“What were they discussing?” Ivan asked. He was tense, just as they all were. Armando was already on thin ice with the guys because of Giana.
“I heard them talking about the Mexicans,” she said. A couple of them cursed under their breath. “It sounded like Anthony and Lorenzo have struck a deal with the Mexicans, still trying to bypass Trino. I don’t know the Mexicans, but they don’t seem terribly smart. The other man, I don’t know his name, was basically trying to convince Armando to switch sides. At first, he resisted, but by the end of the conversation, it sounded more like Mando was considering it.” More cursing from the guys. “Before you get all murdery, this is where not being able to see his face comes in. We know Mando ha tes confrontation, so it’s possible he was just pretending to agree with the guy to end the conversation. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt here, but I don’t know,” she said, crossing her arms.
“Are we going to wait to see if Armando comes to you with this one?” Viktor asked.
“I do want to see if he comes clean, but I’m not willing to give him very long to do it,” I said. I pulled my phone from my pocket. “I think Trino needs to hear about this.” I put my phone on speaker and leaned against my desk. Sephie moved next to me, doing the same.
“Jefe, que pasa?” Trino answered on the first ring.
Adrik
“You’re not going to like this, Trino,” I said.
“I love it when you get straight to the point, lefe,” Trino said, laugh
“Sephie overheard Armando talking to one of his business associates. They were speaking Italian so they thought no one could hear them,” I said.
“Doesn’t Armando know she can understand Italian? I mean, he was there when she told me and Martin that she understands Italian. Does he have memory issues?” Trino asked.
Sephie laughed. “I stayed out of his line of sight, Trino. I can be invisible when I need to be,” she said.
He chuckled. “Miha, your talents are endless.”
“Apparently the Mexicans have reached a new deal with Anthony and Lorenzo. They’re still trying to bypass you and have convinced people that’s possible,” I said. “The other man was trying to convince Armando to switch sides.”
We all waited, trying not to laugh too loudly, as Trino went on a cursing tirade. He was nice enough to pull the phone away from his mouth, but we could still clearly hear him. When he finally got himself under control, he asked, “and what of Armando?”
“I don’t know the answer to that one, Trino. He resisted at first, but by the end of the conversation, he made it seem like he was. considering it. But it’s Armando. He doesn’t like confrontation. I also couldn’t see his face, so I can’t say for sure what he was thinking,” Sephie said.
“Puta,” Trino said, which made Sephie laugh. She looked up, realizing I didn’t understand. “He called him a bi tch,” she said. quietly, still laughing about it.
“Are Anthony and Lorenzo still there, Trino?” she asked.
“Si, Miha. I just met with them yesterday. They must be negotiating with the Mexicans over the phone. They haven’t left Colombia. Not even while I was gone to meet with you. I have people watching them around the clock. The Mexicans wouldn’t dare set foot in Colombia either, so they have to be speaking over the phone. Who makes a deal like this over the phone?” Trino said. We waited for another cursing tirade to finish.
Sephie giggled. “You’re not wrong, Trino, but I think we’ve clearly established that we’re not dealing with the best and brightest here. I don’t even know the Mexicans but I can tell they’re mo rons if they think they can bypass you.”
“You haven’t even been in this world for very long and you already recognize this. These people were raised in this world and they think they can go around me,” Trino said.
“I’m more worried about what this will mean for the Mexicans. I don’t want to start a war between you and them,” I said.
“It could give Trino a reason to get rid of Anthony and Lorenzo, though. Trino finds out they’ve been making deals behind his back, rightfully loses his shit and impresses all of us with his dramatic flair when it comes to the death of his enemies,” Sephie said. She was smiling as she said it, as I’m sure she knew how much she was stroking Trino’s ego. “It also se nds a message to anyone else that tries to bypass Trino,” she added.
Trino was quiet for a moment. “You haven’t been in this world very long and you can run shit better than I can, Miha. You’re right, though. It can take care of the problem with Anthony and Lorenzo, but I might need help with the Mexicans. They’ve been looking for a way around me for years. I wouldn’t put it past them to declare war, with or without Anthony and Lorenzo,” he said.
“We will help you as much as we can, Trino. You’ve been a huge help to us through all of this. My list of people I can trust is dwindling. You remain loyal to me, I remain loyal to you,” I said.
“I feel the same, Jefe. And also, I’m scared of your girlfriend’s wr ath,” Trino said, laughing.
“I knew you were a smart man, Trino,” Sephie said.
We ended the call shortly after. Ivan chuckled, shaking his head. “Sephie, you’re becoming a genius at strategy.”
“You didn’t hear her in the meeting, Ivan,” Viktor said, laughing. “Strategy and marketing,” he said, looking proudly at her.
“Okay, the building project one was obvious, so I don’t get credit on that one. I just spelled it out plainly for them,” she said. “And the other matter is more because my patience is wearing thin. I also may have wanted to send a message to Armando in the most passive-aggressive way possible,” she said. A sly smile came across her face as she watched all the guys comprehend what she’d just said.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.