Mob Boss Eleven- The Wrong One (The Mob Boss Series Book 11)

by Mallory Monroe

  “You see that guy over there? Well that’s Tommy over there, Dapper Tom. And he’s a dog. Oh yeah, he is. Don’t let his good looks and cool manner fool you. He’s a show dog. He won’t bark, he’s too pretty to bark, but man will he bite. Ouch. It won’t be pretty.”

  Joe Nathan looked at Tommy. Tommy smiled and waved and shook his head, as if to say Reno was exaggerating.

  “That fellow over there,” Reno continued, motioning toward Sal. “Now he’s a bulldog. He will bark and bite. You most definitely do not want to fuck with him.”

  Joe looked at Sal. Sal started growling.

  “Now as for me,” Reno kept going, “well I’m a dog too. I’m whatta you might call the big dog. You may as well fuck with the moon before you try to fuck with me. You may as well fuck with yourself before you fuck with me. Because I bark and bite and kick and gouge. You don’t wannna fuck with me.”

  Joe was staring at Reno.

  “So no matter where you look in this room, which is the same as looking at the end of the world for you right now. No matter where you look, you’ve got to deal with an animal. And because you had something to do with harming our women, we are very wounded animals. You don’t wanna fuck with any of us, Joe. Not one of us. Now, for the first, last, and only time, where are the shooters? Where are they?”

  “The shooters,” Joe asked, “or their boss?”

  Tommy and Sal looked at Reno. They didn’t expect that answer.

  Reno didn’t expect it either. But Joe Nathan would never know it. “Let’s start with the boss. Who is he? Where is he?”

  “It’s not a he,” Joe said. “It’s a lady.”

  Another surprise. Another blank stare by Reno. “Yeah?” he asked. “Who is she? Where is she?”

  “Ask her yourself.”

  “Will be happy to,” Reno said. “So don’t get smart with me. Where is she?”

  “I would say she’s home.”

  “No shit, asshole? Where is her home?”

  Joe Nathan actually smiled. “Why your home, Mr. Gabrini. I do believe she’s staying, at the moment, with you.”

  Reno, Sal, and Tommy all were puzzled. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Reno asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “Grace,” Joe Nathan said. “I’m talking about Grace Gabrini.”

  Reno and Sal looked at Tommy. What the fuck?

  Tommy, staring at Joe Nathan, walked up to him. “Grace Gabrini?” he asked him.

  Joe Nathan looked up at him. “You don’t even recognize me, do you pretty boy? I was right under your nose. Working for your wife, banging your wife, right under your nose.”

  Reno and Sal stared at Tommy. They knew what he was capable of.

  But Tommy maintained his cool for now. His big eyes didn’t blink. “What does my wife have to do with that shooting?”

  “She had nothing to do with it. If planning it, bankrolling it, hiring the participants is nothing, then she had nothing to do with it.”

  Suddenly Tommy grabbed Joe Nathan, stood him up as if he was standing up a piece of paper, and ran with him until he was slammed against the wall. Joe screamed out with agonizing back pain. Reno and Sal followed, but allowed Tommy to keep the lead.

  “Now, Mr. Joe Nathan,” Tommy said, attempting to regain his cool, “what did you say about my wife?”

  “I’m telling you the truth, man! She masterminded the whole thing!”

  Tommy slammed him against the wall again. He screamed again. “Lie on her one more time and I will kill your ass. I will motherfucking kill your ass.”

  Reno and Sal moved closer. Tommy always meant what he said. But they needed more info from Joe Nathan first.

  “I’m not lying,” Joe said in a defeated voice, as if he, too, knew he was doomed. “I’m telling you the truth. Why don’t you listen to me?”

  “I’ll listen,” Tommy yelled, “when you stop lying!”

  “I’m not lying!” Joe yelled back. “She’s crazy with jealousy, man! She wanted it bad!”

  Reno frowned. “She wanted what bad?”

  “To take her out.”

  “To take who out?” Reno asked.

  “Your wife,” Joe said. “Grace wanted to take Katrina Gabrini out.”

  Tommy grabbed Joe Nathan by the catch of his collar and began beating the shit out of him.

  “Tommy wait!” Reno was yelling.

