Chapter 10
What. The. Fuck.
Questions flew through my brain, begging to be answered, but they’d have to wait. I looked Cash over and frowned. He was dressed up in a suit like the rest of the men in the room, but his was just a little out of season. Likely a money issue, if he was really an upstart as I suspected. Despite that, his shoes were shined, clothes perfectly pressed, golden-blond hair swept back off his face, and jawline sharp enough to cut glass. Everything about him said he’d planned to attend the party.
But how did he even know about it, and how had he gotten in?
“Like what you see?” He grinned, watching as I blatantly checked him out. I wasn’t interested in dating or sex, but in discovering if he had a hidden cache of weapons I needed to be worried about. “I look good, right?”
I wanted to tell him I’d seen better, but something in his eyes unsettled me. Greed or power or insanity, I couldn’t be sure. All I knew was I wasn’t willing to set him off when no one was around to help me.
The tinkling of chains reminded me that the dagger pendant nestled at the base of my throat was every bit functional, but I didn’t want it to come to that. This was underground politics; the first to attack lost the advantage. Without any background on Cash or the Aces, I needed every bit of help I could get.
Time to gather information.
Men are simple creatures, Marianna. Let them speak, and nine times out of ten, they’ll tell you what they want. My father’s lessons echoed in my ears, the art of manipulation as familiar as my own skin.I let myself fall back into the rhythm I’d perfected during training, the low and slow cadence that had men falling at my feet.
Moving slowly, I removed my hand from Cash’s grip, fingers dragging across his palm. “You look very dapper tonight, Cassius.”
“Cash, please. Cassius is so formal.”
I wanted to be formal. Something about him set me on edge, and I didn’t like it.
He turned away from me, running a finger over the gilded wallpaper with a teasing smile. “Fancy place you’ve got here, Marianna. I have to say, I was disappointed to find I wasn’t invited to the party.”
“It’s not like I knew where to send it,” I pointed out. “If you wanted an invitation, all you had to do was go through the proper channels.”
“But then we wouldn’t have gotten to chat like this.” He leaned against the wall across from me, arms deliberately hanging loose in his pockets. He was granting me space like it was his to give. I was about to tell him where to shove that space when he spoke again. “Who’s the robot?”
What? My brows creased. “Robot?”
“Yeah. Blue suit, dancing with the hot-as-fuck brunette? You know, the one who can’t take his eyes off you for two seconds. That robot.”
Greyson.
“What about him?”
Cash shrugged. “Just surprised, is all. He hasn’t let you out of his sight in weeks. Not since the other one croaked.”
Thoughts of Rey rushed forward, and I forced them to roll off my back so I could focus on what he’d said. While not technically true that Grey hadn’t left my side in weeks, Cash’s assessment gave me the start of a timeline. Rey’s death. The familiarity Cash seemed to have with my routine before the attempt on my life made me think he’d been around while Rey was still breathing. However, I had to be sure. “Did you make it in time for the wake?”
He hummed under his breath. “Sad to say, I didn’t. I was otherwise occupied.”
Hiding, more like. Zander had already confirmed it. But why were the Aces hiding out when the chaos of a death in my family would’ve been the perfect time to make a move. Unless they’d had a hand in things already.
“You shot my cousin.” It was out of my mouth before I’d properly thought it through, but things made sense. The assassination attempt and Rey’s death, despite the lack of conflict in the city. The fact that no one claimed either one, when it would’ve been a crowning achievement for some. Zander hunkering down with the Aces after the funeral.
Why would a man who typically chose the winning side defect to an unknown player?
Because they’d already landed a monumental blow.
Rage built in my system as Cash dipped his head. Not quite a nod, more like an acknowledgment. “If it helps, he wasn’t the target.”
“It doesn’t,” I snapped. The need to make him bleed was almost unstoppable. I clenched my hands, letting my fingernails bite into my palms to quell the urge. Keep it together. You’ve got a job to do.
Cash glanced at my hands and sighed. “You’re upset with me.”
“You killed my cousin,” I repeated through gritted teeth. Was he for real?
“I did, but to be fair, I’ve never understood the concept of a family like yours. To me, people are disposable. They’re meat sacks that are only useful for a while. The moment they make things harder, I get rid of them. It really was nothing personal. Besides, how was I supposed to know he’d take the shot for you? That was pretty brave.”
The smells of that day invaded my senses, and I wondered if Cash would make use of the distraction to end me.
He didn’t, leaving me more confused than ever.
