back yet?”
“Yeah. She just drove up.”
“Perfect. See if anyone needs help in the back room.”
“Sure. You got it, boss.”
“I’ll be right there.” Silas waited until he was alone to dig into his pocket and find the phone. Hitting speed dial, he brought his device up to his ear. Someone picked up after the first ring. “It’s Corrigan, checking up on how you liked the shipment after our meeting yesterday.”
“Mr. Giovanni will be right with you, sir.”
Figures, the guy would have to get hired help answer his phone. Which was funny considering every prior conversation they’d had before this was man to man.
“Mr. Corrigan. So good of you to check in.”
“We’re all good, I assume?”
“Yes, we received the items as scheduled. Everything is more than satisfactory.”
Well of course it was. Did this man not know who he’d been referred to?
“Good to hear.”
“I’d like to make that volume a regular arrangement if you’re able to manage that capacity.”
Silas had no idea why anyone would need that many weapons on a regular basis. Giovanni either had a massive nationwide operation, was stockpiling them for future use, or he was smuggling the bulk of them across the Pacific where the demand for American brands was still high. Or all three. It didn’t matter what the man was doing with them. Silas was glad for the extra business.
“We can.” He took a short breath and kept his ears honed in on his newest repeat customer’s voice. “There’s one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“You wouldn’t happen to know about an attack on my club last night, would you?”
“Attack? No, not at all. What sort of attack?”
Silas grit his teeth, realizing it was a fucking longshot to think this douchebag would give them any kind of information if he knew anything. “Low-grade explosives. Nothing too serious. You didn’t hear about it?”
“That’s alarming to hear. It sounds like quite the mess.”
He noticed Giovanni didn’t give him a direct answer to his question. “You could say that. If you hear anything through your sources—”
“Absolutely, I’ll pass any information on if I find out more about it. You’ve got a satisfied customer here. Rest assured we’re on the same team now. I’m sure you understand.”
“Sure,” Silas replied through gritted teeth. “I’d appreciate that.”
“So, are we covered for the next shipment or do we need to renegotiate?”
“Same time, same place, same supply.”
“Excellent.”
Click.
Silas blinked a few times, staring into the empty void as he waited for the man to continue. There was nothing on the other end of the line, so he shoved his cell back in his pocket. That son of a bitch might have denied any knowledge about last night, but regardless of what the motherfucker said over the phone, Silas’s instincts were on full alert. Giovanni was hiding something. It wasn’t just paranoia. He’d already seen that the man lived for power and thrived on dominance. Silas was particularly familiar with that concept, given that bears were hardwired to fight anything in their territory without provocation.
That fact brought him back full circle.
He got to his feet and went outside toward his mother’s large, overpriced SUV. She was still inside, talking to someone on the phone with her driver side window down. Leaning forward, he popped his head inside, kissing her cheek. “Keep an eye on Sabrina while I’m gone, okay?” He stood up and walked away with Axe in tow.
“Uh, sure. Because I have nothing better to do with my day,” his mom shouted at him. She’d bitch and whine about it, but the two of them probably had more in common than either of them thought. They’d figure it out soon enough.
Tate and Cole were still perched on their motorcycles parked next to Silas’s ride when he rounded the parking lot. Their reinforcements were all on their rides, waiting to follow Silas into battle.
“Follow me and keep up.” Silas
“Yeah. She just drove up.”
“Perfect. See if anyone needs help in the back room.”
“Sure. You got it, boss.”
“I’ll be right there.” Silas waited until he was alone to dig into his pocket and find the phone. Hitting speed dial, he brought his device up to his ear. Someone picked up after the first ring. “It’s Corrigan, checking up on how you liked the shipment after our meeting yesterday.”
“Mr. Giovanni will be right with you, sir.”
Figures, the guy would have to get hired help answer his phone. Which was funny considering every prior conversation they’d had before this was man to man.
“Mr. Corrigan. So good of you to check in.”
“We’re all good, I assume?”
“Yes, we received the items as scheduled. Everything is more than satisfactory.”
Well of course it was. Did this man not know who he’d been referred to?
“Good to hear.”
“I’d like to make that volume a regular arrangement if you’re able to manage that capacity.”
Silas had no idea why anyone would need that many weapons on a regular basis. Giovanni either had a massive nationwide operation, was stockpiling them for future use, or he was smuggling the bulk of them across the Pacific where the demand for American brands was still high. Or all three. It didn’t matter what the man was doing with them. Silas was glad for the extra business.
“We can.” He took a short breath and kept his ears honed in on his newest repeat customer’s voice. “There’s one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“You wouldn’t happen to know about an attack on my club last night, would you?”
“Attack? No, not at all. What sort of attack?”
Silas grit his teeth, realizing it was a fucking longshot to think this douchebag would give them any kind of information if he knew anything. “Low-grade explosives. Nothing too serious. You didn’t hear about it?”
“That’s alarming to hear. It sounds like quite the mess.”
He noticed Giovanni didn’t give him a direct answer to his question. “You could say that. If you hear anything through your sources—”
“Absolutely, I’ll pass any information on if I find out more about it. You’ve got a satisfied customer here. Rest assured we’re on the same team now. I’m sure you understand.”
“Sure,” Silas replied through gritted teeth. “I’d appreciate that.”
“So, are we covered for the next shipment or do we need to renegotiate?”
“Same time, same place, same supply.”
“Excellent.”
Click.
Silas blinked a few times, staring into the empty void as he waited for the man to continue. There was nothing on the other end of the line, so he shoved his cell back in his pocket. That son of a bitch might have denied any knowledge about last night, but regardless of what the motherfucker said over the phone, Silas’s instincts were on full alert. Giovanni was hiding something. It wasn’t just paranoia. He’d already seen that the man lived for power and thrived on dominance. Silas was particularly familiar with that concept, given that bears were hardwired to fight anything in their territory without provocation.
That fact brought him back full circle.
He got to his feet and went outside toward his mother’s large, overpriced SUV. She was still inside, talking to someone on the phone with her driver side window down. Leaning forward, he popped his head inside, kissing her cheek. “Keep an eye on Sabrina while I’m gone, okay?” He stood up and walked away with Axe in tow.
“Uh, sure. Because I have nothing better to do with my day,” his mom shouted at him. She’d bitch and whine about it, but the two of them probably had more in common than either of them thought. They’d figure it out soon enough.
Tate and Cole were still perched on their motorcycles parked next to Silas’s ride when he rounded the parking lot. Their reinforcements were all on their rides, waiting to follow Silas into battle.
“Follow me and keep up.” Silas
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