Obsession (Sinners of New Orleans #3)

Chapter 33

THIRTY-THREE

Adrian

M adi’s in a good mood when we return to New Orleans, though I had to pry her away from her cousin to get her on the plane. She seemed to have a good time with the girls and my heart warmed at the sight of her with new friends looking happy. I make a mental note to get her out of the house more, around people who aren’t her awful family. Right after I figure out who she’s safe around.

“I’m gonna take a shower.” She rises to her tiptoes to plant a kiss on my lips. “Meet me upstairs?” she asks with a devilish glint in her eyes.

“Of course, princess.”

I move to my bar cart to make a drink once she’s off. I’ve barely poured the whiskey by the time David enters with a knock. “Boss, Damien is here to see you.”

“Fuck,” I grumble, checking my watch. It’s after eleven. What the fuck is he doing here now? “Let him in,” I tell David, who gives me a confirming nod. Seconds later, Damien strolls into my living room, dressed in a three-piece suit with a conspiratory grin stretching across his face. I’m already on edge as he takes a seat on my couch.

“Drink?” I ask, gesturing to the bar cart.

“Whatever you’re having.” He nods.

I pour him a tumbler of whiskey and bring the glass to him before taking the seat across on the couch. “So,” I start. “What brings you here at this hour?”

He smiles, and the sight makes my stomach uneasy, not that I show a glimpse of the feeling.

“How was your trip to New York?” he asks, taking a sip from his glass, that smile ever present.

A chill skates over my skin, but I shake it off, leaning back in my seat and making sure my uneasiness doesn’t show. This man might not be as bad as Madi’s father, running around the city setting off bombs, but he’s still a cold-blooded killer. And men like him are the most dangerous when they’re trying to solidify their power. Damien might be acting as the boss right now, but he’s not been accepted as such. He needs to squash any defiance to keep his throne, and me going to New York can easily be seen as defiance.

I take another sip of my drink and meet his gaze. “Good,” I tell him simply.

“And tell me,” he says, then leans forward, watching me closely. “How does this little trip of yours help our plan?”

“Sam wants me to get him released.” I continue, staying casual in my delivery.

“And I asked you to keep him in prison.”

“No, you asked me to kill him,” I correct. “And don’t you think it will be easier to kill him on the outside?”

Damien pauses, assessing my words.

“You have more resources out here. In there, John has paid off everyone for his protection. The guards, other gangs. He’s well protected. But out here? You’re the king.”

Damien likes my compliment, I can tell by the way his eyes light up and he relaxes in his seat. “Good points you make there.”

“Plus, Sam thinks I’m on his side. It will be easier for you to get to him if you have someone on the inside, someone he trusts.”

“Someone like you,” Damien finishes with a smile. “That’s a smart plan.”

I grin, extending my glass for him to cheers. “Thank you. And once Sam is gone…” I add as I gesture around us, “this city is yours.”

Damien’s smile widens. I have him hooked. And once I get Sam out of prison, the two of them are going to fight to the death, only one coming out victorious. Doesn’t matter to me who wins, because I plan on catching it all on video and making sure the winner goes to prison for the rest of their lives.

And the Costello family will crumble.