Page 55 of Duty

John passed him a look, but Andino didn’t return it, or pretend he had even seen it, for that matter. His cousin had this meeting handled—Andino was not going to sit there and babysit. Absolutely not.

Andino took his sweet time on the bottom level of the club; he made sure it was more than long enough for his cousin to handle the meeting with the gang leader without him hanging over his shoulder the entire time. He grabbed a vodka, and tossed it back, before getting a glass of water for John.

That would only look like vodka.

No need to go messing with John’s meds.

By the time Andino got back upstairs into the VIP section, it looked like the meeting was just about done, and as he thought, without issue. Andino gave John his drink with a nod as if to silently tell him it was only water—he knew the deal. John took it with a nod of his own.

The gang leader took the second glass Andino had brought up that did have alcohol. “Thank you.”

Andino waved it off, and took a seat at the table with the other two men. Maverick and John clinked their glass together—a peace offering, if Andino ever saw one.

“Pleasure doing business with you, Johnathan,” Maverick said.

John took a drink, and smirked. “And you.”

Once the drinks were finished, it seemed like so was the meeting. Clean, simple, and easy. As business should be.

“So that’s settled then,” John said to the man.

Maverick stood from his seat. “Seems so. You’ll supply, and I’ll buy from only you.”

“Keep that agreement, and you won’t need to see us again.”

“We wouldn’t be as nice the second time,” Andino added.

It was a good reminder.

The gang leader gave a nod in response and then held up two fingers. His men waiting at other tables stood, and waited their leader out as the three men said goodbye.

John and Andino’s two enforcers who had been waiting in the shadows throughout the entire meeting only came closer the second the gang leader and his men were gone. The empty glasses on the table were removed, and the enforcers made their presences scarce.

“Thanks,” John said.

Andino grinned. “For what, man? You handled that on your own. I don’t know what the hell Dante is worried about with you. I wasn’t even needed here tonight.”

A quiet laugh echoed from his cousin. “Tell him that.”

“I will.”

And he would.

“I meant, thanks for the water,” John said.

Andino shrugged, and shoved his hands in his pockets. Didn’t his cousin know? “I’ve always got your back, John. Even when you don’t know it.”

“Not really your job, though.”

“Still going to do it.”

Till the day one of ‘em fucking died.

“What about when you don’t have the time anymore, huh?”

Andino’s gaze turned into slits at that statement. “Like fucking when?”

“How about when you’re the boss, and have a whole organization to manage? You don’t need to be worrying about me when that happens, Andi.”