Page 42 of Filthy Little Lies
“Like the pawn shop.”
I nod. “That’s one of them, but it’s a small operation.”
“You use it to wash your money.” She smiles. “It was a little obvious when you were charging five times the value on some pretty crappy jewelry.”
I squeeze her into me. “Like the diamonds?”
She huffs. “At least they were real diamonds.”
I laugh. “Technically, yeah. They’re real.”
“So what’s with the jeans and leather then? I mean it fit when I thought you were just some mafia guys, but then Cassie told me about your other company.”
“I hate wearing suits. I’ll do it when I have to, but lucky for me, I’m the boss.”
She presses her cheek to my chest and wraps her arm around my middle. “You like that, don’t you, being the boss?”
Her eyelids drift closed, and she lets out a long sigh.
“You like me being the boss, too, but I’ll wait until tomorrow to make you admit it.” I kiss the top of her head and tighten my hold on her.
A man could get used to this.
A monster like me shouldn’t try.
But I fear it might be too late.
CHAPTER 13
Savvy
Gabriel drops a sheet of paper onto the table where I’m trying to eat breakfast.
“What is this?”
“Those are the documents you need to duplicate. Customs declaration, certificate of origin, inspection certificate, and three container manifests.”
“This has an inventory of heavy construction machinery. What are you really shipping?”
Gabriel drops into the seat next to me, plucking a strawberry from my plate. “Does it matter?”
“I need to make sure I’m not helping you smuggle women into the country so you can sell them at one of your clubs. I don’t care what you threaten me with, I won’t do that.”
His brow pulls tight. “You think I traffic women?”
“I think it’s a disgusting but lucrative business, and like you said last night, you are a businessman.”
He leans into me, tucking my hair behind my ear. “If I tell you no, will you believe me?”
“Yes.” No matter what else he’s done, he hasn’t lied.
“You think I’m a man capable of trafficking women, but not lying?”
Fair point.
“So, I shouldn’t trust what you say then? Are you saying you are a liar?”
Score one for me.