  “Tommy no!” Sal was yelling.

  And both men tried to pull Tommy off of Joe. But they couldn’t pull him back. Tommy had that otherworldly brute strength when he was angry enough, and he was beyond angry. He had Joe Nathan down on the floor and was punching him senseless, with blood spewing with every punch, until both men were finally able to pull Tommy away.

  Then Sal took over. This was his brother’s wife this fool was scandalizing. He grabbed a bloody Joe Nathan, lifted him, and Reno slid the chair over. Sal plopped Joe down in the chair. And then Sal got into Joe’s face. “Tell us the absolute truth, motherfucker,” Sal told him. “And if you lie, if we find out you so much as shaved an ounce off of the truth, I swear I’ll pull out your tongue with my bare hands! Now you tell us the truth asshole! Who hired those shooters?”

  But Joe Nathan was crying and shaking his head. “You don’t wanna hear the truth,” he said.

  “Who were the shooters?” Sal said again. Every one of the Gabrini men were on pins and needles. Especially Tommy. Not because he believed that cocksucker, but because he couldn’t understand why Joe Nathan would think he could tell that kind of lie and get away with it.

  “Grace Gabrini hired them,” he said.

  And Tommy rushed him. “You lying motherfucker!” he yelled, but Reno held him back.

  “Why did Grace hire them?” Sal asked quickly, before Tommy broke loose.

  “You don’t want the truth.”

  Sal slapped Joe upside his head. “Why did she hire them?”

  “She hated Katrina Gabrini. And she wanted to take her out.”

  “That’s a gotdamn lie!” Tommy said angrily and broke free from Reno. He pulled out his revolver, slung it into Joe Nathan’s mouth, and then dared him to lie this time.

  “I’ll blow you away from this life,” he told their horrified prisoner. “If you lie on my wife one more time you will never again see the light of day. Who are the killers?”

  Sal was about to pull Tommy away from their only informant, but Reno stopped him. He was getting intel. Valuable intel. And Reno trusted Tommy. He was never the kind of man who would do something stupid. Even if it involved his own wife’s honor.

  Joe tried to answer his question, but the gun was in his mouth. Tommy pulled it out. “Mort Carson and Brendan Ashfordland.”

  “Where are they?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “How do you know their names?”

  “Grace.” He was so terrified, he was in tears. “Grace told me and that’s the truth! I’m sorry but that’s the truth!”

  Tommy dropped his gun to his side and looked at him. He looked outdone to Reno. But they were this close. They had to keep going.

  “Why did Grace hate my wife?” Reno asked Joe Nathan.

  Tommy looked at Reno with shock in his eyes. “You’re falling for this bullshit?” he asked him.

  “Why does she hate my wife?” Reno asked Joe Nathan again.

  “Grace said . . .” Joe looked over at Tommy.

  “He’s not going to hurt you,” Reno responded. “Tell us what she said.”

  “She said she hated Katrina Gabrini because her husband cherishes her and protects her. She said Tommy never cherished her, and he never protected her.”

  Reno and Sal looked at Tommy. They knew how Grace had to end up shooting one of Tommy’s ex-lovers. They knew how devastated Tommy was about that. And they both said the same thing at the time: Tommy dropped the ball. Tommy should have protected Grace better.

  But Tommy stared at Joe Nathan. It seemed so easy to believe him. It seemed so true! But Tommy knew Gra
ce. He knew the woman he fell in love with. And Grace would never, not ever hate Trina, and try to take her out. They could try to sale that snake oil all day long. But he wasn’t buying it. “Where can we find Carson and Ashfordland?” he asked Joe.

  Joe was shaking his head. He was in agony.

  “Where can we find them?” Tommy asked him again.

  “I don’t know,” Joe said again. “I told you everything I know. Grace wanted me to be her point person. I paid them off. That’s all. I had nothing to do with those killings.”

  “Where did you meet the shooters to pay them off?”

  “At my house. They came to me. And then they left. And I never saw them again.” He looked at Tommy, as the blood continued to pour. “That’s all I know!” he yelled.

  Tommy pointed the gun at him.

  “Tommy!” Sal said.

  “Take it back,” Tommy ordered Joe Nathan. “All these lies you’re telling about my wife, take them back.”

