KNOX: Volume 3 Read Free Page A

surprised to see a picture of Rebecca and August smiling on a ski lift. This must be the photos she took down after they broke up. I don’t know what to think of the fact that she didn’t burn them. Maybe she was going to give them back to August so he could get off on them.
    I flip through the stack and it only takes six pictures for me to get down to the naughty pictures. The first one is just a selfie of Rebecca and August lying in bed naked, with only a small portion of her breast showing. The next one is Rebecca standing in front of the bathroom door naked. She’s looking over her shoulder at the camera as he takes a picture of her backside. The next picture makes me toss the whole fucking stack at the wall.
    I slam the dresser drawer shut and grip the edge to try to steady myself.
    The pictures were taken a long time ago. I can’t allow myself to get worked up like this. I knew Rebecca and August were together. I knew they were having sex. I encouraged it. Until I got a taste of her.
    Now she’s mine. And I think August needs to be reminded of that after the little stunt he pulled showing up at the same brunch restaurant as Rebecca two days ago.
    I dial August’s number and he picks up on the first ring, as usual. “I’ve got a job for you.”

4

    I always arrive early to dinner meetings. If your dinner companion arrives to find you seated at the table, the first advantage of the evening goes to you. They’re already nervous because they don’t know how long they’ve kept you waiting. And I’m not the kind of man people like to keep dangling.
    When August arrives at Il Conte, one of the four restaurants I own in Manhattan, he looks annoyed. He’s not nervous about arriving four minutes late. He’s bothered that he had to come here at all.
    “Have a seat.”
    He’s wearing one of his ironic faded hipster T-shirts today. Smokey the Bear: Only you can prevent forest fires. He wants me to think he’s just some small-time blogger who can’t be trusted with anything too important.  
    “So what’s this about?”
    I chuckle. “Relax, August. Have a fucking drink.” I nod at Bruno, who’s standing next to Billy behind August’s chair. “Tell Mia to get us one scotch and one pint of that new IPA.”
    “I don’t want a drink. I want to know why I’m here.”
    “You’ll like the new IPA. You can write about it on your blog.”
    Now he’s beginning to look uncomfortable. People don’t like having their choices taken away.
    I smile at this thought and pause for a moment, giving him a chance to speak up. If he’s really nervous, he’ll say something. If he’s only moderately anxious, he’ll keep quiet.
    He’s not nervous enough yet.
    “I’ve got a job for you.”
    “I’m done. You said you’d get my uncle back into Connecticut. I’m not doing anything until you deliver on your promise.”
    I glance toward Billy and he nods. August looks over his shoulder at Billy then back at me.
    “What? Are you going to have me killed if I don’t do what you’re asking?”
    There are only a few patrons in the restaurant at ten p.m. on a Thursday night. And they’re not seated anywhere near us. But I can’t let this little cocksucker off so easily.
    “I’m only going to ask you once to keep your voice down. If I have to ask you again, you’re going to be choking on your marble-sized balls. Got it?”
    His mouth is set in a hard line as he shakes his head. “I should have just gone to the police five months ago.”
    “Good. That’s exactly what I want you to do.”  
    He looks at me like I’m crazy. Bruno arrives and takes up his position next to Billy. He’s closely followed by a blonde waitress, Shelly, who’s carrying the drinks Mia just made for us. I don’t employ waiters or bartenders. I only employ women in the front of the house of all my restaurants. It’s good for business.
    Shelly sets the beer down in front of August. Then she sets my usual tumbler of scotch down in front of me.