Fatal Scheme (The Temptress of Death Duet #1)

Chapter 1

ONE

CARTER

Imagine this: you’re a lifelong people pleaser, and when the person you’ve dedicated your life to asks you to move across the country on assignment, you oblige without complaint, even though you’re dreading every second.

Unfortunately for me, I don’t have to imagine a scenario like that because it’s currently happening to me.

My father, Luca Cassini, is the leader of our Family, with members spanning the entirety of California. I’ve lived on the West Coast my whole life, training to become the Dona of the Cassini Family, but this request is pushing my limits.

The East Coast sucks.

What born and raised Californian willingly moves to enemy territory, especially in the heart of stereotypical-Italian New Jersey?

They’re all clowns, mocking the Italian heritage with their cliché sayings, shitty accents, and awful portrayal of Italian Mafia Families – but I accredit that misappropriation to Soprano wannabes.

Left without a choice, I’m packing my bags, putting on my best poker face as I’m set to take on the role of an average college student. My dad pulled strings and got me into Emory University, smack dab in the middle of two warring families.

I’m less than thrilled on the inside, but behaving like the perfect, doting daughter on the outside that I’ve been since I was a little girl.

“Duchess! Your flight leaves in four hours!” Dad calls out, and I follow his voice down the hall into his bedroom.

Hooked up to monitors and IVs, the once powerful Don looks like he’s on his deathbed – and he is.

His olive-tan complexion is fading from the lack of sun he’s had lately, and the grey hairs are starting to show, even since he’s religiously dyed his roots over the last five years.

My dad looks frail, like he could break at any second, but if I know one thing, it’s that cancer isn’t strong enough to take him down.

He’s a beast, an absolute monster that incites fear just by the mention of his name, and if the universe wants to take him from me, they’ll quite literally have to throw everything they have at him.

Recently, the doctors gave him a terminal prognosis, giving him a handful of months, possibly less, but rather than spending that precious time with him, I’m leaving.

“I know, Daddy, I’m almost done packing. Are you sure I can’t stay behind for a few more weeks, just until your new nurses settle in?” I bargain, hoping that this one time, he’ll agree with me.

“No, no, you need to get out there. Classes start in a few days, and you need to get your bearings, move into the apartment, maybe make friends. The mission is everything, Carter,” he says bluntly, the no-bullshit tone I’ve become accustomed to in his voice – that can bring grown men to their knees – jumping out.

“I’m going to worry about you.” I turn on the charm, giving it one last Hail Mary, but I can tell by the shake of his head that it’s a moot point.

“Carter,” he warns, and I back down, instantly feeling smaller against the wrath he possesses.

Of course, I’d never say no to my dad, but his desire to crush two warring families has now become my mission, something I never even agreed to. I’m his Yes Man, and he knows it.

After all, you don’t build a criminal empire by being soft, even if that includes your own daughter – your heiress.

“Come here, my Duchess. You know I’m going to miss you, but you have to do this.

For us, for our legacy. Your uncle is contesting everything I’ve already confirmed as fact, and I will not die before you take the throne.

You will be taking over the Cassini Family once you squash that war.

” He pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me, and I breathe him in, the smell of hospital overpowering his usual expensive cologne.

I’ve trained for this, learned the ins and outs of running an empire since I was ten years old, and I won’t let the fact that I’ll be in brand new territory bring me down.

I witnessed my father kill a man in cold blood for stealing when I was eleven, and I’ve been entranced by the power that comes when you take a life ever since.

These people, even in their own universe, don’t scare me in the slightest. I’ve dealt with far worse, but leaving behind everything I know is what has my usual blood-thirsty, princess-of-death attitude running for the hills.

“Your guards will be accompanying you, but keeping their distance. You have your files on the targets?” He asks, breaking our embrace and jumping right back into business mode.

“Yes, Daddy,” I answer, having studied my marks for a few weeks now, learning everything I can about weak links in the two families.

“I know you won’t let me down, Carter. Your mother would be so proud,” he sniffles, swiping at the tears threatening to fall, the gold rings he never takes off shimmering under the bright light streaming through the window.

