Chapter 7

Erik

I should have explained myself to her. She wouldn't understand me having to leave after sex without much more than a few instructions on the house. It was a dick move, but maybe it was for the best.

My lips tasted like her nectar, and the sounds of her cries played in my ears. How long had it been since I'd wanted a woman to want me? Forever. Nothing had mattered but the syndicate for so long that I'd married it and hung up the hope for anything beyond it.

Shit was safer that way.

My sister's sweet face brushed through my mind's eye as I parked the bike outside of my father's massive house and sauntered up to the front door. The big ugly guard that stood watch gave me a nod and opened the door.

I couldn't keep up with their names and had stopped trying years before. My father had more men working for him than was necessary, but when you walked around with a bull’s eye on your back, it was necessary.

"Hey." Kane stood up from the chair where he reclined and walked toward me. "Where were you last night?"

"My place, Mother." I turned the corner and made my way to my father's office. He rarely left it anymore, so it was a good bet that he was tucked away behind his desk, planning world domination. "Dad?" I knocked on the door before opening it.

"Come in. Close the door and take a seat, son." He turned from staring out the far window and eyed me closely. "You look healthy."

"I got fucked last night." I sat down in the chair across from his desk and pressed my forearms to my thighs. "What's so important?"

"We found out this morning that a group of guys held up one of the check cashing units we run for our laundering." He brushed his fingers over his lips as his eyes darkened a little.

It was nothing new. Most of the thieves in New York were too fucking stupid to know they were messing with the mafia in their petty acts of crime. Had they any clue, they'd probably turn and run screaming the other way.

"And?" I locked eyes with him. We had a strong relationship, but it was anything but close. He kept his distance and ruled the world from atop a mound of bodies, and I supplied the bodies when it was time to kill again.

"And you're going to find out who they are and get my money back."

"Chances are that they don't have the money anymore, Dad. You know how this works. Desperate people steal money for something they need not want. The money is spent. So what would you like in return for your investment in them?" I was pushing a little harder than usual, but him pulling me from Grace's warm wet body had me feeling pissy.

"Kill them." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, crossing his hands over his stomach. "There's three of them. I'll get you the tapes-"

"No. Let someone else play private dick. I'm the gun, not the detective. Send me on the hit when you're ready, and I'll make you proud."

"You always do." His expression softened a little. "Tell me about this fuck last night. Some random girl or someone I should know about?"

"Just a woman I met in the city. No one important." I stood as someone knocked at the door behind me.

"Good. Keep it that way. You know what happens when you start to love someone around here."

"Yep. They die." I turned and opened the door, a little surprised to find Fredrick Carrington behind Kane in the hall. The metro-looking bastard was shifting back and forth from foot to foot.

"Mr. Carrington is here to see the Don." Kane nodded toward Fredrick as if I didn't see him or didn't know who the illustrious club owner was.

"Come on in. I was leaving." I moved back as my father's voice lifted.

"No. You're staying. You'll be helping me with this situation too."

I stifled a growl and moved back, nodding to my old man before clasping my hands at the front of my waist.

"I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice, Lucien." Fredrick walked toward my father and extended his hand.

My father stood and shook the man's hand before glancing over at me. "Mr. Carrington needs our help getting the cops off his ass. Seems that he's having a bit of a drug problem."

Fredrick picked up the story. "Right, so this new drug we've been selling at the club is great for business when taken properly, but otherwise it can be toxic to the system and three of them can-"

"Kill you. I've seen it before." I moved over to take the seat beside Fredrick as interest raced through me. What the fuck did he expect us to do? We weren't running drugs out of our syndicate and hadn't been for years, though I'd mentioned our need to multiple times.

"Right." He nodded and turned back toward my father. "We had two fatal incidences, and of course the cops got involved immediately."

"Is Nathaniel still working for you?" My father tilted his head a little to the side.

"Yes. He's our bouncer, but-"

"He's working for us as well now." My father glanced over at me. "Whatever decision we make here today, bring him in on it. He has a foot in both of our worlds, which will benefit us in this endeavor."

"Which is?" I glanced over at Fredrick.

"I need the cops off my ass. If you have a plant in the police department, I could use some help sweeping this away."

"That's all?" I glanced back toward my father, who nodded.

"Yeah, but there's a new rookie detective on the case, and the guy seems street smart. Maybe we could put a bullet in his head as well?" Fredrick's request surprised me a little.

"Cole Matthenson is the kid’s name." My father leaned back in his chair, looking like the devil himself. "I don't think there's any need to off a cop just yet, but we can take care of the plant."

"How much?" Fredrick turned and looked at me and then back to my father again. "I have most of my money tied up in real estate, but I can liquidate a few things if need be."

"Eight hundred thousand for removing the cops from your trail, deleting the evidence and scaring the newbie cop." My father tapped his fingers on his desk as if Fredrick were taking too long, though he'd given the poor guy no time to think.

"Wow. That's a shit load of money, Lucien."

"Take it or leave it, old friend." My father shrugged. We didn't need the money or the pain in the ass to deal with. We had our own shit storms brewing every way we turned.

"Alright, but you have to give me some time to get that kind of green." Fredrick stood.

"You have two weeks. Our part will be done in a few days." My father stood and extended his hand. "And don't fuck with me. You know the way I operate. You don't keep up your end of the bargain, and I'll take something far more valuable than money."

"I understand. Thank you." Fredrick shook my father's hand and glanced down at me. "Thank you, both."

"Sure." I stood up and held the door open for him, closing it after he passed through. I turned toward my father to find him studying me. "What does he have that's more valuable than money?"

"To us? Nothing, but to him? Everything. His daughter is a top model here in New York. They keep their relationship hidden because she wants it that way, but the girl means the world to him. She's all he has left of his wife, Daniella. The girl is beautiful like her mother." His lip lifted in a wicked smile. "I almost hope that he doesn't pay up."

"Why's that?" I moved back toward the door, ready for some time to myself.

"Because you'd like the girl, Erik."

"You know I would never force myself upon a woman."

"You wouldn't have to." He sat back down. "She’s starved for attention. She'd beg for your affection. Might be a nice gift from me to you."

"A needy woman?" I snorted. "No, but thank you."

"Be careful, and tread lightly, son. Don't fall for this city girl. It will only lead to your destruction because of her own." He rubbed his chest and turned toward his window, leaning back and letting out a long sigh. He'd died the day my mother had so many years ago and was nothing more than a heartless bastard with too much time on his hands now.

"Anything else?" I asked softly as my hand lingered on the door handle.

"No. Tell Kane to look into the theft I mentioned and take care of it. Report back when it's done."

"Yes, Sir." I opened the door and walked down the long, empty hall toward the front door. Was Grace still at my place? Asleep on my bed? Her beautiful body tangled in my sheets?

I'd give her a day to rest, and then I was calling... it was time to tease her into full submission, to make her crave me in a way that left her unable to turn me down.

I hated to play games with her, but my black soul demanded it of me.