But it was moments like that, whenMick went above and beyond to demonstrate his love for her, that reassured Rozmore than words ever could. She went bywhat she saw, not what she heard. And whatshe saw on her birthday that day was a whole lot of love from the man she sodeeply loved.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Several miles away, at thePhiladelphia docks, Teddy went below deck to check out the cargo. It wasn’t how he wanted to spend hisSaturday. He’d rather sleep in with hisold lady. But duty called. Again!
“We counted it already,” one of hismen said when he began looking over the cargo.
“Count it again,” Teddy ordered.
“Again, sir?”
“Again. In my presence. And if there’s any shortfall, the entireshipment is going back. Pop’s had it up tohere with shortfalls. Count it again.”
“Yes, sir,” the young man said and heand two others began doing as they were ordered.
Teddy stood there watching. It was a shipment of what looked like boxfans. But inside those fans were thereal cargo: weapons. Their stock andtrade. But they had to be careful. This shipment was in the pipeline before theraids overseas. Once they got the cargoto their customers, they were shutting down stateside too. That was why he had to make certain theshipment was correct to the final box.
And although the young men hated tohave to do that long count all over again, Teddy didn’t give a shit. Mick didn’t jump on their asses whensomething went wrong. He jumped onTeddy. Teddy was jumping on them toavoid the backlash altogether.
But it was all for naught. The cargo was fine. No shortfalls discovered. Teddy, satisfied, made his way back up ondeck.
“Everything checked out, Boss?” thecrew chief asked when he walked up.
“Everything checks out,” Teddy said.
“I told you it wasn’t necessary.”
“That’s not your job to tell meshit. Your job is to do whatever I tellyou your job is to do.”
The crew chief became afraid. “Yes, sir. I didn’t mean anything disrespectful, Teddy. Honest I didn’t. I was just saying I witnessed the firstcount. That’s all I meant.”
Teddy exhaled. He was no ogre. “We’re all under a lot of pressure. The Feds in Rome and Belarus did a number onour supply chain. Pop’s going back overthere today to try to stop the bleeding. And after this we’ll shutting it down.”
“For how long you figure?” the crewchief asked.
“That’s Pop’s call,” said Teddy. “You just make sure everybody’s paid andeverybody leaves.”
“Yes, sir. What happened overseas to the crew?” thechief asked. “Everybody still in jail?”
“They released most of them, thanksto Pop’s lawyers, but not all. Butthey’re working on it.”
“Have the Feds called in yourfather?”
“No,” Teddy said, “and they won’tcall him in either. They like that cloakand dagger shit. They think they havehim on the ropes and want to string him out.”
“Damn if that’s true,” the chiefsaid.
“You know it’s not and I know it’snot. But that’s how they operate. They ain’t got shit on Pop, but they want toact as if they do.”
The chief scratched his bald head. “That’s so scary shit, I can’t lie. Too close for comfort. You don’t think those raids produced anythingincriminating?”
“They produced a lot,” Teddysaid. “Like I said before, they depletedour supply. But they can’t link thatchain to Pop. That’s all I’msaying. They can’t link that chain tothe Sinatra name because any fucker talks and they’ll go the way Pauley went.”
The chief nodded. “Yeah, I heard. His ass got exactly what he deserved. I never did like that guy.”
“But anyway, get it unloaded,” Teddyordered. “I want no delays,” he added,and was about to leave the ship when everybody, including Teddy, suddenly feltthe ship buckle.
Teddy frowned. “What the fuck was that?” he asked.
But even while he was asking it, theship buckled again, but this time so powerfully that Teddy almost lost hisbalance. “What the fuck!” heyelled. And then, before he could standupright again, he heard the loud explosion in the hull of the ship and thenfelt the floor beneath his feet not only buckle, but open up as if they were inthe middle of a volcanic eruption. Andhe lost all traction, and was thrown into the air.
It was a massive explosion that torethe mighty ship in two. Those that couldbail bailed. Those that didn’t have timeto jump went up with the fifty-feet-high flames that erupted.
Or down with the fast sinking ship.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Roz was still on top of Mick and theywere still on that bench. Mick was stilldeep inside of Roz, and they were still making long, slow love to each otherwhen the call came in.
At first, Mick was content to ignoreit. And he did at first. He wasn’t about to let anything stop him fromsatisfying his wife on her birthday. Butwhen it rang again, he reached over and grabbed his phone. But because Roz was on top of him and in abetter position to see it, he let her look at his Caller ID.
“You may need to take it, Mick,” shesaid. She hated the interruption, too,but she they couldn’t bury their heads in the sand.
“Who is it?” he asked.
“The docks,” she said.
That was enough for Mick too. His crew would not be phoning him unlessthere was a problem. “What?” he asked.
“There’s been an explosion, sir.” Itwas the second mate, the crew chief’s assistant. And he sounded breathless.
Mick frowned. “An explosion?” he asked, which made Roz looktoo. “Is everybody okay?”
“No, sir. Not at all, sir. We’re taking casualties. Lots of casualties.”
Then Mick remembered Teddy was goingto the docks to check the cargo. “And myson?” he asked anxiously, causing Roz’s heart to squeeze too. Was Teddy in the explosion?
“He was onboard, yes, sir,” thesecond mate said. Then he exhaled. “We’re still searching for him, sir. The crew chief too.”
Mick’s heart dropped. And he jumped up, with Roz still in hisarms. “I’m on my way,” he said and endedthe call
“What is it?” Roz anxiously asked asMick stood her on her feet and then took