  But Joe Nathan was crying. He was shaking his head. “If I lie, and you find out I’m lying, you’re gonna kill me anyway. If I tell the truth, then I still stand a chance. I’m telling you the truth, Mr. Gabrini. I swear on my momma’s grave that Grace set this whole thing up. She’s the one you need to be mad at. She’s the one who came to me! I was minding my own business. I was running my rig and minding my own business. But she came on to me. She’s a beautiful woman, what was I supposed to do?”

  Tommy was shaking his head. “You’re lying,” he said.

  “I’m not lying! She begged me to help her! On my momma’s grave, she begged me!”

  “You’re lying,” Sal said. “Why would Grace put herself in that kind of danger? She was at that table too. She was sitting right there when those bullets started flying.”

  “She was supposed to duck,” Joe Nathan said. “That would be the signal. When she ducked.”

  “Where’s the video?” Sal asked Reno. “Let’s check it out. That’ll let us know if this prick is lying or not.”

  But Tommy already knew. He didn’t hesitate another second. He fired, hitting Joe right between the eyes.

  Sal and Reno were stunned.

  “He’s lying,” Tommy said. “I don’t care what that video says. That’s why I couldn’t spare him. For my wife’s sake, for my wife’s honor and good name, I wasn’t going to let him play us for fools.” Then Tommy walked out.

  Tommy was waiting in the Bentley, in the backseat, by the time Reno and Sal came out of the safe house. Reno and Sal looked at each other, as if they were trying to decide who would have this thankless task. Sal was Tommy’s younger brother and they loved each other dearly, but Reno was Tommy’s best friend. They were closer than brothers. Reno got in the backseat with Tommy. Sal got behind the wheel.

  Reno looked at Tommy. Tommy had his head back and his eyes closed.

  “Tommy,” Reno said.

  Tommy didn’t respond.

  “She ducked, Tommy,” Reno said.

  Tommy opened his eyes, and looked at Reno.

  “On the video, just before the shooting started, Grace leaned down as if she was picking something off of the floor. She ducked. And then the shooting began. She stayed down, and was never in danger of getting hit. When we first looked at the video, it happened so fast that it looked as if she was ducking after the gunfire erupted. But I slowed that shit down. She ducked before any gun was fired.”

  Tommy looked forward. He didn’t say a word. Sal looked at his brother through the rearview mirror.

  “Sal also called Trammel to see if he really worked there,” Reno continued. “And that was true too.”

  “He’s a trucker there, Tommy,” Sal interjected. “One of their most experienced, the woman told me on the phone.”

  Tommy closed his eyes with a frown.

  “How do you want to play this, Tommy?” Reno asked him. “We’ve got to talk to Grace.”

  But Tommy shook his head. “You aren’t talking to my wife,” he said.

  “We know how you’re hurting, Tommy,” Sal said, “but we can’t overlook these facts.”

  “We have nothing else,” Reno said. “The names of those killers, yeah, but those are probably false names to begin with. We got nothing else.”

  “You aren’t talking to my wife,” Tommy said again. Then he frowned, because he knew how devastated Grace was going to be. “But I will,” he added.

  Then Tommy looked at him. “She’s there with Trina. According to Joe, she wanted to take Trina out. Aren’t you concerned?”

  Reno stared at Tommy. “A part of me is very concerned,” he said. “I’m not going to lie to you. But it’s your wife. And I trust you and I trust your judgment. I always have. But I also love my wife and children, and until there is zero percent chance of any of that shit Joe Nathan spewed is true, then I have to do what I have to do to protect them. I called Jimmy. He has Trina and the children under guard. I hope that doesn’t offend your wife, and if it does, I’m sorry. But I would rather offend your wife for a little while, than regret not offending her for a lifetime.”

  Tommy exhaled and nodded. “A hellava position we find ourselves in, Reno.”

  “But you understand?”

  “I understand that Joe Nathan filled our heads with a lot of bullshit, and I’ve got to disprove that bullshit for the sake of my wife. I also understand what you did. I don’t like it, but if Grace’s safety was questioned, then yes, I would have done the same thing.”

