Page 174 of Unruly

Dante sighed from his position in the corner. “I thought it was rather smart, actually. Cross intends to make this meeting happen quickly, peacefully, and to the benefit of both of you. In order to do that given he knows his own nature better than anyone, and he’s seen enough of your nature to know how you behave, he figured this was best. Someone to hold you both accountable or step in if needed. That’s all I’m here for.”

“Someone we both respect enough to hear out before each other,” Cross added.

Andino flattened his thin lips into a grim line. “You botched my gun run.”

“No, botched would imply what happened years ago in Cancun happened again. That’s not what I did.”

“That’s two major runs you’ve fucked up on in some way, Cross.”

Cross nodded, agreeing. “Yeah, two in what … probably fifty runs total? Two runs in, oh, over fifteen years of doing this? My ratio is still pretty fucking good, Andino. Better than anyone else on this continent, actually. Do you want to chat about that, or …?”

Andino gritted his teeth before muttering, “No.”

“Good. Someone set me up.”

“Who is this someone?”

Cross tipped a hand over. “The Russian I killed. His last hand was in motion without my knowing. That’s what this was. You should be mindful of your men, though, because it seems to me he was able to get a hell of a lot of information about my gun run into Canada. We both know I only deal with men of your family for that info, Andino. Someone fed him that info.

“They were going after people I care for. Cece and the park was my last straw.” For reasons, he opted not to add out loud. “I figured this was the better option.”

“Care for better people, then, you foolish prick,” Andino snapped. “I don’t want a war with the New York Russians!”

Cross bristled at that comment, but Andino wasn’t over the line in saying it. “We’re not going to have a war. I took care of it. The man wanted one thing—the rest of his men didn’t care if they got it back. They’ve got other things to worry about now. You know, reordering the hierarchy of their organization. I don’t care. Move on.”

Dante stroked a hand over his jaw as his gaze drifted between the two men sitting opposite to one another at the table. He didn’t speak or step in, yet, but that was only because Cross and Andino were not trying to kill the other one yet.

“You owe me for those guns,” Andino said with a pointed finger.

Cross nodded. “I’ll have the money sent over—in cash—tomorrow.”

“Fine. And Guzzi, too. They’ve paid half.”

“I’ll wire money to Gian tomorrow as well after I have a chat with him tonight over the phone.”

Andino side-eyed Dante. “Why are you even still here?”

“You will see, Andino.”

“What else is it?” Andino demanded with his attention back on Cross. “Clearly, the screw up with the guns and the Russian issue isn’t all of it. What’s the rest?”

Smart man.

Now or never, Cross knew.

He readied himself for the impact of Andino’s rage when he told him what he was about to say. It was bound to happen being who they were and all. Business was all about being smart, too. Andino was a smart man.

After Andino got over his little fit, Cross very much assumed the fellow Cosa Nostra Don would see reason, and concede to the main points of the matter.

“I can no longer run guns for the Marcello family,” Cross said.

Andino stiffened in his seat, and his features darkened. “You know that’s not the agreement that was made for your error years ago, Cross.”

“Quite aware, yeah.”

“Cross,” Dante murmured. “Try again, less attitude.”

Christ.