Devon

The fact that Victoria was streaming a video to her father at the time that the subject was taken out isn’t sitting well with me. In fact, things were going just fine around here before she showed up, claiming to be saving me from the Irishman. It makes me wonder whether this was all a setup. He and I weren’t on the best of terms, but I can’t imagine he was going to try to kill me in my own club. That would’ve been suicide on his part. Then they send a lone soldier to retaliate who places a car bomb and hangs around until he gets caught? That makes no sense either. Things are just getting stranger by the day.

“Are you accusing me of something?” Victoria asks, sauntering up to me after a mass exodus from the club. “You think I’m here to hurt you? Even though I’ve asked for your help? I told you what I’m up against and what’s at stake.”

“I don’t know what to think, but if nothing else, you appear to be attracting plenty of chaos,” I reply, trying to read her eyes. “You admitted that our worlds were intertwined and that I was causing problems for your father. Maybe he’ll turn over the keys to the kingdom if you eliminate me.”

“If that were the case, why wouldn’t I have taken you out the other night when I had the chance?” she asks, seductively slipping her arms around me. “You are way too sexy to be turned into a corpse. I would much rather have you as my partner in crime.”

“Okay, but if I’m going to help you, we’re going to play by my rules from here on out,” I tell her, looking her straight in the eyes. “There will be no more streaming videos to your father and no antagonizing mafia members.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” She sighs, reminding me of a bored teenager.

“Let’s focus on how we can get your father’s spot,” I reply. “What do you have to do to convince him that you can handle it?”

“I was supposed to neutralize you,” she says with a smirk before pressing her cheek against my chest and giving me a squeeze.

“Well, at least now you’re being honest. That’s a start.” Unfortunately, my gut instincts are confirmed. “So you’ve been behind all of this?”

“No,” she scoffs, pulling away from me. “My father sent me down here to take you out, but after you passed the test with the Irishman, I knew I could trust you.”

“So the Irishman was a test?”

“He was. But he was also someone you needed to deal with.” She narrows her eyes. “You had been procrastinating and allowing them to gain a foothold. This has been Sicilian controlled territory for almost a century. You have to respect territorial rights, especially long-standing ones.”

“So, the fact that I was allowing an opposing group in pissed off Victor?” I speculate, and it makes perfect sense.

“You think?” she replies sarcastically. “I thought that the fact that you rescued me and killed him yourself would be enough to make amends.”

“But it obviously wasn’t.”

“I don’t know. This whole thing with the car bomb and this sniper hit don’t seem like Dad.” She jumps up onto the stage and walks over to the damaged brick in the back wall. “This divot was made by something like a 762 NATO round. It’s something that a close-range military or police sniper would use. That’s not Dad’s style. He would’ve hit from ten blocks away and it would’ve left a hole in the wall the size of your fist.”

“Victor likes to make a statement,” I agree, knowing his reputation.

“He believes in keeping an ultra-low profile and punching as hard as possible. So if this were him, it would’ve been a long-range shot with a fifty caliber. It would’ve come in at a forty-five-degree angle, not thirty, and it would’ve made a spectacular mess.” She glances over at the young man’s body. “Whoever did this wasn’t making a statement. He just wanted him silenced.”

“You were the only one streaming the action.” I persist with my earlier line of thinking.

“But there were more than a hundred others in the room. Any one of them could’ve sent a text message,” she huffs defiantly. “Can you honestly say that you trust everyone who was here? You have a roomful of dirty cops, corrupt politicians, and gangbangers, for Christ’s sake. If I were involved, don’t you think I would’ve been a little more discreet? I stood in the front of the room holding my phone in the air.” She looks at me with complete disbelief.

“Good point.” I hadn’t really thought about that. I’m just becoming a little paranoid from being so close to people who are being taken out. That sniper could’ve just as easily shot me, which makes me believe that whoever is behind this is simply trying to scare me or toy with me. Either way, it’s starting to piss me off. What they don’t realize is that when my back is forced up against a wall, I dig deep and use every ounce of strength to retaliate. “I think I could learn a few things from you and your father,” I add. “A low profile and a big punch. I like that.”

