Page 17 of Reckless

For as long as I could remember, the Underwood’s had the city of Starfell in the palm of their hands. It was a fact that everyone within the city limits grew up knowing. Like the ABC’s and the days of the week. While Starfell technically had a police force, everyone knew that they were another extension of the Underwood’s reach. That force had been bought and paid for with interest. And they had more than enough cash to buy anything and anyone they wanted.

“Cal. Simon. They’re ready for you,” the secretary, Mavis, said. She wore a tight gold dress that looked better suited for the club than an office setting. Her long straight black hair swayed as she walked, heels clacking on the marble floor.

When I was first brought on, all the flashy decor and distant sounds of the casino impressed me. But now I saw it for the cheap facade it really was. This place and the Underwoods were all glitz and no substance. The only reason they had as much influence as they did was because of their money and fear they inflicted by guys like me.

“Cal! Come on in here! Long time,” Carmine Underwood exclaimed, standing up from behind his desk with his thick arms spread wide. The man had more meat on him than a butcher shop. “Simon, you son of a bitch. Get over here and give your Uncle Carmine a hug.”

Simon did as he was told, and it was almost comical seeing Simon lean down to accommodate Carmine’s hug. He slapped Simon on the back several times. It was easy to tell the two were related. They had a similar build and hair color. But where Simon’s was thick with a robust rusty hue, Carmine’s was thinning with streaks of gray dispersed throughout. Carmine gestured for us to take a seat in the two plush black leather chairs that faced his opulent mahogany desk that was covered in gaudy gold appliqués.

A quick scan of the office told me we weren’t alone.

John, Davis, and Burt were standing sentry along the wall. Though their weapons were concealed, I knew each one of them were packing heat.

“So where are we on finding Kenneth’s killer?” Carmine asked, sitting down and leaning back in his chair, his fingers were steepled together in front of his chest as he stared at me, waiting to respond.

“We haven’t found any more leads yet. We retraced their steps, so we’re still seeing if someone saw anything of note,” I replied, feeling that sweat increase. I would have to change my shirt if I got out of here. Despite his show of warm emotion earlier, I knew how quickly Carmine’s good mood could turn deadly.

“Good. Well. Keep searching. We can’t have that stolen information leaking to say… the FBI.”

I nodded my head in understanding. In other words, he was saying hurry the fuck up and get this handled or they’d make it my personal problem.

To my great relief, Simon kept quiet, not giving away the fact that I fucked off last night when I should have been searching for the killer. He might have been related by blood to the crime family, but he was my brother by choice.

“And, Cal, when you do find who stole from us…” his words hung in the air as I waited for him to finish his sentence. “… I want you to shoot them and leave them in the street for everyone to see what happens when you cross our family.”

I swallowed around the lump that had formed in my throat. “Sure thing, boss.”

He smiled at me, the wrinkles around his mouth pulling back like an accordion. “That’s what I like to hear.”

Those unspoken threats rang around in my head as Simon and I headed back to the apartment building. “Hey, thanks for not outing me in there,” I said to him after a few minutes, squeezing the car steering wheel.

“Cal, no one does more for my family than you. And if anyone deserves a night off, it’s you. How many fucking times have you saved my neck?”

“Fifteen,” I muttered.

“What? I swore it was twelve.”

“You’re probably forgetting that week in Thailand.” I turned down the street that housed our building, careful to avoid the few pedestrians that were milling about.

“Oh. Right. Well. Even so. I wouldn’t be here without you having my back. The least I could do was have yours. Now, are you going to tell me why you had a stupid grin plastered to your face when I picked you up or am I going to have to guess.”

The car lurched as I pressed too hard on the breaks when I pulled into park.

“No reason.”

He turned and gave me his full attention then. “Oh really? It wasn’t due to the gorgeous girl that made you come in your pants?”

I cut the engine and glared at him. He looked like a kid that just had a piece of candy he wasn’t supposed to eat. “What of it?”

“Oh nothing, just thought that it was about time you actually started seeing someone. You’re not getting any younger you know?”

“Really? We’re going to pull the age card to bully me into dating? You know what my lifestyle is like. How come you don’t go and get yourself a girlfriend?”

“Ah, see I am living my best single life. You? You’re living like a fucking monk. When was the last time you got laid? No wonder you came in your pants.”

At that, I exited the car, slamming the door harder than necessary. I hated that he was making sense. So, what if I had been a little solitary? I liked it that way. All I needed was myself, my spider, and the music of Fleetwood Mac. Those things had never let me down. And while, yes, I had been feeling resentful because I was craving more, he didn’t need to know that.

Simon was right behind me as we walked into the building and began following me up the stairs. He’s lucky I loved him like a brother, or I’d be shoving him down those steps without a second thought. “You know I’m right. And you can keep running from me, but the truth will catch up to you eventually.”