“I missed your broody attitude.”
“And here I missed not a single fucking thing about you.” This time, I can hear the bite of sarcasm he gives me.
He’s not pissed. This isn’t a pissing match that is about to be a war. Nope. This is the best Tobias can do. He doesn’t let anyone in, and this is what Lorenzo has grown to know of him.
“Come, old friend, let’s sit, drink some tequila. Tell me about the next shipment.”
As if nothing just happened, the men walk toward the table. I’m stunned at first, but then I get my feet to move in their direction.
Tobias surprises me by pulling my chair out, and then I’m taking a seat with this cruel man about to discuss a shipment of drugs that I really don’t want to hear about.
I don’t know why I have to be here, but it’s grating on my nerves. None of this has to do with my job. As if Tobias can hear my thoughts, he turns to me.
“You’re here because I need to make sure that moving forward, everything I do is legal.”
“I’m confused. How is it legal for me to sit here as you talk about shipping—?”
“Stuffed animals,” Lorenzo cuts me off. “We have a shipment of teddy bears coming in that Aldridge arranged. As you know, Tobias is in the importing and exporting industry, and—”
“Seriously. This is low, even for you,” I grit out. “Hiding—”
Lorenzo shakes his head at me, and I backpedal to say it better. “Anything that has to do with children, I’m out. Trent told me about the bears, but I never imagined this is the shit—” I move to stand.
“Stop,” Tobias cuts in with a demanding tone. His voice has me halting mid-rise. “I agree. However, this has nothing to do with what you are thinking.”
“Oh.” I sit fully back down and look down at my hands in my lap. “Please, I don’t want to hear the details of what you’re up to now. The less I know about some things, the better all around.”
“In the past, you might have been right about the teddy bears, you know. But your client stopped that practice years ago,” Lorenzo informs me.
“Shut the fuck up, man,” Tobias says.
“Fine.” Lorenzo stands and walks across the room, presses on the wall, and a panel opens. I watch, transfixed, as he pulls it open and pulls out a duffel bag.
Then his shoes are pounding the concrete again as he hands the bag to Tobias.
I don’t even want to know what’s in the bag, but something tells me it’s either money, guns, or a head. Seeing as Tobias is the distributor, it’s not drugs.
Tobias places the bag on the table, but it’s still far enough away that I can’t see what’s in it as he unzips the top. Tobias, however, has a clear view. He looks inside and nods his head.
I want to know what’s in it, but then I remember what curiosity did to the cat. I have no desire to be a casualty for having too much information. It’s bad enough I’m here.
After Tobias is happy with whatever he got, he rezips the bag, stands, and walks over to Lorenzo.
“Gideon will contact you about the changes.”
“You sure about this, man?”
“Never been surer about anything in my life.” There is no waver in his voice. It’s full of conviction and truth. He wants out, and it makes me wonder why he wants it so badly.
“It won’t be easy,” Lorenzo says.
“Nothing in life ever is.” He shrugs before he looks in my direction. He inclines his head, and I stand.
Guess he got whatever he came for because now it’s time to go. I can’t say I’m disappointed. The faster I can get out of here, the better. Maybe Tobias will actually let me out after this. By the way things are going, I might have to take Felix up on his offer for dinner. At this rate, that might be the only way I gain access to his files.
The idea isn’t a bad one. If it didn’t make me want to vomit in my mouth.
“See you soon,” I hear Tobias say, and he motions at me to start walking. Instead, I walk up to Lorenzo and extend my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
He gives me a wicked smile, and I notice that his gaze darts to Tobias. “Oh, believe me, the pleasure is all mine. Hope to see you again real soon.”
“Let’s go,” Tobias’s gruff voice cuts in. I drop Lorenzo’s hand and start to leave.
Tobias is a few feet ahead of me. He walks up to one of his security detail and hands him the duffel.
“I want this in the third car.”
His security nods, takes the bag, and heads out the door. Then Tobias leads me to the second car in the caravan.
It’s kind of creepy that he travels like this. What I realized is we don’t all drive together. They run two groups, and each group has two cars. It reminds me of the game you play as a kid where you hide a ball under a cup, spin them around a few times, and then try to guess where it is.
The door to the truck is opened for me, and I scoot inside. Once Tobias gets in, the car heads back to the city . . . I hope.
“Without asking—”
“Money.” His one-word answer cuts me off.
“I wasn’t going to ask that.”
“But you wanted to find out.” His voice sounds light, and I look in his direction. Is Tobias joking with me?
No. He doesn’t joke. At least, I have never seen him joke before. If he is going to joke with anyone, I highly doubt it would be with me.
“I did.”
“Why didn’t you just look?”
“Because—” I stop and think of how I want to respond.
“You were scared?” And this time, I swear his lip is tipped up a little on the right. A smile.
Now I know this can’t be a coincidence.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Nope.”
“I think you are,” I press.
“I don’t laugh . . .” he trails off.
“But if you did?” I lift my brow, and now his lips do part into the smirk I am certain has been trying to peek out this whole time.
“I definitely would be right now.”
I’m not sure why, but his words make my stomach feel fuzzy. He doesn’t even joke with his closest friends, but with me, he shows that side. Not a lot, but enough that I know something else is behind the menacing demeanor he portrays.
I have no doubt that he’s a scary motherfucker, and no part of me is waxing poetic on what he did to warrant a duffel of money, but I can’t help but feel a victory nonetheless that I got him to smile.
“Everything okay over there?”
“Just peachy.” I turn to look out the window instead of at him when I answer.
There is no reason for him to know he affected me.
15
Tobias
I let Skye leave early to work from home. After Lorenzo’s, I could tell she was itching to be far away from me, so I gave her space. I’m sure, even with her background, being with Lorenzo was a lot to take in.
Hell, I only just started working with him a few years ago, and it feels like an eternity. That’s not to say he’s not my friend, but his gruff, rambunctious, and loud personality is a lot.
Gideon chooses this moment to walk into the building. I hear him before I see him. He knew I went to Lorenzo’s, so of course, he would have to come here and talk. I expected it. As his footsteps grow closer, I can hear that he’s almost upon the desk. I put down my phone and look up to meet his stare.