“You think people are disposable? Human lives mean nothing to you?”
“Yes.”
Searching his gaze, I realized he meant it. People meant absolutely nothing to him. They were a means to an end, and I wondered if there was a bit of sociopathy in him.
What a sad life, to live in a world where you don’t understand love and friendship.
“Has there been a single special person in your life, Cash?” I doubted he’d answer, but I was curious to know. He seemed to think about it before wagging his finger at me.
“I know what you’re doing. Trying to befriend me so I’ll give you all my secrets. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. “I’ll tell you this one for free, though. This family shit you’ve got happening is going to get you dead. They should be soldiers in your army. Instead, they’re chinks in your armor. If you don’t sort it out, you’ll find yourself six feet under.”
“Thanks,” I said dryly. My clutch vibrated once, twice, three times under my fingers, and relief flowed through me. Grey had realized I was gone. He was coming for me. I just had to make it a little while longer with Cash. Then I’d go home, slip into workout clothes, and vent my rage on the punching bag while picturing his stupid fucking face.
But first, I had more questions. “You don’t seem like the type to decide on world domination over lunch, Cash. How long has this plan been going on?”
He seemed confused on the topic change, but he brushed it off. “Years, little queen. Years. Your father would’ve figured it out ages ago, but he always was ahead of the game.”
The way he spoke of Mario was telling. There was a familiarity in his tone, a knowledge that only came from personal contact and a lot of it. My father wasn’t someone you forgot, even in death. Which led my thoughts on a wild-goose chase.
I didn’t think Cash’s face was familiar, but memories were crowding their way forward unexpectedly. Meetings with my father, visiting his drug warehouses when Marcosa was synonymous with the trade. Conversations about screwing over the cartel. Memories that I had a feeling Cash would have too. I tried to picture him younger, closer to twenty than forty, but I couldn’t. So I just asked, “Have we met before?”
His grin widened, and I knew I was on the right track. “We have, little queen. You’ve grown up beautifully, though I wasn’t expecting a trail of men to follow you.”
My heart lurched. “Men?”
I absolutely did not want Cash’s attention on Grey, Dominic, or Nate. Especially not Nate. He was the most innocent of all of us.
Blue eyes narrowed on mine. “Don’t play dumb, Marianna. It doesn’t suit you. You’ve got your right hands panting at your heels like love-sick dogs, ready to do whatever you ask. It’s pathetic.”
“That I’ve got people who would protect me?”
“That they’ve lost their backbones to serve you, and you’ve let them.” He stepped closer, his hand ghosting over my cheekbone. “If you were mine, I’d never let anyone close enough to take my place.”
My stomach quivered and not in a good way. The last thing I wanted was to be the spoils of war. “Is that what this is all about? You want a place at my side?”
“No.” Cash grinned and tucked a curl behind my ear without ever touching my skin. “Don’t pout, though. You’ll figure it out soon enough, and if you don’t, at least I’ll enjoy watching you try. It’s been such fun to see the great Marcosa legacy scrambling after breadcrumbs.”
He said my name with bitterness, and even that gave me something to go off of. Somehow, sometime, long enough ago that the memories weren’t crisp in my mind, Cash had been at odds with my family. Likely my father. The man had never been good at making friends, but this was a little extreme, even for one of his enemies.
“I can see your mind whirling, little queen. You’re trying to put all the puzzle pieces together when I haven’t even laid them on the table yet.”
“Then do it. Give me the whole picture so I can see what I’m working with.”
His lips tipped into a cocky smirk. “Not yet. I want you to work for it. You Marcosas need a reminder of how to do your own dirty work.”
“You have no idea how much dirty work I’ve done.”
“Hmm. I think I’d like to, though. Should we sit down and compare notes sometime?” Before I could answer, he tilted his head, and his grin flattened in frustration. “Damn, I was hoping for more time. Looks like we’ll have to continue this later, little queen.”
I was going to ask what he heard, but the sound of footsteps coming closer echoed through the air, followed by low whispers. Grey and Dominic were trying to keep things quiet for our guests’ sakes, but I could practically feel the malevolence wafting off them from afar. They were out for blood, and Cash was on the menu.
Too bad he’s mine.
“Until next time.” He pressed another kiss to my hand, and then he was gone. He hadn’t even rounded the corner when I kicked off my heels, hiked up my dress, and sprinted after him.
“Mari!” Dominic shouted, his footsteps echoing after me. I heard Grey behind him, barking out orders for the men to spread out and search for the bastard, but I didn’t slow. I wasn’t going to let the opportunity to end this bullshit war before it started get away.
