Chapter 19
NINETEEN
Milo
Diego Medina’s confident smirk irritated me. He knew something I didn’t. When an enemy was as bold as the man standing in front of me, there were going to be problems.
Problems I didn’t need.
The crowd of eager patrons I drew to the normally secluded bar when I punched Diego began to disperse with some nudging from my security team. Now that phones weren’t in my face, and my team made sure I could do business, I would rid myself of this problem.
“We’re going to escort you out of here, and you’re never going to see the light of day again.” I bent down and picked up the barstool that had hit the floor during our scuffle. “You’re an easy problem to rid myself of.”
“You don’t want to do anything that would bring harm to me.”
Diego’s courage unsettled me. It didn’t make sense that he would walk in here and seek me out. He didn’t appear to have security with him. What is he up to?
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because then the men I have watching that villa in Greece—you know the one—will have to intervene. I don’t think you want that.”
Chello.
“Yes, judging from the look on your face, you know exactly which villa I’m talking about. I found your brother and his bride, but I’m willing to leave them alone if you leave me alone.”
“You’re the one who came here provoking me.”
“I’m not here to instigate a fight. I simply wanted to meet you face-to-face and let you know I will be resuming Gian Gallanti’s business venture here in the city.”
“Which business venture would that be?”
“The one your father is actively trying to dismantle,” Diego replied.
“You’re out of your fucking mind if you think we’re going to allow you to traffic women in our territory, or any territory for that matter.”
“At least I have the decency to let you know I’m going to do it. Unlike Gian, who didn’t show you the respect you deserved.”
“Gian was a fool.”
“I’ll even give you a cut of the profits,” Diego said. “It’s only fair since it is your territory.”
“My father will never let you get away with this.”
“I’m already getting away with it. I’m just tired of having to stay one step ahead of your father. Every time I set up a transaction, he outmaneuvers me.”
“Because you don’t belong here.”
“Here’s the thing, it’s costing us both a shit-ton of money. Nico needs to come home and get his house in order. Word on the street is there are some dangerous cartels looking for power, and without your father and brother here, the Accetti trinity is looking ripe for the taking.”
“We can handle our business.” I inched closer to him, our chests practically touching. “Consider this your only warning. Get out of New York and go back to where you came from. What you’re trying to do here isn’t going to work.”
“It’s already working.” He tapped my chest with his palm. “You should keep your eye on that pretty little lady you have living with you, or else she might find herself up for grabs.”
“Fuck you.” I shoved him back, but before I could get another blow to his face in, he held up his hand and shook his head.
“I wouldn’t do that.” He pointed in my face. “If I don’t check in soon, Marchello and his cunt wife won’t see the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea.”
I clenched my fists, battling with myself to control the rage that could get my brother killed.
“Don’t think I don’t know that Lissia is responsible for Danny Collins’ death.
That’s why your brother fled with her in the middle of the night and left you to clean up the mess.
” He smiled. “I had people in place that night. I may not be able to prove what you did, but I can throw suspicion in Lissia’s direction.
It wouldn’t take much considering how Danny and her father betrayed her. ”
“You don’t have anything.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asked. “I know your brother removed her from the situation because she would never handle an interrogation. She’s too impulsive. Her actions will throw the whole Accetti clan under the bus, and in the process, she’ll take down the cartels you work with.”
That’s his fucking leverage.
“So, call your father off and let me run my business in peace.”
“Stay away from my family.” I nodded to my guards. “Get this lowlife out of my club. If he comes back, beat him to death.”
“Be careful, Milo,” Diego said as my guys escorted him out. “That temper is going to get you into trouble.”
I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed Marchello.
“Milo.” Marchello answered with a gruff voice. “Are you okay?”
“I’m alive.” I hurried down the hallway. “Sorry to wake you, but this is important.”
“No, it’s after eight here. We had a late night, so we slept in.” When the phone rustled, I imagined he pulled himself out of bed. “What’s up?”
“I had a run in with Diego Medina,” I said.
“Where?”
“A few minutes ago at the club.”
“He came for you?”
“He’s coming for all of us.” I leaned against the wall a few feet from the office. “I can handle things here, but you and Lissia have to leave Greece.”
“Why?”
