18. Parker #2
Good fucking luck with that. We had been together our entire lives, and our attempts were abhorrent.
I slid my hand into the back of her waistband and pulled her back to me. For once, she didn’t pull away, possibly realizing that her instincts meant shit in the Institution.
“We’re going back to the compound and doing our research. If what you say is true, we’ll consider a truce,” Andre finally said. The words were pulled from his chest like it physically hurt him to make that concession.
That was grand for him, but I’d need more convincing. Not one to be paranoid, but this could be his and Vicente’s plan from the beginning. Position himself between Vicente and us.
Matías dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Let me know if you have any issues. I’ll reach out if there’s something else you should know.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Terrible timing.
Discreetly, I pulled it out and glanced at the message on the screen. A nasty scoff ripped up my throat before I could stop it. All eyes in the room were on me, and I sighed.
“Outside.” I started typing out a response before we started moving. Matías didn’t see us out. Probably assumed we’d reached our limit with him for the day.
Once we were in the SUV, I jumped right in.
You’re welcome, brothers, for turning over a new, more affable leaf.
“Remember when I said I’d been working on a plan to take over the Institution?” I’d tap-danced around the issue because what fun would it be if I let all my secrets spill?
Andre grunted as he navigated us toward the plane.
“I have identified a few potential options to run different businesses for us. The ones I’ve selected for the clubs have a slight issue I need to deal with.
When we get to the strip, I’ll head up to straighten it out.
It shouldn’t be more than a day, barely twelve hours.
I have a feeling it won’t be hard to clean up. ” Just inconvenient.
Grey, who had commandeered the front seat, twisted around to glare at me. “What makes you think they’re a good option if you’re cleaning up after them before they’re even off the ground?”
Good point. “Because they have the right connections to be successful. I like their look, and the money they bring in would be enough to cripple Maikel’s clubs in the US.”
I tilted my head toward Little Love with a small smile. “Aren’t you even curious who they are?”
She glanced up at me, and her eyes were impossibly large on her deathly pale face. She rubbed her hands down her thighs in a rare nervous gesture. Ah, she was worried about Blanca. We’d have to cross that bridge when we came to it.
Scratch that. Andre would cross that bridge. He’d already fucked her, and if I wanted her to bend to me any time soon, I needed to stay in her good graces. Still, she can’t expect we’d allow a rat in the compound.
Jorge was another matter…
Ah, well. That was also an Andre problem.
“W-who?” she whispered, trying to focus on the current topic.
“The ones you wanted to save. The proud but silent owners of the Qing Dynasty vase.”
That snapped her whole body straight up and brought a little clarity to her eyes. “You’re bringing them into this world? No, that can’t happen. They’ve—”
“Shh…” I placed my hand over hers on her leg, stilling its movement.
She allowed that, too. What do you know?
Maybe I just need to keep her off-balance to place her firmly between us.
“They’re not as lily-white as you’d like to imagine.
And if you’re worried about them spilling over into the fashion industry…
” I raised my eyebrows. Because that’s what her issue was, yes?
That this was too close to home for her model sister.
“Then don’t. They’re planning to retire as soon as everything is set up. ”
“And how close is that?” Andre studied me in the rearview mirror. I grinned. Closer than he thought.
“I’ve invested some of my own money for them to open a club out of Virginia, not far from DC.
Perfectly situated to be a direct competitor of Maikel’s club.
” Coincidentally, the same club I was about to visit.
“They’ve already picked out a name…” This was too much fun.
And much needed after that unpleasant visit.
At least I’d gotten to leave the compound.
I finally felt like I could breathe again.
“Stop drawing this shit out,” Lafe said, pressing his shoulder into the door, not glancing at me.
“Fine.” I shrugged. “The club will be called Snatched in honor of their childhood and tribute to their careers.” My shit-eating grin was insuppressible.
It was a genius name. I could already see how they could build their own empire to rival Maikel’s faction.
Add in that we would take a nice cut off the top while fucking Vicente and Maikel up the ass… it was delightfully delicious.
