Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
Reinaldo
“ W eapons,” the famiglia guard said, standing by the elevator in the parking garage.
Begrudgingly, I handed over my gun and two knives. I still had one blade strapped to my ankle in case of emergency. Thankfully, the guard was too busy gathering Diego’s and Felipe’s guns to question my honesty. It wasn’t a matter of being truthful, simply deceitful through omission.
We entered the elevator, and the guard flashed his card, whisking us up into the Kansas City skyline. No one spoke as the testosterone emanated through the air, clenched jaws, balled fists, and tightened muscles abounded. If we were any less human, we’d be pissing on the walls .
The elevator doors opened.
A quick scan of the foyer filled me with disappointment. Jasmine wasn’t waiting for my arrival. The tall guard at Dario’s office door stood to attention as we neared. He and the elevator guard exchanged a few words, too inaudible for me to hear.
I spoke to Diego and Felipe. “Quédate afuera.”
They both nodded, accepting my order to remain outside the capo’s office. Speaking in Spanish was my way of showing the famiglia who was superior.
The tall guard opened the door, pushing it inward. With a dip of my chin, I stepped through the threshold. The capo sat behind his desk, not unlike the way I’d seen him numerous times. As the door closed, a flash to my left caught my attention. I saw the assailant out of the corner of my eye before spinning and facing him head-on.
There wasn’t time to call for my guards. This was my fight.
The attacker was young and cocky.
Fuck him.
He swung his knife, swiping the air.
Grabbing his wrist, I took him down to the floor. My knee landed on his chest as I secured his knife at his neck, a trail of blood trickling from where I nicked his flesh. The entire episode took only seconds.
“Stop,” the capo said. He stood from his chair. “Impressive, Reinaldo.”
The knife stayed at the kid’s throat. “Should I expect more of your soldiers to come from passages behind the bookcases or maybe through the door? ”
Dario gestured with his chin. “Let him up.”
Gritting my teeth, I did as he said. The kid gasped as I stood to my feet. “I expected more from you, capo. You want to cut me, do it yourself.” I forced a grin. “Didn’t I hear at one time you had the nickname The Blade ? What’s the matter, too old now?”
The capo scoffed. “If I wanted you cut, I would have done it myself.” He tilted his head toward the door, wordlessly telling the kid to leave.
The kid opened his palm.
I looked at the knife in my hand and back to him. “I’ll give it back when I leave.”
“You’ll give it back now,” the capo said.
I sheathed the blade in my empty holster and took a seat across from the giant desk. Leaning back, I crossed my ankle over my knee. “Where is Jasmine?”
“She’s out.”
My boots slammed onto the floor as I stood. “What the fuck? You know it isn’t safe for her out there.”
He lifted his hand. “You wanted to talk to me man-to-man.” He sat in his big leather chair. “Then talk like a man, not a hotheaded kid.”
“Does she have Piero with her?”
The capo nodded. “Camila is also with her, which means Giovanni is also there.”
I exhaled and sat. “My parents are out on Bella. I’m going to take Jasmine out there. She isn’t safe in Kansas City, and you know it.” I narrowed my eyes. “What does Myshkin have on you that you would be willing to sacrifice Jasmine?”
Dario laid his hands flat on the top of his desk. His dark gaze burned with intensity as he stared in my direction. “I don’t owe you an explanation, but I’ll give you a history lesson. The war with Myshkin began between my father and Smirnov long before you were born. It’s an ongoing nuisance, like a fucking splinter under your fingernail. You want to deal with bigger issues, but it’s always there, irritating, annoying, distracting. In reality, we’d agreed to cohabitate in the city before the alliance with Roríguez put us in Herrera’s crosshairs. Herrera offered Myshkin the famiglia’s territory if he helped eliminate us. Eliminating Herrera is a better answer.”
“You think that you can partner with both us and Myshkin?”
He continued to stare at me.
“You can’t. No man can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.”
“Quoting the Bible?”
“If the verse fits.”
“I’m not the servant in this scenario.”
