Page 97 of The Beast Who Begged Me

CALIGULA

Kismet looks smaller with the lights on.

There are scuffs across the dance floor, a sticky patch near the bar, and the pervasive smell of alcohol beneath whatever the cleaners used this morning. Without the music, I can hear everything. Every time someone shifts his feet, the sound carries.

The last time I was here, I was looking for Jesse. He told me about the Obelisk, and things started to snowball from there.

But Damiano Orsini was here, too. Watching me. Stalking me. When I ran away from him, I still had no idea how much worse my situation was about to get.

Now Dami stands behind me while three other Bosses wait to hear what I want. Like me, Luca has men with him: Nick Fontana, who keeps staring at Dami, and Teo Vitali, who actually looked after Sammy and Ricky once when we were still staying at the Morelli mansion.

Above us, the mezzanine is empty. Luca keeps glancing toward the stairs to Finch’s office. I hope he’s thinking about how close last night’s violence came to his husband. And coming to the conclusion that we share a mutual problem.

Because none of the men attending this meeting are happy about it. All of them are wary of what I want. I’m going to have to give the speech of my goddamn life to persuade them to help. Luckily, I know exactly how to strike at them all.

“The Bratva have attacked me through my people,” I say. “Last night they kidnapped one of them. An innocent man who is not part of the business.” That part, I direct at Luca D’Amato.

“Our world is dangerous,” he says with a shrug. “You knew that when you stood up to claim a place in it.”

“King needs to know there are consequences for attacking one of us.”

“You want us to fight your battles for you, kid?” Rossi asks.

Alessi grins at that.

It’s time to play the only card I have. “If they’re coming for me and mine, it’s only a matter of time before they’re coming for all of you and yours,” I counter. That, at least, seems to land with D’Amato, who glances again at the stairs. “We talked at dinner about the danger the Russians pose. This could be an opportunity. I have a plan to get my friend back—and to strike a blow at the Bratva at the same time.”

Alessi shakes his head. “We got problems closer to home than the Russians. The Giulianos are making a goddamn mess of things. We need to do something about them, first. Make sure it’s clear who runs what in this town. The Russians…” He sniffs. “They’ll calm down.”

Calm down? I nearly choke on my outrage, but I remind myself that Sammy needs me. If I can’t persuade these men to my plan, he’s dead.

Or worse.

“All I’m asking for is help with my plan,” I say.

“What plan?” Luca asks.

I told Dami what I intended on the way here. He argued every inch of the journey, and I feel him bracing behind me now.

“I’ll turn up at the Obelisk’s front door and offer myself in exchange for Sammy.”

“The hell you will,” Dami says immediately, low and dangerous. “I told you⁠—”

I turn just enough to meet his eyes.

His jaw tightens. Then he gives one short nod, and I look back at Luca.

“King wants me. But I’ll need time in the Obelisk to make certain he actually has Sammy there. Once I’ve found him, a team drawn from all our people will go in together through the alley door and the delivery entrance around the side of the block.”

“You’re assuming King will negotiate,” Rossi says.

“I’m assuming King will want to savor his power over me. He’ll enjoy making me ask to see Sammy, and he’ll want to show me what he can do to him. I intend to give him the opportunity.”

“How much time would you need?” Luca asks.

“A few hours. Three should be enough. Everyone else will be staking out the Obelisk’s entrances. Once I’ve confirmed Sammy is there, they come in. We’ll get him out before King can use either of us for anything else.”

“Or he simply shoots you dead on the doorstep,” Luca says.