Smoke (The Carelli Family Saga #1) - Eden Butler Page 0,70
it,” he said behind the noise of his throat working. “I’ll figure this shit out.”
“You might not have to.” There was something I’d been working on right after Maggie and I started up our thing and shit got complicated.
Maybe I told myself back then what I planned had nothing to do with her, but now I knew what horseshit that was. I was planning a future with her even when I didn’t believe I wanted one.
“Why’s that? You gonna off everyone that wants me dead?”
“No, man. I’m gonna get us all out in a way that gives us peace and not the Pearly Gates kind.” I adjusted on my bed, elbowing my pillow when my back throbbed, and slid down, restless and wanting to stretch my legs. “I think I got a plan, but I need to work out a few things first. When I know more, I’ll come and see you, but don’t stress over shit. Not with a kid on the way.”
My cousin laughed, and I could practically see the smile on his face just from how loud, how happy that shit sounded. “Two, man. Try two.”
“Fuck me, are you serious?”
Another laugh and the ice clinked again. “Hell yes, I’m serious. We’re Carellis. Do we ever do anything half-assed?”
“Never.”
“That’s right.” Johnny’s laugh trailed off and the squeak of his chair moving rattled in the speaker before he spoke again. “Listen, man, I’m glad you’re okay. I’m glad you got your woman and the baby back.”
“Yeah? Then why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ heading my way?”
“Nah, nothing like that. You’re a good man, Smoke and from what Dario tells me, your woman, she’s good for you.” The clatter of his glass resting on wood sounded, and Johnny cleared his throat, like he was done with the sentimental shit. “Dario and Dante, they had some shit they wanted handled for you. I was gonna step in, see what I could do, but by the time I got there, it was over.”
My brothers had been in four times with Dino to see me while I was in the hospital. They’d kept me up on what had been happening since then, but I got the feeling I didn’t know everything. And no one had mentioned anything but how my men had gone through Maggie’s place, my folks’ apartment, their business and my office and car again to sweep it clear of any cameras, just in case Maggie’s ex or that Reynold’s asshole still had shit hidden.
There was nothing.
But no one had said a word about Johnny being in town. Reynold’s wouldn’t be fucking with anyone. Cops had taken him away when an anonymous tip fingered him at the cottage and a shit-ton of drugs in his car. He’d have to explain the dead body on the pier and the gun with the scratched-off serial numbers that matched the slugs in that body.
He couldn’t.
Can’t say I liked calling in favors, but the gray business I was in did have perks. That asshole would be going away for a long damn time.
“What did I miss?” I asked my cousin, sitting up, stretching my back. The incision didn’t hurt anymore and the nap I’d taken had done some good to rest me up, though no way would I tell Maggie that. She got smug when she was proven right.
“Mickey Finney and his sticky fucking fingers.”
“You took care of it?”
“Nah, like I said, man. Between your brothers and Luca DeRosa, that shit got handled. Luca had Finney’s warehouse cleared, his bank account wiped and had the man himself pissing in his pants by the time I got there. I know you told me you had bad blood with him for shit that went down between him and Antonia, but I gotta tell you…Luca stepped up.” The chair squeaked again, and my cousin exhaled, like he hated to tell me my business but was gonna do it anyway. “A little advice? It might be time to let the past go. He’s a good man.”
Damn. Luca of all people.
I’d have to be the bigger man and get over my shit.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate you saying that and I…” The door to my room opened and whatever I was going to say to Johnny died on my tongue when Maggie walked through the door. “Ah, I gotta go. Thanks for everything and I’m sorry but…” She moved closer and I caught a whiff of her perfume. “Johnny, my lady’s here. Later.”