Chapter 26 Enzo #2
“Why not ask Asylum and his fucking personalities?” I snapped at him. “He’s the fucking all-knowing oracle.”
“He didn’t see this,” Sinclair murmured. “It doesn’t work the way you think it does.”
I sighed. “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t Cole or E.”
Malachi stared at us for a moment. “I want to believe that, but I have a very distraught sister who isn’t taking any of this well, and a brother who is chomping at the bit to tear your world to pieces. You know how Church is. He’s been waiting for you to fuck up for a long time.”
“We didn’t fuck up,” I said. “We didn’t do shit.”
“That’s a problem too. She trusted you with these things, and you disappointed her.
But I told her to expect that from you, Lorenzo.
You have a habit of disappointing her. Fucking other women, the cheating, the lies, the marriage, the kid.
Yeah, you’re just one big, walking disappointment.
” Malachi pulled a knife out of his leather jacket and cleaned his nails.
“Fuck you.” I made to walk to him, but Sinclair stepped in front of me and pressed his hand to my chest and shook his head.
“You don’t want to do that. You’re already treading on thin ice. Touch Church’s brother after fucking up his sister’s life, and I think that may end very badly for you,” Sinclair said softly.
I knew he was right. If I wanted this to go smoothly, I had to yield. For now, anyway.
It was so fucking hard for me, though.
Malachi pulled a piece of paper from his jacket. “Where were the videos kept?”
“On a hard drive at our old house,” Cole said, glaring at Malachi.
“Where were the videos kept?” Malachi repeated.
“I just fucking told you, dick for brains—” Cole snarled, but E rested his hand on Cole’s bicep to calm him. Cole breathed out and calmed himself.
“They were in my old bedroom.”
“Just sitting out?” Malachi raised his brows.
“No, fuck head. Not sitting out. They were kept in a box in my closet labeled love of my fucking life. I kept it in a box right next to the box that holds my dead daughter’s ultrasound picture and her onesie.”
I winced at his words, and even E frowned.
Malachi stared him down for a moment. “Unlocked box?”
“Yes,” Cole muttered.
“Who has access to your house?” Malachi continued.
“No one but us,” I said.
“You haven’t had anyone there ever?”
I frowned at that. “I had a realtor come in with my assistant and me and walk the place. Take some pictures. His name was Gary Sharp. Works for Bricks and Stones Realty.”
“What?” Cole demanded. “You let some fuck we didn’t know into the house? I thought you did all those pictures.”
I ignored him as Malachi spoke again.
“How long ago?” Malachi asked.
“It wasn’t long ago. A few weeks at most. The place is just sitting there.
I was thinking it was time to sell,” I muttered.
“Cole decided he wanted it, so I signed it over, and the house didn’t go to market.
” E and I hadn’t told him about looking at houses.
It didn’t seem like the right time to do such things, considering Cole was barely holding on.
“Why the fuck would you let some scrub into our house?” Cole asked. “Huh? Without discussing it with any of us? That’s where we had a family! That’s where Fox and Rosebud were happy together with us!”
“Cole, not now,” I said, rubbing my eyes.
“Yes, now, motherfucker! What is the matter with you? You can’t just go and do shit without consulting us!”
“It was my fucking house!” I shouted at him. “My name was on it. It’s yours now. I fucking gave it to you. Didn’t even cash the check.”
Cole scowled at me. “Doesn’t change things, dick.”
I sighed, knowing he was right. He’d picked it out with me, E, and Fox. We’d gone over so many homes, wanting the perfect one for Rosalie, and that was the one we settled on. I knew I should have talked to him about it before trying to sell it, but it really was his now. I ripped up his check.
“You guys ever look into therapy?” Malachi asked. “I think you need it.”
“Fuck you,” Cole mumbled.
Malachi chuckled as he pulled his phone out. I watched as he dialed someone. The line rang once before someone answered without so much as a hello.
“Gary Sharp. Bricks and Stone Realty. Have him collected for a short vacation to our paradise,” Malachi said into the phone.
The line disconnected, and Malachi smiled at us. “That was the queen.”
I swallowed hard. I’d never spoken to their girl, but I knew she ran things. The queen of the underground. Silent as a grave and twice as deadly.
I’d been in the room with her one time, and that was when Cole and I made the deal with Church, and she’d simply sat staring at me from her chair, her colorful eyes filled with violent promises. I’d heard the stories of her and her hatchet. She was insanely beautiful, but I knew she was deadly.
She’d sat silently, and when Church looked to her for confirmation of our deal, she’d simply slid her gaze from us to him.
And that was it.
She determined the fate of those around her. It looked like she would determine it again.
“Is there anything else you’d like to divulge? Anyone you’re fucking I should know about? Jealous girlfriends that may have it out for Bishop or… one of you guys?” Malachi looked at each of us in turn. “Talking to anyone? New guys? New females?”
“We’re not seeing anyone,” I said. “We haven’t, either.”
Malachi looked to Cole, who shook his head, his irritation clear on his face.
“Ethan?” Malachi asked.
E glanced at us for a moment. “I’m not.”
