear me.
I hate feeling like this, so out of control. Unbalanced. “Let’s go then.” I call out over my shoulder and both her and Dean follow me to my range rover.
Dean gets in the driver's seat as always, and before I can take my rightful place in the passenger seat, Zoe steals it. She closes the door in my face, and I click my tongue before I swing it back open, she doesn’t even face me. “Get in the back.” I demand.
“No, I’m already buckled in.” She snarks as soon as she clicks the seatbelt. I let out a humorless laugh and unclasp her seatbelt for her, letting it swing back on its own hitting the plastic interior with a clack.
“Looky there,” I chide, “Now it’s not buckled. Get in the back.” My voice comes out harsh, and she doesn’t even budge. All she does is keep her eyes forward and then crosses her arms with a hum.
Managing to keep my reaction under control I take Zoe’s jaw in my hand, squeezing it to make her face me. “You’re going to look at me when I speak to you, do you understand?”
A fire lights behind her eyes, fury mixed with an expression I can’t decipher. As expected, she doesn’t answer, so I squeeze harder and give her head a little shake, “Speak.” I bark out.
“Yes.” She grits out from her locked jaw.
“Good girl.” I praise, intentionally trying to build that fire.
Fire is better than ice. “Now, you will get in the back seat. The reason being, that the front windows aren’t tinted as dark as the back windows, should anyone try to attack us, I don’t want them to be able to see you.
” I explain, the same harshness steady in my tone.
Zoe’s eyes soften, just barely, so I loosen my grip now that I can the gears turning in her head. “Okay.” She says, and because I can’t help myself, I stoke that fire again.
“Ah ah…” I tut out. “Yes?” I drag out, leading her to say what I want to hear.
“Yes. Sir.” She bites, and slowly she slides from her seat and stands in front of me.
“Such a brat.” I chastise with a knowing smirk playing on my lips. “I’ll need to rectify that.” I then open the back door for her to slide into her proper seat.
I finally get secured into my own seat, and Dean just stares at me and bounces his eyes to get a glimpse of Zoe too. He opts out of saying anything but lets out a low whistle with the shake of his head.
The drive to the restaurant is silent, I take advantage of the quiet to focus on the side work I’ve been orchestrating.
We collected the camera footage from the surrounding area of Zoe’s old apartment, and we were able to catch someone sneaking the same day we picked up Darren-- I suspect this is the person who left the note.
But this bares the question as to why? And how did they know that journal existed?
I’ve reached out to Jessica and Drake to keep their eyes peeled for someone with a tattoo of an eye on the back of their left hand.
It’s the only identifiable feature on this hooded person that snuck in.
I did my own digging, and I know for a fact that none of our hired personnel has a tattoo like this.
I’m lucky to have the local police in my back pocket, because I have my guy at the station searching the local criminals to see if any of them have that tattoo in their database.
I have Brandon and Teddy at that apartment today to look for any cameras or bugs, because it seems a little too convenient that this mystery person also knew where to find this journal, a journal we didn’t even find when we did our initial sweep.
We finally arrive at the restaurant and Dean gets out first to do a scan of the area to be sure the coast is clear; he gives a subtle nod after a moment signaling to me that it’s safe to exit with Zoe.
Zoe is still silent, but she doesn’t reject my hand when I hold it out to help her out of the Range Rover.
It’s a little Italian restaurant called Angelo’s, which is coincidentally run by an old friend named Angelo.
I didn’t want to have to do this, Angelo is a good man and has taken care of us in ways nobody else ever has.
We aren’t really here to shake him for money, we’d still give him protection no matter what, we’re really here to show face and make it seem like we are gonna shake him down.
There are prying eyes all over the city and the last thing we need is people thinking we’re soft.
I explain all this to Zoe as we make our way to the entrance of the restaurant.
The bell jangles when Dean swings the door open, and a stiff silence falls over the restaurant as we step through the threshold.
“We’re closed.” Dean says in his usual gruff tone.
There was a brief pause, but then suddenly all of the patrons got up from their seats and made a swift exit, giving us a wide berth as they passed the three of us.
“Boys, can you stop doing that? Those are paying customers.” Angelo says as soon as he enters the dining area from the kitchen’s swinging door.
“Sorry about that Angelo, you know how it is. We’ll pay for those meals.” I say flicking my wrist towards the empty tables with plates still filled covered in untouched food.
Angelo scoffs as he tosses his rag over his shoulder, “Seems a bit counterproductive if you’re here to shake me down for cash.”
“Consider us even then.” I shrug and we walk as a unit to an empty table.
When I slide into the booth, Zoe sighs and sits on the opposite side, clearly still trying to avoid my proximity, little does she know it’ll just give me the opportunity to get a better look at her.
Dean squeezes in next to her, and I don’t miss the flush of Zoe’s skin then their hands brush against one another—interesting.
“I’m sorry miss, I must have forgotten my manners, I’m Angelo.” He introduces himself, stretching his hand towards Zoe.
Zoe connects her hand with his and gives him a strong shake, “Nice to meet you, Angelo. I’m Z.”
“I’ve known these boys since before they grew facial hair.” He snorts to himself, “So how did a pretty little thing like you get roped in with them?” Angelo asks with a flick of his brow.
Despite me knowing that he wasn’t being disrespectful with the complement, or trying to come onto her, I stiffen. Feeling the need to shield her back at the manor and make sure nobody else can lay their eyes on her.
“They stalked me, then attacked me, then kidnapped me. Now they are holding me hostage and making me work for them by threat of death.” She says it in such a sickly-sweet way that it could have been mistaken as a joke. And had she been sitting with anyone else; Angelo may have thought it was.
Angelo huffs a deep breath and shakes his head, all of a sudden really interested in his shoes, “Well, sounds about right.” He cuts his eyes at me, “If you wanted her to be your girlfriend, you could have just asked her.” This makes Zoe snort a laugh, remembering her words she said all those nights ago.
To my surprise, Dean joins in on the laughing, I haven’t seen him actually laugh in years, the shock is written all over Zoe’s face too.
“What?” Dean asks, as soon as he sees the smile break across my face, and he drops his laughing.
“Nothing.” Zoe and I say in sync, making ourselves busy looking at anything but him. Dean grumbles something unintelligible under his breath and passes a menu to Zoe.
“We’re eating?” Asked Zoe, furrowing her brows; highlighting that little dimple in between them that has become my most recent obsession.