The sound of my phone ringing cut through the darkness, jolting me awake. I squinted at the clock on the nightstand—3:17 AM. Who the hell was calling me at this hour?
I grabbed the phone, seeing Viper’s name flashing on the screen. My stomach sank; I could already sense the trouble brewing on the other end. I swiped to answer, my voice rough from sleep. “Viper. It’s late. What’s going on?”
“Nicolo,” he began, his voice smooth yet tense. “We’ve got a situation.”
I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What kind of situation?”
“Word just came through that a deal went south. Ten dead Mexicans in a ditch off I-7.”
“Ten?” I repeated, feeling my pulse quicken. “How did it go down?”
Viper let out a humorless chuckle. “You know I’m usually the one who loves a good bloody mess, bu
