27. Romeo
27
ROMEO
F ranco gave me a heads up that Elliot Hines was talking about meeting with me, and at first, I was skeptical. I assumed that he wanted to discuss Tessa, and if that was the case, I would not budge. I didn’t care what he had arranged unofficially between his parents and hers. It wouldn’t stand in my way of a future with her.
When more hints came to me through the spies that worked for us, I decided I’d cut to the chase and go to the asshole. If he couldn’t man up to ask me to meet with him, he was either a coward who was afraid of the Constella name, or the rumors about his interest in speaking with me were nonsense.
I showed up, alone, and told his sex kitten of a secretary why I was there. “I’m here to speak with Hines.”
She smiled, a practiced expression of patience that I doubted she felt. “I’m sorry, but Mr. Hines isn’t available at the moment.”
“Yes, he is.”
She blinked, maintaining that air of patience but seeming curious. “And who might you be?”
“Romeo Constella.” I stared her down as she looked at her computer monitor.
“Hmm. I don’t see you in the books for any time this week. Are you certain you’ve made an appointment?”
I set my hand on her desk and leaned in, letting my jacket slide open until she saw my gun holster. “I don’t make appointments.”
She sobered, looking at my gun and keeping that polite smile plastered. “Oh. I see.”
“Do you?”
She slowly smirked as she raised her brows, indicating for me to look at the cameras in the corner of the receptionist room. “Mr. Hines’s security personnel can see too, you know.”
“Who? The fucking bikers?” I mocked as I looked her in the eye.
“Mr. Hines isn’t available, sir. If you would like?—”
I walked past her, heading for the only door she safeguarded.
“Hey! Wait just a moment now. You can’t?—”
I could. And I did. I wrenched the door open and strode in, quick enough to close the wooden panel before she could follow me in.
“Who the fuck—Oh.” Elliot Hines recovered from his shock. The scowl of annoyance fled his face as he smiled. “Constella.” Then he rolled his chair back and tilted his head, indicating for the whore on her knees to scamper off. She wiped her face as she got up. Without sidestepping, I let her pass me on her way out.
Elliot zipped up, looking mighty pleased with himself for buying a blowjob.
“Am I interrupting?” I asked dryly.
“Not with anything I can’t get whenever I want.”
Cocky moron.
“I doubt you care if you are interrupting, anyway.”
“Correct. I don’t give a fuck about your agenda.”
He smiled. “This is just a pleasant stop by, then?”
“No. I heard that you’ve been wanting to speak with me. I suppose you’re too scared to come out and tell me directly what the fuck you want, but I’ve got a guess.”
“Oh?” He cocked his head to the side, causing his thinning hair to shift over. It wasn’t a combover, but it soon would need to be. “What’s that guess?”
“Tessa West.”
Elliot laughed and rolled his eyes. “I have heard that she was staying with you.”
“Not just staying with me, motherfucker. She’s mine.” Forever.
He waved his hand flippantly. “Okay. I don’t care who that fat ass ends up with.”
Anger coursed through me. I resisted the temptation to pummel my fist into his face for that insult. Tessa wasn’t fat. Not at all. Instead of letting his taunt get to me, which I knew was his intention, to rile me up, I waited for him to continue.
“Her parents always thought that I’d settle for her. That I’d lower my standards to marry her.” He rolled his eyes again, looking like a pimpled, lanky, balding nerd. His standards? I bet that whore was paid double time to even look at his nasty, tiny dick.
“It would be an act of charity to even give her my attention for more than a quick fuck.”
I smiled, slowly and sinisterly. Tessa would never let this creep near her. He’d never know the perfection of her body.
“She’s not smart enough for someone of my position.”
I snorted. “Your position.”
He nodded. “My position as mediator for several influential members of society.”
This kept getting better and better. “Let me guess. ‘Influential’ men like Stefan Giovanni and a dumbass named ‘Reaper’?”
He furrowed his brow a bit, not liking how I made fun of his clients, but he caught himself quickly and wore one of those smarmy smiles again.