“There’s a reason The Syndicate has been so successful,” she replies. “You and he have a very similar management style. So if you adopt that part of his philosophy, we can inherit the empire.”

“I want to inherit the empire, but first, I want to get out of here,” I give her a smile, reaching for her hand. “Tiny, will you grab the piece of plywood from behind the bar and patch up the blown-out window again?”

“Sure, Boss,” he replies, walking over to us. “I had to wash off all that blood first. After this week, I think I’m going to need a raise.”

“If things go the way I want them to, we’ll send you and Felix through training that rivals that of the secret service,” Victoria answers for me. “If you pass, we’ll double your salary.”

“Sounds good!” he replies with a chuckle. “I like her!”

“Yeah, she’s growing on me too,” I tease, giving her a one-armed squeeze. “By the way, I’m going to make this whole place level-ten compliant. This will be an impenetrable fortress when I’m done with it.”

“Good to hear,” she replies, giving me a hip check and lighting up in a way that few women would. I smile at the thought of her being turned on by level-ten ballistic reinforcement. This is definitely my kind of woman. My mind spins, trying to evaluate whether Victoria has anything to do with the occurrences of the week. She initiated the incident with the Irishman—that much I know for sure. It’s hard to say whether the car bomb and sniper had anything to do with her. There really is no way to determine her level of involvement.

Two EMTs show up with a gurney to take our dead guest to the morgue, so it’s time for us to depart the scene. Tiny will take care of the window and my crew will get the mess cleaned up before they leave. Glancing down at her legs as she gets into the car, I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

Victoria

It’s often said that everything happens for a reason. I’ve always thought of that as a way for the weak to be able to shrug off the consequences of poor decisions, but after this week, I’m starting to believe it. In less than a week’s time, one of the toughest men in the country is coming around to the idea of being my partner, and now he’s convinced of turning this club into a fortress. With the right setup, the two of us will be invincible.

“If Eduardo is only a half-brother, wouldn’t it make sense to go visit your mother’s family in Colombia?” Devon asks after we settle into the limo that will take us back to his place. “Maybe we can have a backup plan for getting that high-grade coke just in case your father chooses Ed.”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt, but I don’t know how much ownership they still have in the plantation,” she replies with a sigh. “I’m sure Dad bought them out. He would never leave himself vulnerable like that, especially since he was cheating on Mom.”

“Unless you know that as a fact, I think it would be worth a couple of plane tickets to check it out firsthand,” he replies, causing a tingle to course its way down my spine.

“You know exactly what to say to turn a girl on,” I tell him, snuggling into his side. “I’m still hungry. We’re going to have to order some room service when we get back to your place.”

“Yeah, I never got to finish my meal after the Sandman called. After today, I think I deserve a wagyu rib eye and a nice cabernet.” He turns to me as if he’s looking for my approval.

“I would love some of their lobster spaetzli and the crispy duck confit salad, paired with a nice chardonnay.” I have to laugh at his change of expression as my preferences are completely different from his. “We don’t have to eat the same meals, do we?”

“I guess not, but you do like beef and red wine, don’t you?” His eyebrows crease as he awaits my answer.

“Of course, but I’m in the mood for seafood and a salad,” I explain. “And I don’t really like red wine with seafood. Especially when it’s warm out. If it were December, I would get lobster bisque and a steak salad, which would actually go with a nice red.”

“Okay, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have anything against red meat and red wine.” His expression relaxes as he sits back in the seat.

“Because that would’ve been a deal breaker?” I laugh.

“I don’t like being judged for what I eat,” he says with conviction.

“I’ll try not to be too judgmental then.” I give him a nudge with my elbow. “You don’t eat red meat all the time, do you?”

“No, of course not!” He laughs so hard he snorts. “I wouldn’t think of it.”

“You’re getting to the age where you have to start thinking about your cholesterol and that kind of stuff.” I add, teasing him.

“Yeah, cause that stuff is way more dangerous than car bombs and sniper shots.” He continues to laugh so hard that he’s literally shaking. “You fucking kill me!”

“I’m serious. You should eat plenty of fish, fruit, and vegetables.”