  Reno nodded. And squeezed Tommy’s shoulder. “Hellava position, Tommy,” he said.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “Where’s my wife?” Tommy asked Jimmy and Val as soon as he entered the penthouse. They were in the living room, both answering text messages on their phones, when he walked in.

  “She’s in the Nursery with the baby,” Jimmy responded.

  “Does she know what’s going on?”

  “No, sir,” Jimmy responded. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”

  “Okay,” Tommy said, and then headed, not to the Nursery, but straight to Reno’s office. He closed and locked the door.

  Val looked at Jimmy. “What was that all about?” she asked.

  But then Reno and Sal entered the penthouse, and neither one of them seemed in a talking mood either.

  “Hey, Pop,” Jimmy said as they entered. “What’s up?”

  But Reno only shook his head. “Don’t ask,” he said as if that said it all. “Mom awake?”

  “She’s awake,” Jimmy responded, and Reno headed for the master suite.

  Jimmy looked at Sal. “What happened, Uncle Sal?”

  “What did your father tell you when he phoned you?”

  “He didn’t tell me anything. At least not the details. You know how he is. He won’t tell me any of the juicy details until he’s good and ready.”

  “Who am I to go against your old man?”

  “You’re Sal, that’s who. You always go again my old man. Now please tell me what’s going on. What’s up, Unc?”

  But, again, Sal only shook his head. “Don’t ask,” he said, and went searching for Gemma.

  Jimmy was flustered. He looked at Val. But Val had no answers either. “Don’t ask,” she said, and Jimmy couldn’t help but laugh.

  An hour later, Reno and his family were hanging out with Trina in the master bedroom. Reno propped her up on pillows as she sat up in bed, and she sipped tea in the quiet afternoon. Reno was fully dressed in his suit, with his dress shoes off, as he sat on top of the covers beside her. He was holding her hand and baby Sophia was asleep on his lap. Dommi was on the opposite side of the bed, beside his mother, with his arms around her waist. And Jimmy was lying across the foot of the bed, on his side. The doctors Reno hired allowed Trina to remain up with visitors for no more than half an hour at a time. It had already been over an hour.

  “Why is Grandma and Grandpa asleep?” Dommi asked his parents.

  “Because they’re old,” Jimmy said with a grin.

  “
Don’t listen to him,” Trina said. “This has been a trying time for them, and they need their rest.”

  “But they rest all the time,” Dommi said. “You don’t rest all the time, and you were sick. And you’re old too.”

  Trina and Reno laughed. “Don’t call my wife old,” he told his young son.

  “But she is old,” Dommi said. Jimmy laughed.

  “No, she’s not,” Reno said. “She’s not even forty yet. So watch it, buster.”

  “Forty,” Dommi said. “I don’t know if I can count that many. That would take me forever.”

  “And ever and ever,” Jimmy said.

  “But she’s okay now,” Dommi said. “Aren’t you, mommy? Aren’t you okay now?”

  “I’m getting there, Dommi, yes. Every hour it feels as if I’m slowly becoming my old self again.”

  “Why don’t you want your new self?” Dommi asked.

  Jimmy grinned. “Good question,” he said.

  “Don’t encourage him,” Reno responded.

  “It’s a figure of speech, sweetie,” Trina said to her young son.

  “Speech can figure?” Dommi asked, but just as he did, Tommy and Grace appeared at the door.

  Reno was relieved. He had been thinking about nothing but Grace’s situation since he returned home.

  “Uncle Tommy,” Jimmy said as he sat up on the bed.

  “Jimmy, take Sophia into the Nursery to play with Destiny. I need to talk to your parents for a few minutes.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jimmy said, as he took his baby sister out of his father’s arms.

  “Dominic, you go with him,” Tommy ordered.

  “Ah, Uncle Tommy!” Dommi said. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes,” Tommy, Reno, and Trina said in unison.

  Dommi was reluctant, but he followed Jimmy out of the room. Tommy closed the door.

  Trina looked at Tom. He was Mister Cool when he wanted to be, but he wasn’t fooling her. He had a problem. “Tommy, what’s wrong?” she asked him.

  “Reno told you about Joe Nathan, right?”

  Trina frowned. “About who?”

  “No,” Reno said. “I wasn’t telling her about that nonsense until I had more information.”