My grin died when no one agreed. Yet, they didn’t disagree, either. The car was quiet as we raced toward our getaway.
A tic was active in Andre’s jaw as he pressed on the gas. “Don’t you think this should have come up when we were discussing plans?”
“Andre. This was in motion before then. It can be completely separate from what we’re planning for the Institution, if necessary. You can see this as me investing in the potential of talented young men. No need to get worked up over it.” Little Love still hadn’t pulled her hand away.
“Talented young men you have to go save,” Andre threw back at me.
“Semantics. It’s not necessarily an issue. Since I’m not the one with a bounty over my head, and with the lack of Vicente’s people here, no one will know I’m gone until I’m back at the compound.” My heart rate was beginning to pick up.
I wasn’t asking for permission. I was going. To appease my brothers, I’d agreed not to do anything alone, but this wasn’t that kind of trip. Seconds passed, and I rolled my tongue over my top teeth.
Then he bit out, “Fine. No more than a day. I’m trusting you. If you make another mistake as you did with the LA club, don’t come back to the compound. Get lost and forget you know us.”
Little Love curled her fingers under mine, and I patted her hand. This wasn’t anything to be worried about. He meant his words, but I was also serious when I said I’d changed my mind. I wanted this. And I was enjoying the ride, Vicente and his fucking Institution aside.
“Done.”
* * *
The seedy club Maikel ran in this state was off the beaten path. So far, I felt like I was in the hills of West Virginia. Given this wasn’t that far away from there, it wasn’t an inaccurate statement. I’d parked out in the field among several other decrepit cars.
The US crime circuit was strange. We never made a move unless it was in bulletproof, dark, and unmarked vehicles. Safety was the top priority. Well, outside of that one trip to see Doc.
But the US? They seemed to get off on slumming it in secret, like it was more dangerous and thrilling.
I barely had my very well-protected car in park before there was a knock on the window.
“Boss,” the man tossed out with a grin as he slid into the passenger seat.
“Gio.” I locked the car back. The last thing I needed was to be caught unaware in the US. We had decent enough relationships through Andre that I wasn’t too worried, but it was better to be on alert.
“Are you sure this is the group of boys you want to hedge your bets on?” Gio lifted his ass to tug his pants down a hair. He was probably one of the longest-running employees I had recruited and not inherited.
A very polished man when he needed to be.
Dark brown hair brushed to the side, an expensive yet casual suit, limited edition watch that most people in his circle salivated over.
Incredibly educated from Ivy League schools.
He wasn’t part of Dae’s Network, but I’d met him during my time in the US all the same.
He’d also served two years in prison for crimes that should have put him away for a decade or more. His connections got him off much easier than he deserved, but now he was out for revenge. Gio was using me to get it.
Not that I minded; I used him just the same. He was more of a contractual employee working toward his own goals most of the time, except for when I needed him. It was a mutually beneficial relationship.
“I’m sure.” I was really getting tired of getting questioned like this.
“But they’re…fashion boys,” he said as he grimaced. Gio was a third-generation removed mafia man. His mom had got him away, but he’d been too intrigued by the rough and deadly lifestyle to follow her wishes.
Something as frivolous as fashion would have been loathsome to him.
I laughed. That was admittedly pretty funny.
I’d have to place them in my burner as the fashion boys.
“They’re men with the right connections and the ability to run a successful business.
The one I’m here to save today,” I pointed to the building no one would ever guess was a club, “is talented with the books. He’ll be able to run a solid business if I can keep him from the tables. ”
“Exactly. I’ve heard about your brother—” I clenched my jaw, immediately disliking his logic— “the addict. How easy has it been to get him away from the yayo ?” Gio asked as respectfully as he could, even though that was none of his fucking business.
“Better than you’d think,” I gritted out.
“Mm.” He didn’t believe me. Gio also didn’t care. He’d said his piece, and that was all he needed to do. “Regardless, Adrian tracked him here. I came as quickly as I could, and I’ve been watching him. Make sure he didn’t get himself in too much trouble.”
“Excellent. Any issues?”