Page 362 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

Oh, was that how Andino wanted to play this?

Fine.

“I had business on one side of the city and ended up on an entirely different side today,” John said, “because apparently, the only person who gets to be taken seriously in this fucking city is you. Right? Because if even you can’t fuck off and let me work without watching over my shoulder constantly, how in the hell is anyone else going to do it?”

The silence coated the room heavily.

John didn’t mind a bit.

“Anything else you want to know?” he asked his cousin.

Andino stared hard at John. “Maybe I’m just worried about you.”

“Maybe you can ask me instead of whatever the hell you were doing here today.”

In the chair closest to the window, Michel cleared his throat. “Sorry, man. He already had Pink here when I showed up after getting a call, too. I let it slip that you missed your lunch date with Siena and all.”

“Maybe I mentioned I hadn’t talked to you in a couple days,” Pink added.

Andino sighed.

John simply nodded at the other two. “No worries.”

They were honest.

That’s all he wanted.

As for Andino …

“Give me a call when you figure out what the fuck we’re doing here,” John told his cousin. “Otherwise, keep my name out of your mouth entirely. You hear me?”

“John, I was just—”

“It’s my business. All of it. Any of it. That’s for me to handle.”

He was a bit flaky lately. Not entirely off his game, but only because he was way on it instead which meant he still missed shit because he focused too much on one thing or another instead of everything as a whole. He stayed awake more than he slept. Remained high more than low. Not that it mattered because it was still for him to handle, and not anyone else. Which he was dealing with. But he also didn’t feel like he had to explain any of that to anyone.

Including Andino.

Better his cousin be aware now.

Right?

“And if we’re going to keep working together,” John said to Pink and Michel—because he wanted all of this to be crystal fucking clear from here on out—as he pointed a finger at them both, “then let that be a lesson to the both of you. My business is mine. I don’t care if you haven’t spoken to me in weeks. You don’t take it anywhere but to me. Got it?”

Pink, to his benefit, nodded. “Yeah, man.”

Michel, on the other hand, gave John a look. “I’m not a made man, John. I don’t answer to anybody but myself.”

“And this isn’t a game. You don’t get to play when you want to and quit when you don’t. You’re either in with this, Michel, or you’re out.” He shrugged, adding, “Figure it out. Both of you. Then, we’ll all know where we stand in this business, yeah?”