Page 105 of Scarred Ruin

“What in the hell is going on, Max?” Roman stood, daring enough to remain close. He knew how uncontrollable my reactions could be even now.

The swing in my moods was also troubling. He’d been in the room when I’d almost broken the neck of a captain for being two minutes late in picking up Mina.

Two. Fucking. Minutes.

Since my conversation with Mina’s teacher, my child had been under constant surveillance. Plus, Shadow had turned into quite the security dog. With his big bark and huge paws, he was threatening to almost everyone. Little did they know the big puppy would merely lick them to death.

My mood swings had become an issue.

“Something is brewing. I can taste it.” I kept my voice low and devoid of emotion.

“You’re probably detecting spiked eggnog.” He laughed then grumbled in Russian under his breath, which meant he was irritated as hell with me. Rarely did he resort to our native language.

He was right. I was a tense son of a bitch and had been for weeks.

“What could be brewing?” he added.

“That’s the problem. I don’t know.” Things were running smoothly, yet there was a denseness to the air, which had infected my instincts.

“Tensions are running high with the Italians, but I don’t think they’re interested in getting into a war. It’s Christmas.”

I’d heard all about the recent squabbles with soldiers from the Cosa Nostra out of Atlanta. They paid well for use of our ports and every so often to utilize our logistics side of business. There was no competition between our businesses and no reason to start a war. That didn’t mean we didn’t keep an eye on their activities.

“So I’ve been told. What have they done?”

He chuckled. “Let’s just say the Don appears to be just as cranky as you’ve become. I understand they have an enemy they are dealing with as well.”

“You’re still hung up on the bald man.” In truth, so was I. When men just disappeared, they were usually lying in wait.

His tone indicated he was making fun of me. “There’s been no sighting.”

“Don’t shoot the messenger, but did you ever think that maybe your main squeeze was so terrified that the description she offered was incorrect?”

At that moment, his words and not just his suggestion was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I had him around the throat without thinking, even lifting him off the floor.

“Don’t you think that if you’d done your job in getting to the school on time then my girlfriend wouldn’t have found it necessary to risk her life in saving my daughter? Or perhaps if you’d reacted more quickly, you would have been the person providing an accurate description?”

“Fuck,” he managed, wrapping both his hands around my arm. Fortunately for him, he wasn’t attempting to fight me, which had the effect of creating fury toward my lack of control. I dropped him just as two employees appeared in the open doorway.

I’d never brought the underground world into this office. Not once. It was an unwritten rule that allowed the invisible line between the legitimate and criminal activities to remain strong. Two employees had not only seen my overreaction but had heard about what had occurred.

The rumors would escape the hallowed walls by nightfall.

Roman was one of the few people in my life who wasn’t afraid of me. We looked very much alike with thick, dark hair, blue eyes, and faces full of stubble, but that’s where the similarity ended.

While he could be as brutal, his personality was just the opposite of mine, his disposition almost sunny where mine was storm clouds waiting to erupt into a hurricane.

Rarely was I embarrassed with anything I did but today was one of them. I turned away, angrier with myself than I’d been in a long time.

“You’re right,” he offered. “I don’t mind admitting I fucked up. However, even with the tips coming in about bald men, we’ve found nothing concrete. Other than a grandfather of thirteen on disability, a bar owner in a biker joint, half his face covered in prison tattoos, and a music teacher whose big, bad boyfriend was none too happy we were harassing his man.”

Whether or not the stories were true didn’t matter. He’d made me laugh even if the sound was close to being unrecognizable. “He’s out there, Roman. He’s watching and waiting.”

“There have been no threats. Have there?”

I shook my head. “I can feel him. He’s the catalyst and whether he’s responsible, he’s been assigned to determine the next moves.” I fisted and flexed my hand several times.

“You can’t rule your life with an unknown.”