“He has eyes on you there,” I said. “I’m not sure if he was bluffing about the proximity of his people, but he knows you’re in Greece.”
“How? Who the fuck is he working with?” The thud that followed was a pretty good indicator his fist went through a wall. “What does he want? ”
“To pick up where Gian left off. He wants to traffic through the city.”
“I need to come home.” His low and steady voice dripped of malice.
“Not until we get a better understanding of what’s happening with Medina.”
“I’m not going to leave you vulnerable,” Marchello said, raising his voice. “That’s not how we do things.”
“I said I can handle it.” I hated to give him the rest of the news, but he had to be warned. “There’s something you need to know.”
“What?”
“He threatened Lissia.”
“How did he threaten my wife?”
“He has a pretty good idea why you took her on the run.” Why couldn’t this family catch a break? “He can’t prove it, but he can cause enough smoke that the Feds will start a fire.”
“Fuck.” He let out a long, hard breath. “We need to get Dad out.”
“I’ll work on that,” I said. “I’m going to send more men to your next location. I’ll reach out to Lorenzo and get him to move you.”
“Milo, you need to be careful.”
“Just take care of Lissia.” I closed my eyes and rested my head against the plastered surface. “I’ll make sure we’re all protected.”
“Let’s put things in motion to get me back.”
“I want you home, but let’s make sure we neutralize Medina first.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Stay safe.”
“You too.” I ended the call, realizing more in this moment how much I missed not having my brother by my side than I had in several weeks.
Pushing off the wall, I headed toward the office. As if I didn’t have enough issues, now Medina knew who Sable was. The threats he made against her didn’t sit well with me.
There was a reason my father didn’t want any of us getting close to women. My mother was a prime example, considering she was no longer breathing. Lissia had been taken, attacked, and almost killed. Marchello couldn’t come home because he had allowed himself to get too involved.
I had done the same thing with Sable. I put her in harm’s way because I didn’t think that my enemies were paying attention to my personal life. I had to rectify that.
As I pushed the office door open, Ricardo and Sable’s conversation spilled out into the hallway.
“How can you be sure that Milo won’t kill him?” Sable’s voice quivered.
“I can’t,” Ricardo said. “But he’s not going to do that in the middle of the club. He’s too smart for that.”
“Ricardo, what if I don’t know if I can live like this?”
What the fuck? What else could this night throw at me?
“Live like what?” I entered the room.
“Milo, I…” She glanced at Ricardo.
“Don’t look to him for assistance, you’re the one who said it.” I widened the door. “Ricardo.”
“I guess I should probably go.” He hurried toward the door. “Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Stay close,” I said. “I might have you drive Sable back to the penthouse.” Depending how this conversation goes.
“Sure thing.” He smiled at Sable before making a swift exit.
When I closed the door behind him, Sable got up .
“Sit.” I nudged her back into the chair. “It seems we have to get a few things out in the open.” Standing in front of her, I reached out and brushed my hand along her neck. “Let’s start with how you ended up here looking like a fucking snack for any vulture to pick at?”
“Well, I ah…”
“Or maybe you could tell me why you left the penthouse and walked here in the middle of the night?”
“How did you know I did that?” She tapped her jittery foot against the squeaky floorboards.
“There isn’t much I don’t know.”
“There was no security at the penthouse. I figured there was no threat to my safety if you could leave me there unattended.”
“There’s always security at the penthouse.” I trailed my fingers along her throat. “They just didn’t expect you to walk out, but there will be consequences for that.”
“Don’t take this out on your men.”
“I’m not.” I applied some pressure to her neck. “The consequences are for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You want to be protected? I’ll get you a guard twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.” It’s good to be king. “From now on, if I’m not with you, Ax will be.”
“What? No, that’s not necessary.”
“I say it is.” I stepped back, because if I kept touching her, I’d rip that sexy dress from her body and fuck some sense into her. I still might. “Diego Medina is a sick man who hurts innocent women. Now that he knows we’re together, you’re a target.”
“I didn’t know who he was.”
“If you weren’t here, he wouldn’t know who you were either.” I slammed my hand against the desk. “As if I didn’t have enough fucking problems. What the hell are you even doing here?”
