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Uh, no. When Scarlett visits, she wants something or has something up her sleeve. And it’s never good.
When I simply stare her down, Scarlett rolls her eyes. “Oh, alright, keep your pants on. I only came to offer a… polite invitation.”
“We don’t deal with scum like you,” Nat spits before I can respond. “So you can take your ‘invitation’ and shove it up your ass.”
Rather than getting riled up, Scarlett just tuts lightly. “Such nasty manners, as always, Natalia. I was simply going to suggest a little… business partnership, of sorts.”
She turns to me and sits down on the couch, crossing her legs so her short skirt slides up even more. “You know, Damian, we could do so much more together than apart,” she murmurs, idly tracing a finger on the back of the couch. “Merge our operations, become a real powerhouse.”
Scarlett fixes me with an expectant look. “The Iacopellis and The Brotherhood, ruling Chicago’s underworld as partners. Has a nice ring, don’t you think?”
I scowl, immediately recognizing where this is going. “Save your breath, Scarlett. We’re not merging shit. That flew out the window the moment our engagement ended.”
“Oh, come now, don’t be so hasty.” Scarlett tsks lightly, her blue eyes remaining flinty shards of ice. “That’s ancient history, dear. I was simply a silly, naive girl back then. But I’ve grown… and my ambitions have expanded. I’m offering you an opportunity here, one I’d think you’d be stupid to pass up.”
Her eyes glint with veiled menace. “Especially since those Invicta pains in the ass have been breathing down my neck lately. Could use some… reinforcements to put them back in their place.”
So that’s her play—she wants to absorb the Iacopelli family’s muscle and resources to bolster her own position against their rivals. I’m not surprised in the least that her motivations are as transparently self-serving as ever.
“Need I remind you, Scarlett, that you are not the head of The Brotherhood. If your father, Mario, wants to initiate a discussion, then I’d be open to listening. But you?” I give a mirthless chuckle. “You’ve got no sway here, sweetheart. Keep dreaming of your little fantasy merger.”
For a long beat, fury blazes behind Scarlett’s icy eyes. A terrifying smile slowly spreads across her ruby red lips. It is a smile completely devoid of any warmth or humor—cold, cruel, utterly devoid of humanity. The smile of someone not just unhinged, but unbound from any semblance of morality or empathy.
“We’ll see about that, Damian, dear,” she purrs, her tone laced with soft menace that raises the hairs on the back of my neck. “One way or another, you’ll come around to my way of thinking.”
With that chilling promise, she gets up and sashays away, her bodyguards falling into step behind her like shadows. I can’t tear my eyes away from the sway of her hips, my heart pounding with a sense of sickening dread.
“Mio Dio, I hate that bitch,” Edo murmurs. “There’s a black hole where her soul should be.”
I can’t help but agree. Scarlett’s last words were no idle threat. The last look in her eyes, that paradoxically warm yet utterly cold smile—it bored straight through me, stripping me down to the bone.
This won’t be the last I see of Scarlett Rafa.
13
DAMIAN
Iwhirl around toward Nat and Edo, a thunderous look on my face. Scarlett’s last words hang heavily in the air.
I hate to admit it, but I’m unnerved by her smug remark. Scarlett’s ambition and ruthless pursuit of power are legendary, and they threaten my own family’s territory.
“Fucking bitch,” I bite out, looking down at the ground, my hands clenching into fists. God, I want to fucking punch something right now.
Edo nods grimly. “There’s also the matter of Alexis.”
My head snaps up. “What about Alexis?”
“Mario’s been looking for her,” Edo says. “Do you think Mario shared that information with Scarlett? You said he didn’t want Scarlett involved in the search.”
“Scarlett most likely already knows Alexis’s name. We can’t assume she’s completely in the dark,” I say, raking a hand through my hair. Scarlett is Mario’s only child and the heir to The Brotherhood. He’s been including her in every decision and execution since we were preteens.
Edo frowns. “Do you think she knows what Alexis looks like? Mario did show you the picture, so it’s obvious he’s been showing it to the entire Family so they can hunt her down.”
I shake my head. “No.” I can picture Scarlett’s dismissive scoff at being asked to actually look at a photograph. Her arrogance and vanity are legendary. “This is beneath her. She wouldn’t want to look at a picture of a woman who is more attractive than her.”
Nat laughs harshly. “Vain cunt. But this works to our advantage, especially since Alexis has cut and dyed her hair. But she needs to start straightening her hair. The curls are too distinct. Too risky.”
My jaw clenches at the remark. Alexis’s curls are one of my favorite things about her. I’ve watched them bounce up and down her shoulders as she walks down the hall. Her curls were one of the first things I ever noticed about her.