“I promise, they’ll all be dead when I’m done with them,” I reply, flashing him my killer smile before dipping back down to kiss his cheeks.

“They’ll never know what hit them, Duchess. Now, go finish packing, your car leaves in one hour.” He switches right back into being the Don, all traces of my father gone, making it clear that there’s nothing left for me to do but leave.

Leave him.

Leave the family.

Leave California.

Taking another look at my dad one last time, I turn on my heel, letting him rest as I prepare the last of my things.

I’ve said my goodbyes to everyone on the property, from the maids to the chefs, to the guards stationed around our fortress, and there’s nothing left to do but go out into the world and show them exactly who Carter Cassini is.

There’s one the last duffle bag left on the floor of my childhood bedroom, all of my things reduced to suitcases and travel bags, but I take it all before following the hallway until I reach the grand stairs, reminded of all the ball gowns I’ve debuted down this exact corridor.

This house is more than a home, it’s my own little corner of the world, and as I shut the doors behind me, I silently vow that I’ll be back soon.

New Jersey fucking sucks.

It hasn’t been more than two weeks and I already hate every single person I’ve come in contact with, except the girl that shares this apartment with me, and one professor who complimented my first name.

Thankfully, I’m fitting right in, since everyone here behaves like total jerks, as if it’s a statewide personality trait to be an asshole, and I have no interest in knowing anyone except my targets.

Spending my nights holed up in this apartment has given me nothing but time for history lessons, and I’ve mastered everything there is to know about the Masseria family, from their origin point, down to their current leader, and active chain of command.

My targets are two mid-level kids, born into the Masseria and Kelly families that have since merged, to create a powerhouse that rules this quadrant of the Hudson.

Years ago, they joined together to defeat a smaller family by the name of Ricci, except they’ve staged a comeback, and trained their men to wage a war in an attempt to settle the score, which has begun to boil over in terms of their decades-long feud.

Soon enough, bodies will be dropping, but first, I need to get inside – closer.

Before coming here, I researched the two men I’m assigned to, and signed up for classes ensuring I’d be able to get near them, but so far, they’ve kept their distance, as have I.

I’m watching from afar, learning their habits, and attempting to make friends like dad suggested, if only to dig up dirt. They’ve attended this college for three years now, and if I know anything about kids that grew up in the mafia, it’s that there’s always bodies buried nearby.

It’s time to unearth those bones, spread them all around campus, and light a fire big enough to cause an inferno with the secrets I plan to distribute like candy.

“Hey, Carter, can I borrow some blush?” My roommate, Ellie, calls out, and I sigh, opening the door to her smiling face.

Don’t get me wrong, Ellie is a perfectly nice girl, someone I could totally see myself being friends with if I were a normal twenty-one year old, but alas, I’m not, and she doesn’t know anything about the boys I’ve marked.

Playing nice is a part of the job though, so I dig around in my vanity until I pull out a few options for her, and she yaps on and on about a party tonight, something else I’m not interested in.

“You should so come out! The girls are dying to meet you, and the boys are hosting a party a few streets over so we can walk!” She says cheerfully, opting to apply the blush in my mirror, rather than going back to her own room.

Flopping back down on my bed, I find myself missing my actual friends back home, all of which are members of the family, and understand exactly what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself.

“I’m good, Ellie, thanks though. Raincheck?” I ask, keeping my temper in check as I manage to match her sweetness with a dash of my own.

“You’ve said that like four times, now! Besides, I hear some of the scarier guys on campus will be there, you know, the ones that are more your type than mine?” She hints, and I perk up, the thought of meeting my targets enough to get my attention.

“Why do you think they’re my type?” I quip, playing on her willingness to fall into girly conversations about boys.

“Because you’re dark and mysterious, something about twin flames and all that jazz,” she giggles, and although none of what she said is a valid argument, I continue to go along with it.

“I am not dark and mysterious.”

“Do you own anything that isn’t black? I mean, look at your room! It’s like a dungeon,” she fires back, and I bite my lip to suppress my laughter, knowing that she doesn’t have a clue as to what a real one looks like.