He simply shakes his head and continues to laugh for a solid minute. “Thanks, I needed a good laugh. I think I’m going to change my order to a double cheeseburger and a large order of fries. Maybe throw in a side of onion rings too.” He maintains the amused look on his face for the rest of the ride. Like me, he seems to have a pretty fast rebound rate. Few people could laugh like that after the week we’ve had, but then again, it’s probably embedded in our DNA.

My phone rings just as we pull in front of the Four Seasons. Glancing down at the screen, I see that it’s my father. “I’m just about to go up to my room,” I tell him immediately upon answering. “I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

“The fact that you can’t talk to him in front of me doesn’t exactly build my confidence,” he says, glaring at me over the top of his sunglasses.

“Conversations with my father are always tense,” I explain. “You don’t need to witness one of our tiffs just yet.” I give him a reassuring smile as I nudge him, wanting to exit the car.

There is silence between us as we enter the hotel and walk through the lobby toward the elevators. “I have a surprise for you,” I tell him as the elevator doors close. “I have a sexy little teddy that I’ve been dying to wear. Do you think you’re up for it?”

“I’m definitely up for that, but no coke, and I’m definitely not in the mood to be strangled. I’ve had enough adversity for one week,” he replies with a sideways glance. “I just want to be with you. The real you. Nothing to hide behind.”

“Okay. You’re sure you’re strong enough to handle the real me?” I ask to make sure he knows what he’s getting into. “Just remember, you asked for it.”

Stepping out of the elevator on the sixteenth floor, I click Dad’s number as I walk toward my room. “Victoria, what the hell was that?” he asks before even greeting me.

“You tell me,” I reply, throwing it back on him. He plays this game all the time, and I used to fall for it. I no longer offer any information until I glean everything I can from him. “Was that sniper one of yours?”

“My sweet daughter. After all these years, you should know me better than that.” He sighs as if he’s disappointed in me. Another of his favorite strategic moves. “Do I like crowds? Have I ever used a small-caliber weapon? Besides, you know I’ve never gotten along with the Irish.”

“That’s why it seemed reasonable that you would want another one dead,” I counter. “The guy did have his heart blown out.”

“I assumed you were trying to prove to me that your new boyfriend is a tough guy.” He pauses but I don’t reply. “I’ve never doubted his toughness. It’s his intellect that concerns me. Nothing is more dangerous than a foolhardy rogue.”

“He’s not a rogue, and he’s very well-educated,” I reply, instantly irritated by his allegations. “He left Detroit because of the lack of opportunity, and the way he has turned things around down here is nothing short of amazing.”

“I wasn’t impressed by what I saw today,” he replies with a subdued snicker. He’s always been an arrogant prick, able to get under my skin with just a few words. “Do you think the minions were impressed when he and his crony ended up splattered with blood?”

“The more you speak, the more convinced I am that you had something to do with it,” I seethe. “You’ve had it out for him from the beginning.”

“That’s because you are thinking with your thighs, sweetheart.” Judging by his tone, he is definitely amusing himself at my expense. “I’m not sure why you always have a thing for underdogs, but it’s your worst trait. It makes it hard for me to trust your judgment.”

“He’s not an underdog and he’s anything but foolish,” I retaliate. “I’m bringing him with me next Friday and you’ll see for yourself.”

“That’s fine, but I’m afraid the decision has been made,” he says, admitting what I had already suspected. “Ed is somehow making inroads with the Irish that I’ve never been able to achieve. He could achieve a level of solidarity that would be completely impenetrable.”

“Goodbye, Dad,” I sputter, choking on my words. The stabbing feeling that I sensed after the car bombing just became real, and with just a few words, he has now twisted the knife within the wound. Why am I surprised? He has always made strategic business decisions, never basing anything on emotional attachments. After witnessing his cold, detached relationship with my mother, I should’ve fully expected to be treated the same way. I guess a girl just wants to believe that deep down, her daddy actually loves her. But at this point, it seems that I have picked my horse and he has chosen his as well. There will be a showdown next weekend in Manhattan, and there are only five days to prepare for it.