47. Obi
OBI
W hen Ryuji and Leona returned from their trip downstairs—we watched them on the cameras head to Ryu’s club—I instantly knew something was wrong.
They were both tense, but the emotions were no longer aimed at each other.
I had expected there to be another problem with which we needed to deal, but I was not expecting them to explain that the FBI was downstairs.
After filling us in on the details of their conversation, along with the card that demanded Leona’s visit for questioning, I made a phone call. My contact would advise how to handle this, and he was currently on the way to our penthouse.
Absentmindedly, I twisted the ends of her curls around my fingers.
I expected to clash with law enforcement at some point.
This wasn’t even our first run in with them.
This was exactly why I had cultivated plenty of favors and contacts within high-level government positions.
They helped us bury cases, lose evidence, and operate under the radar.
They fixed our problems when they arose.
But this was a complete surprise. No prior heads up from our contacts. No warning or notification that we needed to be careful. It was unusual.
Plus, those agents were so brazen. According to Ryuji, the male agent was even downright threatening. Leona had chided him for potentially making the situation worse, but I saw no issue with what Ryuji did.
None of us would allow Leona’s safety to be at risk. If that required aggression, so be it. The time for playing it safe was quickly ending. We needed to make it clear that we were not to be fucked with.
A knock at the door drew Ryuji away. I lifted Leona off my lap and stood, but kept my palm resting against her back. Moments later, Ryuji ushered in one of my very good friends, laughing and joking with the man.
“Samuel,” I said, reaching my free hand out to greet him. “ Kedu? ”
Samuel was dressed in more relaxed attire than his typical designer suit, but he had come from his home instead of the office.
“ Adi m mma , Obi. It is good to see you. Ciel, Wynn, you, too,” he responded with a wide smile while he greeted each of my brothers. Then, his gaze landed on Leona. “And who is this beauty?”
“ Ifunanya’m ,” I said while Samuel’s eyes widened slightly. “This is Samuel Achebe. We attended university together.”
Samuel and I had met at a tumultuous time in my life.
I was studying at school, rising in the ranks throughout the vigilante group that ran my hometown, and protecting my siblings at the same time.
I was attempting to get involved in the politics of my country while Samuel was preparing for law school.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Leona Vero.” She extended her hand to shake his, but he brought her knuckles to his lips and kissed them. I frowned when a blush crept across her cheeks, then gently pulled her back against my chest.
“It is a pleasure, Leona Vero,” he said, his deep chuckle rolling through his chest. “Any relation to Luciano Vero?”
She sighed, looking up at me. When I nodded, she answered. “Yes, he was my father. Did you know him?”
His head tilted to the side and took her in. “I never met him face to face, but I know all about Luciano Vero and the Italian mafia in New York City. The word on the street is that Maximiliano Volpe runs his Family now.”
Leona went stiff, while a wave of tension rolled through the room. “Max Volpe can go fuck himself.”
A deep laugh boomed through the room. “Ah, beauty, I like your spark. What are you doing here with Obi and the Shadows? Hiding?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but she smiled tightly. “I am not hiding.”
Samuel was testing her. There was no way he hadn’t already heard what Leona Vero was doing. Our queen’s name already preceded her, but this was Samuel’s way.
My hand squeezed the nape of her neck, and she relaxed slightly. “Come,” I said, before Samuel could rile her up further. Everyone felt the strain and exhaustion. “Let us go to the kitchen to talk. We have much to discuss.”
Ciel and Wynn poured glasses of water for everyone while we settled around the table. Caspian raised an eyebrow at me, questioning why I had brought Samuel to our home.
“Samuel is our legal counsel,” I explained to both Leona and Caspian while we found our chairs.
Since Samuel joined us, we were one chair short, and I pulled Leona onto my lap.
She squirmed, but I planted my palms on her thighs and squeezed, and she went still.
I had become a menace with needing to touch her at all times, after resisting her for so long.
“He is aware of what we do and assists us from time to time when uncomfortable attention shines our way. Samuel, Leona and Caspian di Salvo are the newest members of the Shadows. Our goals have shifted somewhat since the last we spoke.”
Samuel’s eyes twinkled with amusement, but his words were genuine. “Congratulations to the both of you. I am glad to see these four men made friends. They’ve always been so lonely and sad.”
I rolled my eyes, and Ryu crossed his arms over his chest with a scoff, but Ciel laughed while he placed glasses of water in front of everyone. “Leona and Cas were our missing pieces. We’re whole with them.”
His fingers brushed over her shoulder while he sat on my other side. Samuel tracked the movement, and the corner of his mouth pulled into a smile. “I am glad to hear it.”
Leona relaxed against my chest. “So, you’re a lawyer, Mr. Achebe?”
“Please call me Samuel. I am the best lawyer in this entire city,” he preened, puffing his chest while she looked at him. It filled me with an incredible amount of irrational jealousy. “It is why Obi pays me so much money. I am worth every penny.”
