no one dared to even move. They remained utterly still when Angel walked up to Sonny. The men watched with bated breath as Angel's gaze deliberately dropped to the chair Sonny had chosen to sit in. The head chair. Angel's chair. No matter where they met, the head chair was automatically left for him, even if they were at Sonny’s facility.
Already feeling at a disadvantage because he was sitting while Angel towered over him, the vein in Sonny ’s temple pulsed in anger and embarrassment. His lips drew tight, and his manicured nails dug into the arm of the black leather chair. He could feel the eyes of every man in the room trained on him, waiting to see what he would do and say. Angel continued to stare at him, obviously intent on making his point.
Inwardly seething, Sonny swallowed his pride and stood up, vowing that he would one day bring Angelo LaCroix to his knees. He was just waiting on the right day to do it. Sliding one last glare at Angel as he moved to one of the vacant chairs, it pained Sonny to reluctantly admit today was not that day.
Jaw twitching, indicating his high level of pisstivity, Angel's eyes stayed on Sonny even after the other man was seated. Finally satisfied that Sonny had gotten the message, Angel sat down in the chair the other man had just vacated, his movements stiff with anger. The last thing he'd been in the mood to do was leave his family and jump on a fucking plane to come to Miami, so he was not in the best of moods. After flicking the ashes from his cigar into an ashtray, he leaned back and gave the men his full attention.
"Now. I thought we'd discussed everyone's concerns last night via video conference, but obviously I was wrong." His gaze fell on Sonny. "If anyone has anything to say, now is the time. What seems to be the problem?"
When a blanket of silence met his inquiry, Angel’s eyes narrowed menacingly. "Let's not all speak at once," he spat out. "When I walked in, it looked as if everyone had plenty to say, so don’t hold your tongues now." He sliced a piercing glare at Sonny. "Since you're the one who's responsible for getting everyone here, why don't you take the position of honor and speak up." He let a lull settle in the room before uttering the next statement in a mocking tone. "Or are you only emboldened when I'm not around?"
Sonny ’s mocha complexion sported a dull flush at the insult. "Everyone else here might be afraid of you, Angelo, but make no mistake, my friend, I’m not."
"If that ’s true, why the secret meeting?"
"I... we ...figured you would be too busy making plans to carry out this attack against Melania Cruz. An attack, I might add, that we don't approve of."
The air around them crackled with tension, but Angel only smiled, or rather smirked, in amusement as he allowed Sonny to finish.
"You’re jeopardizing our money for personal reasons, Angel. Not only is the Juarez cartel our main drug connect, Melania’s product is premium, top grade shit. I don't think we should take a chance on fuckin' that up." Sonny’s tone was arrogant and almost dismissive. “The relationship with Melania has been profitable for each and every one of us. Now, it’s in jeopardy because of a personal score you and your brother want to settle. No bueno. Not a good idea at all.”
Carlo stood several feet behind Angel. Without having to turn around, Angel sensed his tension. Carlo had never liked Sonny and would gladly put a bullet in his skull without blinking, but Angel wanted to handle this personally.
"Stand down, Carlo," he said in a quiet voice.
Rising from the table, Angel's eyes met Oscar's before he went over to the large glass wall that overlooked the factory below. He stared down at the hub of activity taking place. The men resembled worker ants laboring away in an ant colony. Everything moved with accurate precision to meet the high level of productivity needed to make it a successful business as well as an import site for Sonny ’s illegal
Already feeling at a disadvantage because he was sitting while Angel towered over him, the vein in Sonny ’s temple pulsed in anger and embarrassment. His lips drew tight, and his manicured nails dug into the arm of the black leather chair. He could feel the eyes of every man in the room trained on him, waiting to see what he would do and say. Angel continued to stare at him, obviously intent on making his point.
Inwardly seething, Sonny swallowed his pride and stood up, vowing that he would one day bring Angelo LaCroix to his knees. He was just waiting on the right day to do it. Sliding one last glare at Angel as he moved to one of the vacant chairs, it pained Sonny to reluctantly admit today was not that day.
Jaw twitching, indicating his high level of pisstivity, Angel's eyes stayed on Sonny even after the other man was seated. Finally satisfied that Sonny had gotten the message, Angel sat down in the chair the other man had just vacated, his movements stiff with anger. The last thing he'd been in the mood to do was leave his family and jump on a fucking plane to come to Miami, so he was not in the best of moods. After flicking the ashes from his cigar into an ashtray, he leaned back and gave the men his full attention.
"Now. I thought we'd discussed everyone's concerns last night via video conference, but obviously I was wrong." His gaze fell on Sonny. "If anyone has anything to say, now is the time. What seems to be the problem?"
When a blanket of silence met his inquiry, Angel’s eyes narrowed menacingly. "Let's not all speak at once," he spat out. "When I walked in, it looked as if everyone had plenty to say, so don’t hold your tongues now." He sliced a piercing glare at Sonny. "Since you're the one who's responsible for getting everyone here, why don't you take the position of honor and speak up." He let a lull settle in the room before uttering the next statement in a mocking tone. "Or are you only emboldened when I'm not around?"
Sonny ’s mocha complexion sported a dull flush at the insult. "Everyone else here might be afraid of you, Angelo, but make no mistake, my friend, I’m not."
"If that ’s true, why the secret meeting?"
"I... we ...figured you would be too busy making plans to carry out this attack against Melania Cruz. An attack, I might add, that we don't approve of."
The air around them crackled with tension, but Angel only smiled, or rather smirked, in amusement as he allowed Sonny to finish.
"You’re jeopardizing our money for personal reasons, Angel. Not only is the Juarez cartel our main drug connect, Melania’s product is premium, top grade shit. I don't think we should take a chance on fuckin' that up." Sonny’s tone was arrogant and almost dismissive. “The relationship with Melania has been profitable for each and every one of us. Now, it’s in jeopardy because of a personal score you and your brother want to settle. No bueno. Not a good idea at all.”
Carlo stood several feet behind Angel. Without having to turn around, Angel sensed his tension. Carlo had never liked Sonny and would gladly put a bullet in his skull without blinking, but Angel wanted to handle this personally.
"Stand down, Carlo," he said in a quiet voice.
Rising from the table, Angel's eyes met Oscar's before he went over to the large glass wall that overlooked the factory below. He stared down at the hub of activity taking place. The men resembled worker ants laboring away in an ant colony. Everything moved with accurate precision to meet the high level of productivity needed to make it a successful business as well as an import site for Sonny ’s illegal
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