Page 64 of His Obsession
“I already did.”
“And?”
“He’s scared, broke, and stupid. I don’t think he’s our leak, but he knows someone who might be.”
“Put pressure on him.”
Matteo’s mouth curves. “I wasn’t planning to ask nicely.”
“Try not to have too much fun.”
“I make no promises.”
That’s about as much humor as either of us can afford right now. He sends the list to my phone while I stare at the footage. Part of me wants to go downstairs and handle the valet myself. The smarter part knows I’m too angry to be useful.
I can handle threats. I can handle men testing my properties, my money, my men, my patience. That’s business. But Adrian threatened the mother of my child.
I can’t stop picturing Val in my library with her laptop open. Val in my bed, pretending she isn’t scared of how normal it’s starting to feel. Val in the doctor’s office, her fingers wrapped around mine while our baby’s heartbeat filled the room.
“What’s coming from New York?”
“Enough to be annoying.” He picks up the tablet from the counter. “Adrian’s making calls through old family channels. Nothing official. His father’s people aren’t openly backing him, but a few still take his calls.”
“So he’s acting alone, but not completely.”
“That’s my read.”
I rub my thumb along my jaw and look back at the sedan. “Lean on them.”
“How hard?”
“Quietly, for now. I don’t want a war with his father unless his father decides he wants one.”
Matteo nods. “Money first?”
“Money, licenses, shipments, anything that can bruise without drawing blood.”
“I’ll send men east.”
“Send men who understand the word quiet.”
He gives me a flat look. “I don’t usually send idiots to New York.”
“No, you keep them here to staff my clubs.”
“That was hurtful.”
“You’ll recover.”
He almost smiles, then doesn’t. The footage loops again, the sedan pulling away into the alley like a shadow I can’t get my hands on. I’ve never liked waiting. I like it less now.
Matteo shuts off the monitor. “Val needs distance from this.”
I look at him.
“I know you don’t want to hear it,” he says. “But if Adrian has eyes on your properties, your house is the next thing he’ll try to investigate. Maybe he can’t get in. Maybe he can. Either way, keeping her in LA makes her easier to track.”
“I know.”
