11. ~ Chapter Elven ~
~ Chapter Elven ~
T revor
“I don’t like this,” I muttered, watching as Lucia tugged her tight-fitting suit coat down over her pencil skirt. She was breathtaking and seeing her like that had far too many naughty thoughts entering my mind. Now was not the time given for those thoughts because I needed to protect her without having her in actual eyesight.
That did not sit well with me.
When the plan came together that she would be the one to talk to Lee about some plan to gain him some property, I was worried. Not that I didn’t trust her, or that she couldn’t handle herself, no, her dad did that enough.
I was worried about the fact that I couldn’t see her. That I couldn’t stake the place out to make sure she was kept safe. That I couldn’t have her back like I wanted to do.
We all knew we ran the risk of Lee knowing her, not by remembering her, but it was hard press for him not to know she was the daughter of one mafia boss and just became the wife of another mob boss. He wouldn’t be stupid.
But would he allow her close enough, was the question.
And believe me, it wasn’t that I was questioning her skills, not by a long shot. I had the utmost faith that she could and would be a badass.
I just didn’t trust this man.
If he knew her, even knew of her, he could easily take her hostage or do something to her.
Would that cause an all-out war?
Damn straight!
Is that something he wanted?
Wasn’t sure about that. But he would be an utter fool if he thought he could take on both families and get away with it.
“You’re a worry wart, aren’t you?”
I lifted a brow as I looked at the man in the passenger seat.
“Excuse me, Dad, but when it comes to the unknowns, yes.”
“This is why it’s never a good idea to send a woman to do a man’s job.”
“Sorry, Russo, that’s where I disagree with you. Sometimes the best person to get what you want is a woman. They’re smart, beautiful, conniving, vengeful, and fierce enough that they’d cut your dick off, and you wouldn’t know it till they shoved it down your throat. The one thing I can give you advice on is not to underestimate your daughter.
“I’m not worried that she can’t do anything, or that she can’t handle herself. I have no fear that if bullets start flying, she won’t have a mark on her, but there will be a pile of bodies left in her wake. No, my worry comes from not knowing the setup of this building. The fact that I can’t help her escape if need be.”
“I think you give her far too much credit. Oh, she’s smart, I know that. I have her advice on many subjects.”
“Only after the fact, though. Tell me, do you listen to your wife when she offers advice on how to handle things?”
“She never interferes, Doyle.”
“And I grew up in a household where you couldn’t shut a woman up. I’ll tell you something, Russo. I trust my men, know they would have my back no matter what. But at the end of the day, if I’m back-to-back with someone, and they’re fighting just as hard as I am, the only person I would want there, is the Siren that just walked into that building. Lucia is the only one who has my complete trust because she’s strong enough to take on whatever gets thrown her way.”
Lucia
“Ms. Russo. Pardon me, Mrs. Doyle now, correct?”
I watched the older man lean back in his chair, his hands crossed on his lap, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Mrs. Doyle it is.”
“Then let me offer my congratulations on the recent nuptials. I’m sure you’ll both have a long and happy life together.”
“I do believe I hear sarcasm in your voice, Mr. Lee. I wouldn’t know why when all I came to talk to you about was some property and how I would like it built up?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You see,” I pulled out a folder from my purse and moved around his desk to lay it before him. “This area sits right over the river. Dead smack in the middle. As a gift to me, from both my father and my husband. I’m allowed to put anything I want there.”
“So, you came to me, why?”
“Because you’re the best developer. I know your name from New York.” I paused, running my nails over the paper. “It’s quite a popular name, and it’s attached with a lot of prestige too.”
“I spent quite a bit of time building my reputation to the degree it is.” he said, looking over the spot before turning to me. “What are you really doing here, Mrs. Doyle?”
“Your name, the last time I was in New York,” I started, hitching my hip against his desk, “didn’t have any ties to the mafia. So, what, you thought you could come into this city and thought you could control it?”
“Did they send you in here to spy?”
I laughed deeply at that, causing his eyebrow to rise.
“You think they would do that? Not at all. This,” I waved my hand over the folder, “is nothing. An excuse to get in here long enough to let you in on a little secret about this city, and the people who hold all the power here.”
“You think that’s your family? Your husband’s family, Mrs. Doyle? That’s rich. But let me state that there’s a new player in this game, that your time for controlling this city is up. And that your marriage, while sweet, was foolish because it won’t make enough waves to knock me down. You are all at an end. Now, please leave.”
I looked at my nails, before giving him my most evil smile.
“What are you smiling about, Doyle? I said you were done. There are men watching you now.”
“Oh, I know. I know the two-way glass. But they didn’t do a very good job of checking me, which is utterly dumb.” I looked down at my thigh, which had a gun pointing straight at him.