“You are,” I said. “Myshkin can’t eliminate Herrera. He’s playing you. He wants you to get comfortable with this agreement, and when you’re distracted with Herrera, he’ll double-cross you. The information I sent you shows that he’s been working on this plan since last October. Hell, probably before. That’s where Leah Renner comes in. Why else would Myshkin give a fuck if she rots in prison? He sees a use for her.”
“I’ve given him my word,” the capo said.
“You gave mí padre your word.”
“Jasmine isn’t a?— ”
I was back on my feet. “Don’t fucking say that again.” I pointed in his direction. “Why is Piero with Jasmine?”
“To keep her safe.”
“Why does he travel to New York with her?”
“Same reason.”
“Why did you bring her back to Kansas City?”
He nodded. “I care about her.”
“Then stop fucking disrespecting her. Either she’s your princess or she’s not. I don’t mean by blood. I mean in your cold, dead heart.”
His voice cooled to a degree above frozen. “I’m not the one who took her into public and kissed her, made a spectacle of her. That was disrespecting.”
It was suddenly difficult to swallow. “I won’t deny it. I kissed her. Jasmine is a beautiful and sensual woman.”
“Stop.”
Furrowing my brow, I narrowed my eyes. “Why is that difficult for you to face? Fuck, in the last two months, you’ve had three men make offers for her.”
His nostrils flared. “Is that it, Reinaldo? Is this a pissing contest? Do you want Jasmine, or do you not want anyone else to have her?”
“It’s not a contest. I want her, and sí , the thought of anyone else touching her is unfathomable.” I opened my eyes wider. “Have you spoken to Zhdan Myshkin in person?”
“No, I’ve negotiated with Kostya.”
“I’m man enough to face you in your home.” I pulled the kid’s knife from my holster and laid it on top of the big desk. “I surrendered my weapons. I took down your soldier. I’m the one who will walk through the gates of hell for Jasmine.” When he didn’t respond, I went on. “You don’t want to see Myshkin’s double cross, but I see it. I also know the famiglia and cartel have proven themselves to one another time after time. Fuck, Jano and Mia’s baby is due in a month. Giving Jasmine to me will further cement our alliance. Don’t you want to look into your wife’s and daughter’s eyes and know that you’ve done all you can for both legacies?” The capo looked as if he were about to explode. Yet I didn’t stop. “Or are you willing to risk all that’s been accomplished for a pipe dream of losing a fucking splinter?”
The door to the office opened and the tall guard from outside came rushing in. I stood, reaching for the knife I had just laid on the desk.
“What is it?” the capo asked.
“Mr. Luciano is on the phone.” He handed Dario a cell phone.
“What?”
The capo’s face went absolutely ashen. “Fuck. Is she all right?”
My pulse kicked up.
She?
She who?
He closed his eyes as his nostrils flared. “Bring her home immediately, and Dante... find out who is responsible. I want their head.” He handed the phone back to the guard and focused his attention on me. “Camila and Jasmine were out to lunch.” He shook his head. “All I know is they were drinking margaritas?—”
“She’s only twenty.”
“Their lunch went well. Zhdan approached Jasmine. ”
“The fuck?” I was back on my feet.
“He left the restaurant. When the ladies went back to finish their meal, Jasmine became ill and disoriented. They have her in the car on the way back here.”
“She was roofied?” My fingers balled into fists. “I’ll kill him.”
Dario exhaled. “If I asked you to leave?—”
“I’d tell you to go fuck yourself.”
Slowly, the capo stood. “You may stay as long as you agree to my rules.”
My lips formed a straight line. I would listen.
“You will respect me as capo dei capi and as Jasmine’s guardian. That means you’ll clean up the way you talk to me.”
If that meant I could stay here, I could agree. “Is there more?”
“I need to find out what’s happening with Myshkin. In the meantime, the only way I’ll allow you to take Jasmine to the safety of your father’s yacht is if she’s married. It’s bad enough that you’ve kissed.”
“You’ll agree to allow us to marry?”
“Your theory has merit. I won’t use Jasmine. You obviously care for her.”
My shoulders relaxed for the first time since I boarded the plane. “I do, sir.”