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“Gavin, I don’t—”
Gavin withdrew his gun and shoved it under Paul’s chin. “Rafael’s always wanted the title. He always pushed the limits, coming to my clubs, trying to bribe my men. How many times has he toed the line? How many times did you step in to cover his ass?”
“You think he killed Manny?”
Gavin’s finger tightened on the trigger. “Does he have an alibi?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?” Gavin hissed.
“He’s dead.”
Gavin didn’t move. “He’s what?”
“Rafael was murdered a couple of days before Manny,” Paul said, sounding weary instead of frightened.
Gavin released him and watched Paul sink into his chair, looking very much like an old man rather than his father’s rival. “Where was he murdered?”
“At his home.”
“You know who it was?”
Paul rubbed a shaking hand over his face. “No.” The hand lowered and the eyes that looked up at Gavin were filled with fire. “I was planning a hit on you when I heard Manny and your girl were attacked.”
“Who’s the new crime lord?”
“Fuck if I know. No one’s saying shit.”
“You think it’s the same killer?”
Paul glared at him. “Rafael was so disfigured, I had to identify him from his tattoos. I heard Manny got the same treatment and your girl got gutted.”
“Fucker likes knives,” Gavin said in an even tone, but the need to retaliate burned a hole in his chest. “I talked to Harmon today. I’ve put out money, a fuck load. No one’s talking.”
“They will eventually,” Paul said and lit a cigarette. “I heard you’re married.”
Gavin tensed. Even though he and Paul had a common enemy, he didn’t trust him. There was bad blood between their families. Despite the Vega’s money, connections to the police and under the table deals with criminals, they hadn’t been able to dethrone the Pyres. Paul and his son Rafael took it personally. Blood had been drawn more than once when they clashed.
Paul blew out smoke as he surveyed Gavin. “Heard the gal’s a looker. Rafael had a lot to say about her.”
The memory of Rafael and Lyla talking in that restaurant still had the power to raise his blood pressure. “If Rafael wasn’t already dead, I’d shoot him.”
Paul shook his head. “You Pyre’s are something else. You get so fired up about your women.”
It wasn’t a secret that Paul Vega had no respect for females. The word was he treated his prostitutes like cattle. According to his father, Paul impregnated countless prostitutes until he got the sons he wanted.
“Stay away from my family,” Gavin said.
Paul blew smoke out of his nostrils. “You have nothing I want, Pyre. Not anymore. Now, get out of my office.”
Gavin flicked the cigarette from Paul’s lips and grabbed him by the throat. Paul’s eyes bulged as Gavin applied pressure. Gavin enjoyed the feel of Paul’s vocal cords squishing beneath his fingers. It had been too long since he dealt out a punishment. Gavin leaned in close and stared into Paul’s panicked eyes.
“I may not be the crime lord anymore, Vega, but you know what I’m capable of, don’t you?” Even though Paul nodded vigorously, Gavin didn’t release him. “I could break your neck so easily. Don’t fucking test me.”
When the old man was purple Gavin let him go. Paul fell to his hands and knees, retching and gasping for air. Gavin stood over him and debated whether to shoot Paul for the hell of it when the door opened behind him. Gavin turned as a skeletal man rushed in. Since his men wouldn’t let just anyone into the office Gavin examined the newcomer and realized it was Paul’s younger son.
Gavin gestured to Paul who was gasping like a fish out of water on the floor. “I was just getting reacquainted with your father.”
