“I care to the extent that if that happens, it means things have gone according to plan, but if they deviate, I won’t lose any sleep over it,” Maxim said.
I laughed. “And here I was, thinking my feelings mattered.”
“Well now that I’ve corrected that erroneous perception, what do you plan to do?”
Maxim folded his arms behind him and looked at me, clearly ready to talk business.
I laughed again but then sobered. Wedding or not, I had work to do, and I would never do anything to make Maxim regret giving me the responsibility he had so far or hesitate to give me more in the future.
“Still trying to get an understanding of the business because it’s sloppy, way too lose, but so far, it’s nothing the Syndicate would ordinarily concern itself with,” I said.
“Yes. It’s my understanding Santo expends a great deal of energy on insignificant things,” Maxim said.
“Yes, gambling, whores, protection, some pills here and there. All petty bullshit that doesn’t make big profits,” I said.
Maxim shook his head, his expression brimming with disgust. I had known Maxim for almost all of my life, but I’d never seen this level of disdain for anyone. There were people he disliked, more he didn’t respect, but none got this level of hatred.
I understood it. Santo had threatened Senna. If given the chance, I would kill the asshole myself. She was a good person, one of the few that I cared about in the entire world, and to have her threatened by Santo, or anyone else, was something that enraged me.
Maxim scowled but then returned the subject back to business. “Nonsense. Is there anything of value in Santo’s poor excuse of an operation?” he asked.
“The gambling has potential with the right leadership, and Santo has some ties with a few state officials,” I said.
Maxim didn’t look pleased, but he said, “Work those then, see if something useful comes out of them.”
I wanted to pump my fist but stayed still, knowing Maxim wouldn’t appreciate the gesture. Still, this was a good day. The Syndicate operated at the highest levels of organized crime, and so some local gambling and a few state officials wouldn’t get his attention. I wasn’t all that excited about it either, but I saw this for what it was.
Maxim was giving me a chance.
If I handled this right, kept Santo under control, turned his pitiful business into something that might be worthy of the Syndicate’s time and attention, Maxim would reward me with the chance to move up, do real work, and maybe, one day, his respect.
That was all I’d ever wanted.
I’d spent my life moving up, having gone from street enforcer to a part of Maxim’s inner circle. Now there was a prime opportunity for real responsibility, and I would not let it pass.
A moment later, there was a knock on the door and both Maxim and I stood. “Come in, Senna,” Maxim said.
As the door slowly opened, Maxim walked toward it, intently focused on the woman who walked in.
“He’s awake,” Senna said, coming to a stop in front of Maxim.
Maxim took the small bundle from Senna’s arms, a smile ghosting on his face. It quickly cleared, but there was still a remnant of softness on his face. Then he left the room without looking at me again. Maxim rarely allowed me or anyone else to see him with his son, Luka, and I more than halfway suspected it was because he didn’t want anyone to see the love he felt for his family.
An entirely futile effort as far as I was concerned.
Maxim had scarcely said a word about the baby, and I had only learned of his birth through Adrian, but despite how Maxim tried to hide it, I could see the new, deep tenderness in him, an extra dimension to the affection he’d always held for the woman who now stood in the office.
Knowing Maxim like I did, I knew he thought Senna and Luka were weaknesses, but I didn’t agree. He’d been in love with her for years, and at least now he got the joy of being able to show it.
I looked at Senna, today dressed in a bright yellow T-shirt and jeans. The color of the shirt beautifully complemented her brown skin and only added to the glow that seemed a halo around her.
“Hey, Se,” I said, leaning over to hug her short, curvy frame against mine before I let her go and looked down at her. “How are you?”
She looked a little tired, understandable, I guessed, but happy.
“Never been better,” she said as she moved to the small couch in the office and sat down.
“So Maxim and little Maxim aren’t being too much trouble?” I said, sitting next to her.
“Little Maxim is a joy. Maxim is…Maxim,” she said, laughing.
I joined in, relieved to see my good friend happy.
“So, how was it?” she asked, her brown eyes bright, curious.