Page 33 of Humility

“Hey man,” I said, getting out of the vehicle and heading for the front door. “Angelo inside?”

“Where else would he be?” Came the gruff voice, and I shook my head, not bothering to answer. Dario was like a thundercloud. He had a brooding personality and followed you around quietly, and when he spoke, it was always with a grumpy rumble, like you’d pissed on his shoe. I would’ve said he was angry about us having to leave and be on the run, but Dario was like this long before that night.

“Hold the door,” Dario ordered as he finished his cigarette and stepped out of the darkness. He looked like a Navy Seal, with his six-six frame of solid muscle, short hair, all-black attire, right down to the cargo pants, and boots that could crush my skull with one stomp.

“Why are you in such a good mood,” Dario asked, and my smile fell.

“Why are you in such a bad one?”

“Who said I was in a bad mood?”

“This is your happy face?” I countered, and he glowered at me. “Okay, that was your happy face.”

“Hysterical.”

“I might as well tell the two of you together.” I kept replaying Isabella holding out the mouse to me. She was fucking adorable.

Angelo was on the phone when we walked into the office. I poured us all a drink and sat one on Angelo’s desk as he spoke. Dangling a glass between my fingers, I held it out for Dario and got a grunt when he took the glass. I understood why he never dated or, more accurately, why no woman alive would want to put up with his attitude.

“I’m looking forward to doing business with you. Have a good evening.” Angelo put the phone down, then slammed his fist off the desk with a bang as he cheered.

“Fuck,” I grumbled as I jumped and spilled my drink down my shirt. Dario chuckled, and I glared at him from the corner of my eye.

“That was Mr. Rhodes,” Angelo said, a smile spreading across his face.

“The jerk you mentioned earlier,” Dario asked. “The guy you said acted like he was a gift from god?”

“Riker Rhodes, that’s him. He is more demon than angel if you ask me. The way he does business, fuck, I need to learn to be as shrewd as him. His ability to get you to agree to deals is mindblowing. He had two other calls on the go while I was on the phone with him.” Grabbing his drink, he wandered around his desk and sat on the edge. Angelo looked like he could take on anything and anyone. When he got like this, watch out.

“So, did he agree to sell you the building and equipment,” I asked.

“Yes, he did. He’s still asking for a little more than I’d like to pay, but he assures me that the distillery took good care of their equipment.”

“You’re not going to take his word for it, are you,” Dario questioned. He was the most wary and untrusting of the three of us.

Angelo waved his hand. “No, I wasn’t born yesterday. We have a meeting set up for a month from now and I can do a tour before then.” He looked at his phone. “The meeting is on a Wednesday.”

“Are we flying to New York,” I asked, hopeful to see the big city.

“No, since the building is in Sinhaven, Riker and his wife Minetta are coming here. We need to impress him. This deal could take us to the next level in production. Should I take him out or have a feast here in his honor?” Angelo sipped his drink as he smiled.

“A feast? What is he a fairytale prince?” Dario snorted as he swirled his drink, and Angelo rolled his eyes.

“Enzo, did you stop to meet the new tenant?”

“Yes, and she is…she is beautiful,” I said, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face. “Like holy fuck stunning. Oh, and she gave me this.” Pulling out the list, I walked over to Angelo and handed it to him.

“There are like twenty things on here,” he said. “Who the hell has time to figure all this out in a few hours.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m telling you right now that I couldn’t have been more shocked.”

“Yes, well, I’ll take your word for it. The last thing we need is to get involved with our new tenant. Besides, I have too many other things to concentrate on.”

“He’s grumpy because Jasmine Falcone is marrying someone else,” Dario said, and Angelo shot him a glare.

“Oh, so you’re happy about it?” Angelo shot back.

“You two are obsessed with this girl. One day, I need to see what she looks like. She has to be something pretty special.”