“That’s why I considered arranging a meeting with you, Mr. Constella. To discuss an agreement with their corporations.”
“Corporations?” I shook my head. “Cut the shit and call them what they are. A biker gang and a has-been Mafia Family.”
His jaw slid as he clenched his teeth. “We are interested in speaking with representatives from your father’s organization about?—”
“No. Don’t try that bullshit with me. I am his second in command. It’s not my father’s organization. It’s ours . Anything you want to tell him, you tell me. I won’t let a piece of shit like you waste his time.”
“We would like to discuss the parameters of a potential agreement.”
“Speed it up,” I warned. I’d had enough with the filler.
“Mr. Giovanni is interested in a lease for a piece of property associated with your organization’s portfolio. They would like to collaborate on a collective use of the land for distribution of their products.”
We had so many properties I couldn’t keep track of them all, but knowing this schmuck was talking about the gun routes the Devil’s Brothers MC was interested in setting up, I had a decent idea of what areas they were likely looking at. Regardless of what lease or property they wanted, the answer would remain the same.
“Fuck no.”
Elliot frowned. “What?”
“No. The Constella Family will not do business with any Giovanni or Devil’s Brother.”
He shifted in his seat. “I would like to add?—”
“Add whatever the fuck you want. Our answer will remain a no.” Taking one step closer to loom over him, I warned him further. “Do not bother us. Anyone who fucks with the Constella Family will lose. No one gets what they want from us. No one ever wins.”
The bastard smiled, almost sniggering as he chuckled. “It sounds like you don’t win either, Mr. Constella.”
I arched a brow, humoring him with this illusion that I could be patient for him.
“I heard that you lost a few men recently. Three well-respected and prominent soldiers.”
I breathed through my nose, counting down from five to temper my reaction and hide it altogether. Of all things for him to say. Of all places he wanted to take this conversation, that shouldn’t have been it.
“I heard that you got them killed.”
Fury built within me. He was trying to taunt me, like he had any fucking upper hand. But I kept my cool. Being with Tessa had helped me get over my guilt, and I knew deep down that I hadn’t directly caused those men to die. I hadn’t been at fault for Mario turning traitor on us in that incident and setting us up.
He knows a lot more than that. If this asshole could toss out details like that, he had insider information about much more. This lawyer wasn’t just a player with the Giovannis and the Devil’s Brothers. He was included in more than the basics to know about Mario leading three Constella soldiers into that trap.
I stared at the spineless bastard, knowing one thing had changed.
Killing Elliot hadn’t been an option before. To do so would be a strike against the Giovannis and Devil’s Brothers, and we had to strike well, not rashly.
Now, though, I understood that Elliot Hines wasn’t just an associate. He was part of the planning process. He was a confidante.
And they all need to fucking die.
They would, starting with his piece of shit who dared to taunt me about my failures.
No more waiting. No more being cautious for all the ripples that might fan out as unwanted consequences from a murder or hit.
Elliot Hines’s days were limited. As soon as I updated my father about this conversation, I would strike.
As I stared him down and let him panic with my silence, he seemed to grow more and more frustrated. Twisting his lips as though he struggled to keep his words in, he glowered and scowled.
“Stop fighting with my clients,” he warned. “Don’t interfere with their plans.”
Their plans are fucked, dumbass.
Because they wouldn’t live long enough to see them pan out. Not if I had anything to say about it.
After one last long look of malice, I turned and left without a word.
I’d kill this man soon enough, and I gloated on the triumph of knowing he’d live in fear until the moment I ended his life.
Good riddance, motherfucker.
I wouldn’t have to worry about his being an obstacle in the way of making Tessa mine. And I wouldn’t need to stress about his being a player in this war against the Giovannis and bikers, either.
He’d be dead before nightfall.
The thought made me smile, and I couldn’t wait to share this news with Tessa.
Killing her rapists was one act of generosity.
Ending this fucker’s life would simply be one more example of how much she mattered to me—another demonstration of how far I’d stoop to show her that I would go to the ends of the earth to secure her happiness.