Fearless Sinner (Empire of Sinners #3)

Chapter 9

Cillian

Chapter Nine

Name: Chloe Elizabeth Ricci

Age: 26

Business Proposal for Ricci’s Ristorante:

This restaurant has been in operation in the heart of New York for over eighty years. Even with today’s stiff competition, Ricci’s seeks to be one of the best Italian restaurants in the country, welcoming people from all walks of life and is second to none…

Chloe definitely knows how to write to save her skin.

There are pages and pages of an award-winning proposal that puts her in the running for getting her loan.

It’s almost nightfall. I’ve been sitting outside on the terrace of my home in the Hamptons with my laptop for the last hour. I’ve been out here smoking while I looked over Chloe’s bank loan application and business proposal.

The lass still has my attention—even more so after last night—so I indulged myself and accessed the application from the bank’s internal systems.

I can’t hack the way Virgo can but I can do small-time stuff like this.

Yesterday’s fascination saw me looking a little deeper into her personal records from L.A. There I found all the things I missed about her on my first look. Like Nathan putting her in the hospital several times and that last admission keeping her there for weeks.

That fucker broke her legs so she couldn’t do the thing she loved. He threw her down the stairs and when she was so hurt she couldn’t move, he took a hammer to her legs and bashed them in.

I’ve met some evil bastards but that motherfucker is at the top of the list.

He seemed to be one of those slow-burn psychos. The ones who are able to mask their true nature for years, then unleash when you least expect it.

The more I read about him and what he did, the more enraged I became. I felt he got off lightly. Too lightly. He killed two people and destroyed Chloe’s dreams.

Nathan Ferrera is not my business but that hasn’t stopped my mind from working overtime to conjure a suitable punishment for his evil ass.

I’ll see how I feel once the dust settles and I’ve dealt with Lance.

I’m reading Chloe’s loan application now out of mild curiosity. She seems sure she’ll get the loan. And I want her to.

If she did it would take one of the elephants out of the room I’ve shoved us in with my ever-growing fascination for her.

I can’t do anything much about the other elephant—the one that highlights who I am. It’s understandable why she’d want to run from me.

The proposal looks good. The bank manager approved her pitch and commented that she was very impressed with Chloe's plans. The next stage will take another two days. She’ll most likely hear from them Monday or Tuesday because tomorrow is Saturday. In any event things are looking good.

If it was just about her I’d give her the money. I know that’s crazy. I don’t even really know her, and she doesn’t want to know me.

But I can’t just hand over something like that because it allows that fucker Harlan to get away scot-free.

The search is still on for him, but I’m in a better mood today.

Things are moving along with my plans. After the Creed meeting the other night we were able to carry out our first major attack.

Thanks to our Cartel friends in Brazil we located one of Lance Polinsky’s cannabis farms.

We set the place on fire. I got them to leave the same smiley face he left me, except mine was lit up by flames.

As I expected, the fucker retaliated this morning by trying to kill me in a drive-by shooting, but Jaxon and my men caught up with the biker who tried to take me down.

He was a Yakuza guy. I hacked off his head and sent it in a box to his leader with the message that they needed to watch where their allegiance lay, or they’d suffer the same fate.

I expect more shit to come my way but we’re prepared for it. All of us.

I’m pulled from my thoughts when I spot Virgo walking in through the glass doors.

He’s meeting me to help me in my search for a wife. Of my two best friends who are both married, I feel more comfortable asking for his assistance. Dante is still wild. He and his wife, Serenity, are full of themselves, and I don’t think he’d get the whole business marriage.

Virgo gets it because his father tried to force one on him before he married Olivia.

He holds up an envelope and smiles.

It feels strange to have asked Chloe out only last night, yet here I am, getting ready to pick a wife.

Virgo sits in front of me and assumes his wise guy face.I chuckle when he squares his shoulders.

“You better be grateful for this, Cillian. My wife is not too happy with me checking out potential women for her brother.”

“She knows it’s for a good cause.”

“You know that’s not going to fly with your sister, right?”

“I’ll buy her some ice cream.” I chuckle. “What have you got for me?”

“Twenty potentials. Good potentials. I put together a mix of women from families who are either members of the Creed or allies with them.

“That sounds good. Thanks.”

“My advice is to meet with all of them first and pick out those you like.”

“At this rate, I feel like just picking a name from a hat. I have no interest in this whatsoever.”

“Is that because your mind is on someone else, or because Seamus might insist on you marrying Jessica?”

“And why do you think my mind is on someone else?” They’ve been talking about me.

“Jaxon mentioned Harlan’s stepdaughter.”

“I wouldn’t call her that. She never met him.”

“Well, damn. Separating her from the enemy, that’s a new one for you.”

“I’m just curious. That’s all.”

“Okay. Nothing wrong with that.”

“I’m not marrying Jessica, no matter what Seamus says.” I close my laptop. “If he were to insist, I’d fight him on it. She came by my office the other day and I basically rejected her. I doubt that will be the last I see of her, though.”

“Of course, a woman like that is after power. Marrying you even for six months takes her net worth above the norm.”

“I know. Which is one more reason why that’s not happening. I never got on with her father and her mother was barely bearable. I haven’t heard from either of them since Erika’s death, yet the other day I got a message from both.”

Virgo smirks and shakes his head. “Advantage takers. Forget them. At least you have a choice. I wouldn’t even talk to Jessica if I were you. You know I know how you feel in regard to her.”

“I know.” That’s another reason I asked for his help. Olivia’s former best friend tried to come between them and did the same thing Jessica did to me.

“I’m aware it’s not exactly the same thing. But the malice was the same.”

“Yeah, it was.” And I can never fix the situation.

I’m not one of those guys who is hung up on their first love. I accepted that some people come into your life for a short time and leave an impact on you that stays with you. I just wish Erika didn’t die thinking I believed her sister was better than her, or that I needed to be set free.

“I hope this helps.” Virgo taps the envelope. “In other news, I’ve managed to track part of Jaxon’s shipment.”

“Thank fuck.” That brightens my mood.

“They’re with a group of gangsters that is organizing the transfer to the Mazzone family on Tuesday at the old military base. All we have to do is be there to intercept and take it back.”

“You’re the best, man.” We bump fists. “I’m hoping they can give me some intel on Harlan, too. I would kill his ass, but I need him alive to identify Lance.”

“Knowing what our enemy looks like would certainly help our search.”

“You can say that again.”

He stands and sighs. “I gotta run. It’s date night.”

“Have fun.”

He gives me a curt nod and leaves.

I glance back at my laptop and think of Chloe.

I know where she is tonight.

She has one of those fancy interviews pompous people set up when they want to show off their creativity and wealth.

I should leave her alone but an idea is already forming in my mind.

The idea has barely taken root when I push to my feet then suddenly, I’m getting ready to leave.

An hour later I’m walking to Kimera, a swanky wine bar near the river.

I order a stiff vodka on the rocks and search for Chloe.

It’s not until I step onto the balcony that I spot her below, with a group of women who look like dancers.

She looks different again.

I don’t know how someone can look more beautiful and striking every time you see them. She was already perfection.

Tonight she has her hair up in a loose ponytail that shows off her exotic cheekbones. A black knee-length cocktail dress that flirts with her body and her smooth skin make her look like she’s lived in a spa her whole life.

Of course, I’m not the only guy watching her.I’m just the only fucker here who believes everything in the world belongs to him, including her.

I’m also the only man here who will stake his claim on her tonight.

Even if I’m crossing another line, I shouldn’t do so with a woman who owes me a debt.

Tonight I’ll be my own worst enemy.