Page 160 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

“Nik showed up dead last month. As you can see, his face was blown off, or most of it.”

Yes, because it’d taken two months to find the bastard. He lived his life underground and off the grid.

Gian wanted him dead.

He got his wish.

Gian made a dismissive noise. “Well, I guess that’s one less killer in Canada, then, isn’t it?”

Seeley sighed, closing the folder and passing it back to his partner. “Gian, I know you’re not a stupid man.”

“You’re right, I’m not.”

“Then let’s talk.”

“I’d rather not, I’m not stupid, after all. You said it first.”

“Then let me talk,” the detective said.

“You did waste your time coming all the way here, so be my guest, Detective Seeley.”

The man gestured at the file his partner held. “You should be aware—if you aren’t already—that this really is no longer about Corrado’s murder, or the many deaths that followed after his. This is about the Guzzi organization as a whole, and putting an end to the reign your family has had in this city—”

“Country,” Gian corrected smoothly. “We’re the largest organization in this country, at the moment, and for the unforeseeable future, too. We have always been the reigning organization, and that isn’t going to change. Even when the cops couldn’t handle something like the biker gang wars, we did. And for the most part, the Guzzi organization keeps a tight leash on gangs and other violent entities that cause us issues, which in return, cause the people and you issues.”

Seeley tipped his chin up, defiant.

Gian smirked in response.

“I mean, you could be grateful,” Gian added.

“Right, that’s the word police are known to use for criminals.”

Gian waved that off. “Those are semantics. If you’re here to tell me that the focus of the police has changed from putting away murderers, to bringing my family down, then you’re too little too late. You see, I took care of the issues that needed taken care of, and you can take that however you want to. What it means, however, is that you’re left with the rest of us on your side of things, including me. So, here I am. I’ve even made it easy on you.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Gian held out his wrists, offering them to the detective. “You didn’t even have to ride an elevator to arrest me. Here you go, do your job.”

“I—”

“Can’t,” Gian interjected. “Yeah, I know. But hey, I’m really starting to look forward to these weekly meets and the games we play, so maybe in a few more, we’ll actually get to the point where we can sit down and have coffee. Or maybe not.”

“And how are those growing pains coming along in the organization?” the detective asked, moving an inch closer. “How difficult it must be for a boss of your age—even with your last name—to gain any traction with some of those men?”

Gian let his cool, calm expression take over as he answered, “So you’re watching, then? Good, see if you can keep up. Je suis désolé, mais je dois y aller, Detective. Have a good day.”

“We’re not done talking, Gian.”

Gian had already turned back and was heading for the elevator. His response was a flick of his hand over his shoulder, even when the detective called out for him again.

Oh, they were done.

Entirely so.

“Explain to me, boss, how a man who gets driven around ninety percent of his time, has managed to get two parking tickets and one for speeding, in three months?”

Gian glared at the back of Christopher Basso’s head from his spot in the rear seat. “You know they only pulled me over on the speeding ticket just to get a look inside my car.”