Cash ran down the service halls like he knew where he was going, and I was even more sure that one of the staff had let him in. He dodged through the kitchen doors and out the back, with me close at his heels. I ran religiously most days, so I knew I could keep up with him unless he had a…
Car.
The squeal of tires had me packing on an extra burst of speed, only to dive to the side when a spray of bullets hit the ground at my feet. Asphalt shredded my palms and forearm, my legs barely escaping, thanks to the velvet fabric.
Son of a bitch, that hurt.
A single shot ended the others, followed by a thump and Cash’s voice echoing in the silence. “No one hit her! Rules of engagement say we can’t hurt her on club grounds. Besides, I want to play more.”
“Fuck you and your games!” I yelled.
“Still alive, Marianna? I’m so glad. Good night, little queen,” he called. “We’ll see each other soon.”
Then he was gone, the tires squealing again as I lay panting on the ground, knowing whatever the Aces were up to, it’d only just begun. I didn’t care, though. For now, I was glad to be alive.
“Mari!” Dominic’s voice was so loud that I twisted in shock and nearly groaned. Seemed it wasn’t just my hands that were fucked up from my less-than-stellar landing.
He came to a stop next to me, his eyes running over my face, my body, before settling on my palms with a wince. I loved and loathed the way he looked at me, like I was fragile and delicate. On the one hand, it made me feel cared for and safe when he coddled me. On the other, I was a thirty-two-year-old woman who ran a crime syndicate. I didn’t need coddling.
Ah, the joys of being a woman and not knowing what the fuck I want.
“Are you okay, mariposa?”
“I’m fine. A little scraped up.”
“Doc is already in your office,” Grey said as he arrived, his eyes darting between his phone and my face like he wanted to be sure I was real.
I reached out a hand, grateful when he gently laid his hand in it. “I’m okay, Grey. Promise.”
“I’ll believe it when Doc signs off on you.” I rolled my eyes, but I let it go. Overbearing had always been Greyson’s love language, and I had the feeling that wasn’t changing anytime soon.
“Mari.”
I turned, shocked to find Nate next to my best friend. When I looked at Grey, he shrugged. “I figured you’d want him close by after the club was infiltrated.”
He was right. I smiled and looked over at my Good Samaritan. “Why am I always a damsel in distress when you’re around?”
He grinned, tangling his fingers in his gelled hair before carefully unwinding them. The second he did, he was tapping them on his thighs. Appeared Nate had a nervous tell. Why did I find that endearing? “Seems to me like you’re good at saving yourself.”
I laughed, and even if the sound was a little tighter than normal, it eased something in my chest. The weight of Rey’s death had been crushing me again, and I hadn’t even noticed, too accustomed to it to recognize that I was spiraling.
Cash killed Rey. Cash knew my father. Cash knew me. None of it made sense, so it begged the question… What the hell did he want?
I let the three men lead me inside, taking the back corridors so none of the guests saw me bloodied up. The last thing I needed was someone sniffing out a weakness when I was already in the middle of a territory battle.
I was seated in one of the chairs in front of my desk with Doc bandaging my scrapes when Dominic finally spoke. Nate had waited until I was being looked after before heading back downstairs for party cleanup, and I almost wished he’d stayed. I could’ve used some of that go with the flow energy.
“Mari, are you going to tell us what happened?”
Doc glanced up, and I nodded to the door. Whatever else he had to do, I was sure Greyson could figure it out. Sure enough, as soon as the door shut behind Doc, Grey sat in the chair he’d vacated, took my hand in his, and started bandaging me up like he always did.
“Cash and I had a chat,” I finally said.
“And?” Grey’s focus was wholly on my scrapes, and I found I preferred it to the way Dominic hadn’t taken his eyes off me since he’d burst into the alleyway.
I shrugged, hiding a wince when Grey hit a particularly delicate patch of skin. “And I know how I want to move forward.”
“You do?” Dominic furrowed his brows in confusion. “How?”
“The Aces are officially enemy number one for the family. We’re going to tear down their whole fucking world.”
Greyson looked up at me, cuts forgotten. “We’re going to war?”
I didn’t want to risk my people, but Cash had taken someone special from me. No matter how long it took, I was going to rip away everything he held dear in retaliation. It was what was expected of me and the justice Rey deserved. “Yes.”
“Game on, asshole,” Dominic crowed.
Game on.