Fall(Romanian Mob Chronicles Book 2)(19)

“Yeah, yeah.” I sighed. “So what if he’s a crazy criminal. I’ve probably dated worse.”

“Probably?” Fawn said.

“Fine. I’ve definitely dated worse. But I’m not dating him, and I think we finally scratched that itch.”

Fawn said nothing, and I waited, expecting her to interject. When she didn’t, I said, “You got nothing?”

“Nope. Y’all are grown.”

“You suck, Fawn. You were supposed to tell me that it’s more than sex, that I need to give him a shot because I never know where it might go. And you just say, ‘You’re grown.’”

Fawn laughed. “If I’d said that, you’d have gotten all huffy about how no one tells you what to do, and then you’d never talk to the man again. Nope. Not falling for it. Your business is your business, and I’m going to trust you to handle it as you deem best. Now let’s go. I hear Maria.”

“Oh, you think you know me, huh, Fawn?” I replied.

“Mmm-hmm. I think I do,” she said as she headed toward the nursery, me trailing behind her.

“Well you don’t,” I said, voice brimming with bluster.

But Fawn, the turncoat she was, just smiled and nodded. “Whatever you say, Esther. Whatever you say.”

“That’s right,” I said, but even I wasn’t convinced.

Truth was, I’d wanted Fawn to tell me I was crazy for even getting started with Sorin, hoped that she would warn me away. Because while I didn’t know where this was going, I knew that it was an awful idea.

But I also knew I didn’t have the power to walk away.





Nine





Sorin



“I heard from Constantin,” Vasile said the next day as we sat at Familie.

“You reached out already?”

“No, the old man came to me. Sent Petey to personally deliver the invitation.”

“Did he say what he wants?”

Vasile shook his head. “No, but I don’t doubt it’s about that issue at Esther’s.”

“Are you coming with me?”

I waited for his response, not quite sure what he’d say.

“You can handle it,” he said. Then he stood. “Let me know what happens.”

And then he left.

I was surprised. There had been a time, one not so long ago in fact, when he would have insisted on accompanying me.

Seemed I had earned some of my brother’s respect. I endeavored to keep it, which meant keeping my cool at Constantin, something I wasn’t certain I could do, especially not when I thought about Esther, what would have happened to her had I not been there.

I drove to Constantin’s, counseling myself to remain calm.

“Thanks for coming, Sorin. The old man is on the warpath,” Petey said when I arrived.

“You in trouble again?” I asked, pretending I didn’t know what this was about.

Petey chuckled. “Not this time. Come on, he’d like to see you,” Petey said.

I followed him through the club and down to the basement where we had met many times before. The scene that greeted me was different, however.

The two who had tried to rob Esther sat, hands duct taped behind their back, looking quite the worse for wear.

Christoph Junior stood next to his father, supporting the old man’s weight. Anton stood between the two chairs shirtless, torso covered in sweat.

“Sorin is here.”

The old man turned, as did Christoph, and Anton looked up. He nodded quickly and then returned his gaze to the cowering figures.

“Sorin, please come,” the old man said.

I walked toward him, gave a nod of respect.

“There was trouble,” he said.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Are these the ones who harassed you?” he asked.

“They are,” I said looking at one face and then the other, surprised at how defiant the one whose arm I had broken still managed to seem.

The old man tilted his head, and as quick as a flash, Anton delivered a crushing blow to the first and then the second. Not the only punch either of them had taken today. Christoph Senior turned his face down and shook his head in disgust.

“No respect. We’re too soft on them. Please accept my apology on behalf of my clan for the insult. And rest assured, it won’t happen again,” he said, his voice taking on a deep, almost primal growl, one that made an impact on me and had the two sobering with fear.

Even now in his reduced state, Christoph Senior was intimidating. I could only imagine how he might have been in his younger days. “Is this punishment sufficient, or did you have something else in mind?”

“Wait—” the boy screamed.

“Taci!” Christoph shouted and they both went instantly silent. “You brought this on yourself, and yet you beg for mercy. Have you no honor at all?”