Page 69 of Havoc

“Um,” Paolo’s gaze darted between me and Nico.

“It’s fine. What do you have for me?”

“Meeting’s all set up, Boss,” Paolo told him.

What meeting?

“Good. When do you meet with Raul?”

My head snapped around and I stared down at Nico. He had to be talking about Raul Guzman. Why was Paolo meeting him? I turned back around and watched Paolo shrewdly. I wanted to fire questions at all of them, but sat quietly, waiting for Paolo to respond.

“No, your meeting with him is all set up,” Paolo told Nico proudly. I didn’t miss the way Luca tensed up and Nico suddenly felt like stone beneath me as well.

“You already met with Guzman?”

“Yesterday,” Paolo said. A note of hesitation crept into his voice as he continued. “I thought it was best if I got it done without anyone knowing. Less chance he’d find out he was being double crossed that way.”

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until Nico spoke. “Don’t ever do that again.”

The color faded out of Paolo’s face. “S-sorry, Boss.”

Nico shook his head. “You need to tell Luca or myself when you’re going out on business. It’s for your own safety.”

Both Paolo and I relaxed. Leaning back, I rested against Nico’s chest.

“It won’t happen again,” he said.

“Good. When’s my meeting?”

“Saturday, nine p.m., New York Harbor,” Paolo replied.

I glanced down at the calendar on the desk. It was Tuesday, so there were only four days to go. I wanted to interrupt and find out exactly what these guys were planning, but I’d wait until they were finished. I also wanted to know why Nico hadn’t told me about this.

Luca frowned and glanced over at the other man. “You couldn’t have made it for somewhere else?”

“I figured there wouldn’t be many people around that late at night and you guys do business at the docks all the time,” Paolo explained.

I snorted inwardly. Their business at the docks consisted of them ripping off companies shipping their goods in and out of the port.

“It made the story more plausible. Raul Guzman is a paranoid bastard. It was hard enough convincing him I had information on your operation.”

Nico chuckled and the sound vibrated through me. “I don’t doubt it.” He glanced at his Rolex. “I have a phone conference in thirty minutes. Anything else?”

I wondered who he’d be speaking with so early in the morning, but remained silent. I was still learning how to integrate myself into Nico’s business. I didn’t want to push too hard, too fast and have him shut me out altogether.

Both men shook their heads in response to his question and left us alone.

“What was all that about?” I asked him.

“Paolo approached Guzman pretending to have information on me for him. By now, they’ve figured out I am responsible for all their men’s deaths.”

My brows drew together and I sat up so I could look at his face. “How would they figure that out?”

“I had Paolo put the word out,” he told me with a devious grin.

“So, you let him find out you killed his guys and then have Paolo‘sell’him information on your whereabouts.”

“Pretty much,” he said, looking at his watch again.