“I wanted to see you.” She tugged at the hem of her dress. “You don’t come home until it’s almost morning. I thought you’d like some company. I shouldn’t have walked here.”
“You shouldn’t have done a lot of things.” I turned my back to her and pressed my hands against the desk. “You were reckless.”
“I’m used to being on my own. I’ve been navigating the city for years.”
“It was dangerous before, but now that we’re together, it’s even more so.”
When I thought about her being with Diego, even if it was in a crowded place, the fury tore through me. She may have put herself in that position, but she wouldn’t have been able to do it if I had been more responsible.
“I just wanted to see you.” She placed her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry I caused all that trouble out there.”
“Diego caused the trouble.” I faced her. “He would have done that with or without you, but now we have to be very aware of his actions. He wants something from my family that we’re not going to give him. He’s going to come at us any way he can, and now I’m afraid you’re one of those ways.”
“That’s why you didn’t want me to come here.”
“I knew he was lurking around the club, but I thought I had it under control.” I gripped the side of her face. “I should have had a man at the penthouse door.”
“You could have told me why I needed to stay away from the club.”
“Would you have listened? ”
“I would have.” Her breath fluttered across my lips. “When I can’t be with you, I go a little crazy.”
“I know the feeling, baby.” Our lips touched, igniting a fire deep inside my soul. “I’m not used to explaining myself.”
“I’m not used to depending on anyone.” She tilted her head as she stared into my eyes. “I didn’t think about the consequences I would cause by leaving the penthouse and coming to you.”
“Being with me can cause plenty of consequences for you.” I brushed my lips along hers. “I need to prepare you better if you’re going to be with me.”
“I am with you,” she said.
“Let’s talk about what you said to Ricardo.” I led her over to the chair, sat down, and then tugged her into my lap. “What did you mean when you said you couldn’t live like this?”
“Your life isn’t an easy one.” She twisted in my lap and straddled my hips. “I don’t want to make a mistake and put us in danger.”
“Don’t talk to strange men.” I shrugged. “Problem solved.”
If I had my way, she wouldn’t be subjected to any of my enemies, but that wasn’t a realistic plan. Sometimes I didn’t always know who the enemy was.
“I’m going to protect you.” I picked a few stray hairs that had fallen in front of her eyes and moved them to the side. “You have to follow my lead.”
“No sneaking out in the middle of the night.”
“Not in the middle of the day either.”
“I want to learn to live in your world.” She threaded the corner of her bottom lip through her teeth. “I just need you to show me the way. ”
Pressing my forehead to hers, I fought the stabbing pain inside my chest. The nagging that poked at my soul and urged me to let her walk away before it was too late for either of us.
I dropped my gaze to her mouth and shoved the negativity out of my mind. I wanted her, and I was arrogant enough to believe what I did to protect her would work. I would slit Medina’s throat in front of a street of witnesses before I ever let him hurt her.
Lowering my head, I tangled my fingers through her hair and forced her mouth to mine.
She arched her back when our lips connected, surrendering to me with sweet need and forgiving passion.
Her innocence could be the death of her if she trusted me.
But if she didn’t put her total faith in me, that could ruin her too.
She was stuck. Caught between my vicious world and the need for her freedom to survive. She had no idea what being with me could cost her. If she did, she wouldn’t be here.
I trailed my hand down her side and to her hip, shifting her to create some friction on my growing erection. She squeezed my biceps as she rocked against me. It would be easy to release her from the agony my brutal existence would cause her.
My family teetered on the verge of another war.
A battle I had no business dragging her into.
But I never took the easy way out, especially not when I wanted something.
And I had never desired anyone the way I coveted her, so she would stay with me.
I made the choice, and now I would live with the consequences.
“Milo.” She hauled away from my assault on her lips to breathe.
Speaking of battles and wars …
“As much as I’d like to stay here and play with you, I have to protect my brother and his wife, and I have to warn my father.” I caressed her cheek. “I have to work now.”
“Are things that bad?” The uncertainty in her voice prepared me for what came next. Her dependence on me only served to protect her with every ounce of my being.
Medina wanted to cut the Accettis in on the evil he wanted to unleash in our territory. Looking the other way wasn’t our style. No one forced my family into anything.
“Things are always bad,” I said. “But now they’re about to get much worse.”