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I couldn’t outsmart the cunning or the years of scheming it’d taken to see these men before me. A room filled with power held by fear, money, and blood.
Lucca had an empire, and each brother had a position of power within this family. From the crooked cop I’d fallen for, to a dirty DEA agent. Their looks and accent were far from Italian to even be affiliated with him. They blended right in with Miami’s pool of immigrants. Then you had his right hand, the muscle and fear inflictor by just one look. It left him in the position of trust he needed as a boss. If they’ve managed to keep it in the dark, it meant he had control deeper inside. He ruled this city and the underworld, but how far did his dominance go?
“It was the struggles and begging that had made my feet stop in the middle of the sidewalk.” That girl was no longer me, and I retold the story as if it’d happened to someone else. I let out a breath, detached, and continued, “It was late, cold, and a snow storm warning had been issued before my boss told me to leave early and walk home. I tried not to watch and tune out the inevitable as I hid behind metal cans in the alley. I was quiet.”
I shot a glance at Ilias. His lips had formed a thin line as his brows pinched together, and with arms crossed, he waited for my next words.
“And so was the gun when it was fired by Leo’s hands.” Lucca's small bow let me continue, “Then, I made a sound, and another man found me. I followed him deeper into the alley until I stood inches away from the lifeless body. That’s when Leo had a hold of me with his knife on my neck.”
“Fuck,” Ilias uttered as his hands ran through his hair continuously. He walked past Lucca toward the window and looked out. But I knew I was all he was paying attention to.
“They asked who I was, but nothing would come out, and when the knife stung me with a threat. I reacted in surprise, so did Leo. They took the body next to me, and left me for dead.”
“What did the other man look like?” Lucca asked.
“Tall, dark-haired, tattoos covered his hands, and he walked with precision. He didn’t say much, and when he did, it was with authority.” The longer I described Tattoo, the more it seemed as if I was describing Lucca.
Quickly, Lucca swiped the phone from the table. His fingers moved rapidly, and when a dark grin appeared on his face, he slid the phone back to me.
“Was this him?”
Tattoo had replaced Leo’s picture on the screen. Even with the picture highlighting his profile with brightness, he still looked just as dangerous as he did that night.
“Yes.” I cleared my throat, lifting my eyes to Lucca.
His grin was filled with longing malice, and I wished he could share the brewing trouble he was planning. “I guess Viktor’s contacts were right. You could be New York’s downfall by hurting their hierarchy.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means you are safe,” Sal explained.
“For now,” Lucca added. “First, I need to find a way to get you both out of this alive before the charity gala I’m hosting.”
“With the amount of people under this roof, you can’t expect it to be a good idea!” Ilias exclaimed, troubled with the thought.
“And yet, it’s something we can’t undo. It’s been confirmed months in advance, Ilias,” Arlo spoke up.
“New York will be here.” The room silenced with Lucca’s admission, and my heart faltered of the danger not just I, but we would all be under.
Soon, my fate would be in the hands of men, and I had no control over Death’s call.
Twenty-One
Ilias
Davina walked before me as we entered our room upstairs. She hadn’t said a word, but with so many men inside Lucca’s home, it was expected. Though, when the door closed behind us in a loud click, she remained quiet.
Her footfalls were silent as she reached the balcony doors. The sun’s leftover rays spilled over her frame as she looked out to its radiance. The blood stain on her shirt was dry, but she didn’t make a move to change it or acknowledge her cut.
Davina was deep in thought as she crossed her arms. I wanted to give her time to think. I, too, needed a minute to collect my thoughts and place everything I’d learned from today.
I understood Lucca’s move of using us as bait. It’d brought us more information that could give us a way to win in this chaos. Still, I was annoyed to be blindsided by him. Being the only one out of this Syndicate, it’s always been this way.
Sal’s words bounced in my head, “yet.”
I knew it was true.
Even if we found a way to get Davina out of this mess, it still left me with one of New York’s made-man dead by my hands.