Leona laughed, warming up to him. Samuel’s humor had a way of disarming people, which is part of what made him such an excellent lawyer.
“Now,” Samuel clapped his hands together and rubbed, “why in God’s name are we awake at such an hour?”
“It appears the FBI are looking into us,” I said. I filled him in on as much as I could, giving him an overview of what they had said to her and Ryu at the club earlier. He sat and listened, only asking a few clarifying questions now and then .
Finally, he whistled. “It’s a good thing you keep me on a hefty retainer, my friend. This is…concerning.”
“Concerning?” Leona asked while Cas and Ryu grumbled. “What do you think they know?”
He shook his head slowly after taking a drink from his glass. “I don’t know. It’s possible they’re building a case and need information.”
“Building a case about us?” Ryu asked. “They were at my clubs, and I know the feds took the case for the club explosion a few months ago. They’ve been on my tail for a while.”
“I doubt the case is about any of you specifically. Otherwise, they would have pressed harder to bring you in for questioning. Though, you must be connected somehow. You said they wanted to speak about Luciano Vero and his role as a confidential informant?”
Leona nodded. “I know my father was smuggling guns to the CIA, but I don’t understand how that would connect to the FBI. You’d think if the CIA was working with my father, the other agencies would have left him alone.”
Samuel’s eyebrows furrowed as he rubbed his chin. “I will have to get my people on this. We need more information before meeting with them for questioning.”
“A—About that,” Ciel said. “Can I help?”
“You have too much on your plate already,” Wynn said softly. “You can’t do everything, Ciel.”
Wynn was still struggling to forgive himself for what had happened with the kidnapping, but I’d seen him grow closer to Ciel.
They were a good pair if Wynn could work through his guilt.
Now that Ryuji had cleared the air with Leona, I hoped it would be easier for Wynn to realize that he was the only one who blamed him for what happened.
Samuel smiled. “Let my team handle the upfront work. If we’re having any trouble doing this our way, then we’ll bring you in. ”
Ciel nodded and resumed his fingers tapping on his knee. Beside him, Wynn pressed his knee into Ciel’s.
“So you’ll help us?” Leona asked, hopeful.
Samuel’s eyes crinkled with warmth. “I would do anything for Obi, and it is clear, beauty, he would do anything for you.”
Her hand lay on top of mine on her hip. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. I would go to the ends of the earth and farther for her.
“Besides,” Samuel continued while he leaned back and braced an ankle on his knee. “It’s been a while since I’ve faced off against the FBI. It sounds like a fun challenge.”
Ryu grinned. “I like the sound of that.”
Leona rolled her eyes. “No, Ryu. Let Samuel do the fighting. You need to keep yourself in check.”
“Uh, I think we’ve already established from recent events that I am quickly becoming the most careful and controlled of the Shadows. You’ve got nothing to worry about from me, hanii , unless it’s about that promise I made you earlier.”
“What promise?” Cas asked. The whole table turned to her.
Leona’s eyes darkened with heat, and I smirked. “We can discuss that once Samuel has returned to his home for the evening.”
My friend laughed, clearly taking that as his cue to leave, and stood. “Keep me posted, Obi. I will be in contact with the field office about this interview. I’ll let you know when we have it scheduled.”
Leona and I walked him back to the front door, and we shook hands. “Thank you, Samuel.”
Once we had said our goodbyes, I turned to Leona and brushed my fingers through her hair. She leaned her cheek against my palm.
I would do everything I could to keep those I loved safe, even if that meant taking on the United States government.
I had prepared for this. It was inevitable we would clash with them, which is why I kept Samuel on retainer.
He’d helped us out of more than one unfavorable scenario in the past, and this would be no different.
“Did you and Ryuji work things out?” I asked, crowding her against the door.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at me. “Yeah. He needs to talk to Wynn again, but we’re good.”
Ryuji already seemed lighter. Leona had that effect on all of us: healing us of our wounds.
I sealed my lips against hers for a quick yet firm kiss. “Good. Now what’s this I hear about a promise?”
She laughed. “He told me he was going to make me faint from ‘orgasm overload.’”
A smile spread across my lips. “Well, a promise is a promise.”
“Fuck, yes!” I heard from the kitchen. Ryuji. “Get in here, then!”
Her palms pressed against my chest, and she lifted onto her tiptoes. I had to bend to reach her lips, but my arms curled around her back and lifted her so we were level. Her breath was ragged when our kiss broke.
“Obi?” she whispered, searching my face. The question in her eyes was clear.
My cock stiffened in my pants, and I wanted so badly to be buried inside her. The thin tether of control inside my chest was seconds from snapping.
“The first time I take you, obi’m , we will be alone so I can have every single piece of you to myself.
I am a jealous and possessive man, and I want all of your attention.
” She deflated partially, but I tsk’d my tongue and drew her gaze back to mine.
“Give yourself to me. Give me control of your pleasure. I will use it well.”
“You have it, Obi. Always.”
“Mmm.” My chest rumbled as I palmed her ass and carried her back to my waiting brothers.