CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Dante

GRAVEL CRUNCHED BENEATH my boots as I got out of my car and made my way into Sergio’s house.

“In the kitchen,” Sergio yelled.

I rounded the corner and stopped.

Nixon was bracing the counter with his hands, every muscle in his body strained against his skin like it was just waiting for the go ahead to burst free. His head jerked in my direction, cold blue eyes locked on mine. “Tell me everything.”

I dropped my keys onto the counter and pulled out a chair next to Sergio, a bit surprised that Phoenix and Frank weren’t at least there to hear me out, then again, they probably knew every single detail thanks to Sergio.

“I don’t know what she’s involved in,” I finally said after I gave him every detail I’d been able to find. “But I know if Chase is worried, if he suspects her of something, then we need to be ready.”

Nixon slammed his hand onto the counter so hard one of the wine glasses tipped over and shattered. “Do we have access to the De Lange accounts?”

Sergio whistled. “I can probably gain access but she knows if we suspect anything that’s the first place we’d look.”

Nixon jutted his finger at me, “You’re her new shadow. When she lands, you follow her everywhere, got it?”

I frowned. “What about school? What about the Russians?”

“We’ve got a bigger problem than fucking with the Russians right now,” Nixon roared. “In our own family! If we’re broken from the inside, we’re finished!” He stalked toward me. “Understand this, I will kill Chase before I let him do something that he can’t take back. If killing him saves him from himself — I’d do it in a heartbeat and he’d want me to. He’s one of the best and he’s too involved to do shit. Which means, from here on out, you use your friendship to find out anything and everything you can.”

I sucked in a breath. “Fine.”

“Sergio,” Nixon reached into the back of his jeans, pulled out his gun and set it on the counter, it was pointed in my direction. I hoped it was by accident. “Keep hacking, keep digging.”

“What about school?” I finally asked.

“Looks suspicious if you stop going to class.” Nixon nodded slowly and then as if realization occurred he slammed his hands onto the counter again. “Shit!”

I shrugged. “It also looks suspicious to have me work this hard to get into that little Russian gang only to suddenly lose interest.”

“Can you handle all of it?” Nixon fired at me.

“Do I have a choice?” I snapped right back.

“No,” he finally said. “We’re rarely given the luxury of choices in this life, at least good ones.”

Sergio eyed me and nodded once. “He can do it, I have complete faith.”

Nixon slammed the gun onto the table directly in front of me. “Take this with you everywhere, always wipe your prints just in case. Shoot first. Feel nothing. Mil isn’t in the position to give us justification for any secrets let alone leaving the City without permission.”

“Permission?” I looked between them.

Sergio’s eyebrows rose. “Apparently we didn’t teach you everything. You leave the city, you gotta ask the Capo. Tex would have known and right now Tex is ready to rip her apart limb by limb for even thinking it would be okay to step foot on a plane without his consent. Makes him look weak. Makes the families look stupid. Makes her a shiny red target.”

“Shit.” I grabbed the gun. “Good thing I didn’t take that impromptu trip to Mexico last night.”

Neither guy laughed.

Chase would have.

My gut clenched.

I hated pumping him for information. But I knew I had no choice, not now. Nixon was right, we weren’t given choices.

You acted.

And hoped to God, chose right.

My head pounded with information while my heart still felt like it was cracking in two.

I should be focusing on my new mission.

Instead of smelling her on my skin.

After two showers.

“No distractions,” Nixon barked before he left, and the door slammed behind him.

“That was…” I blew out a breath. “Different.”

“I did warn you.” Sergio stood, his eyes fell to the table. “He killed his own father in cold blood with that gun, keep it safe.”

“Pep talks,” I grumbled. “Work on it.”

Sergio snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, I’ll think about it. Maybe your sister can help.”

I pointed the gun at him and smirked. “What was that?”

“And to think I was worried you wouldn’t fit in.”

I turned off the safety.

He rolled his eyes and left the room.

I put the safety back on and laid the gun on the table in front of me, then started spinning it with my finger.

A year ago I was bar tending and involved in underground fighting.

A year ago I knew about my heritage but was never involved.

A year ago I was innocent, blind, stupid.

And now, now I had a gun from one of the most powerful mob bosses in history… laying in front of me like I’d earned the right to use it.

It was a lot to take in.

Normally I would talk to Val.

But that relationship shattered the minute she married Sergio.

I lost my best friend.

Only to lose another.

El.

And now, my stomach clenched with the thought that I could lose someone else, someone who deserved so much more than secrets and lies.

Chase.