Sex and the Billionaire Crime Boss - Season 2

Ch. 5: Right and Wrong

"So you're breaking up with him because you found out some of his businesses are illegal? I mean, you already knew that, right?"

Martina is sitting on my couch with her legs curled under her. I'm across from her sitting in a surprisingly comfortable leather and chrome chair that looks like one of those Scandinavian designs you see in museums.

We are on our second glass of wine.

Between the fact that I was almost forced into a car in broad daylight and the confidential nature of what we're discussing, I decided it made more sense for her to come over to my place than for us to go out to a bar or a restaurant after work.

We left her car at the office, and I drove straight into the parking garage. The security in this building is really good, but I still looked around, uneasy, when we got out of the car and walked to the elevator. I have this feeling all the time now that someone is watching me, but I haven't seen the man who followed me since I got away from him on Monday, and I haven't seen anyone else suspicious lurking around outside my office or the condo building.

It's almost scarier, though, when you feel like someone is watching you, but you don't see them.

I look at Martina and nod.

"I knew it intellectually, in a vague sort of way. He'd told me that there were some deals his father made that he had to honor, but he'd also told me about his legitimate businesses, like the club and the security business he owns with Gabe. A couple of wineries where he's really more of an investor. It was easier to ignore the fact that the illegal stuff was out there when I didn't know any of the details."

"So, is this about something that happened in Vegas? Because I know you've been with him since then."

"Not exactly, although that's connected." I take a long sip of my wine and stare for a moment out the window before turning back to Martina.

"I found out about a specific instance of violence. A person who was pretty seriously injured."

"On Max's orders?" she asks, and I know her mind must have gone immediately to whether Gabe did it as part of his "security" role.

"No. Not on Max's orders."

She leans forward to set her wine down on the coffee table, her brow creased slightly as she tries to figure out what I'm getting at.

"Max did it himself," I tell her.

"Seriously?" She takes this in. "Did he have a good reason?"

"Does that matter?"

"Of course it matters. There's a difference between, say, breaking someone's kneecaps because they didn't pay protection money - although frankly I can't see somebody who's the actual boss doing something like that personally - and punishing somebody who stole money from Max or betrayed him."

She pauses, picks up her glass and takes another sip, then looks back at me.

"It would make a difference to me if the person deserved it."

"So in your opinion, Max just gets to decide, by whatever moral compass he's using, that some guy deserves to be beaten, then he does it?"

"Oh. My. God." Her eyes widen and her mouth practically drops open.

"What?"

"It was Ramon Suarez, wasn't it? Max beat the shit out of Ramon Suarez."

"How did you know that? Did Gabe tell you?"

"Gabe was involved?" She asks the question but doesn't look shocked or upset. "No, but when you put two and two together, it adds up. I mean, I'm sure Max didn't take you along with him to witness something like this, so how would you even know it happened? But Monday, after you met with the state attorney and then had the interview with Suarez, you just seemed off. And then Tuesday morning, you told me you and Max are done.