“Are you sure?” Sinclair pressed. “You’re guarding your phone awfully tightly.”
I glanced to where E was clutching his phone in his hand.
“Give it,” Malachi said.
E’s eyes widened, and he got to his feet.
Fuck.
“We don’t want to take you down, but we will,” Sinclair said firmly. “Just give me the phone.”
“Fuck you.” E shook his head. “No. I have sensitive information on my phone. Contacts. Notes for strains. I’m not giving you fuck-all. I survived the underground and lost my best friend to protect what is on my phone, and I’ll be damned if I hand it over now.”
“Give us the phone,” Malachi said softly.
“Fuck. You.” E drew his gun and leveled it at Malachi. “Of course, you can come try to take it if you’re brave enough, and then maybe I’ll fuck you myself.”
Malachi got to his feet. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, baby.”
Sinclair pulled his phone out and sent off a message as Malachi and E stared one another down. If Malachi had a weapon on him, he didn’t pull it. Although he wore a noose as a tie, I assumed that was all the weapon he needed.
“One last chance, sugar daddy. Give me the phone, or I’ll rain hell down on you,” Malachi said.
“He has nothing you need to see,” I said, knowing I had to step in or E would blast his ass all the way to hell without so much as breaking a sweat. “It really is his notes and contacts. E doesn’t talk to anyone but us.”
“We’ll be the judge of that,” Malachi murmured, not taking his eyes off E.
“Like I said, come take it from me,” E growled, his aim steady.
The door to our apartment was kicked open, and the rest of the watchers poured in, including their queen.
Fuck.
Their girl walked straight to E, and he blinked at her in shock at her boldness as she let him press his gun to her forehead. She closed her eyes and smiled at him as the barrel met her head.
Fucking smiled.
That was it.
Her eyes snapped open, and all hell broke loose.
I was taken to the ground before I could throw my knife. Cole went down next.
And E…
Malachi had moved in, and he pulled off the tie he wore like a noose around his neck and had it around E’s neck in half a second flat. I’d never really seen these guys in action before, but I’d heard stories. I guess they were all true.
E’s gun had clattered to the floor in the kerfuffle. Now, he struggled to get the noose off his neck.
“No. No!” I shouted. “Don’t fucking touch him.”
“Fucking pricks! I’ll kill all of you!” Cole shouted as two guys held him down.
I had two on me and wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Sirena bent and retrieved E’s phone from his pocket.
“Don’t. Please,” E choked out, his face beet red beneath Malachi’s noose. “Fucking don’t!”
She didn’t listen. She swiped his phone and frowned when she saw it was locked.
“Zero. Seven. Zero. Five.” Asylum said, coming to her. “Rosalie and Fox’s birthdays.”
How the fuck he knew that I didn’t know, but people said he was magic. I’d dealt with him enough over the years to know something wasn’t right with the guy.
She unlocked the phone as Asylum stared down at E, his head cocked to the left.
I watched as Sirena went through E’s phone. Her eyes widened for a moment as she scanned something before she signed to Malachi.
He let out a soft laugh.
“He has a little girlfriend,” Asylum murmured. “How cute.”
Sirena moved forward and pushed E’s phone back into his pocket before getting to her feet.
She gave the guys a single nod, and we were released.
E coughed and grabbed at his throat, the look on his face murderous.
“All business, boys,” Malachi said as they regrouped. “You understand. Have to cover all our bases. My sister is a bit of a big deal.”
“She’s not your fucking sister,” Cole snarled at him.
Malachi smirked. “Sure, buddy. Keep telling yourself that. Horsemen, we will be in touch. Don’t fuck up. We’ll kill you next time.”
And with that, they walked out of our apartment.
I rushed over to E, and helped him sit up as he coughed.
Cole went to the kitchen and got E some water. E gulped it down, wincing.
“I hate those fucking pricks,” he muttered, his voice hoarse.
We sat quietly for a moment with one another before I cleared my throat.
“You really like Emily?”
E breathed out. “Yeah, man. I do.”
I nodded tightly as Cole looked away, a muscle thrumming along his jaw.
“Then I’m happy for you,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder before I got to my feet. “Cole, get it cleaned up in here. I need to make some phone calls.”
I left the room and went to my home office, settled behind my desk, and rubbed my eyes.
My phone buzzed, and I stared down at the screen to see Anson’s name. I hadn’t spoken to him since he told me she was leaving for good.
Swallowing hard, I stared at his name for three more rings before I accepted his call.
“Hello?” I asked hoarsely.
“Lorenzo,” he said coolly.
“Alessandro.”
“Did you do this? Church said you’ve denied it.”
“It wasn’t us,” I murmured. “I would never do that to her. Cole’s hard drives went missing. I don’t know how or who took them, but I will find out.”
He was quiet for a moment before speaking again. “OK.”
I breathed out. “How is she?”
“Not your concern.”
“I know she’s not,” I said, my fight waning. “I just… I don’t know. Guess it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m dealing with the publicity of it all,” he said. “I’d like it if you denied this was anytime recent. We will put out a statement that you two were engaged but went your separate ways. If you’d agree to that, I would appreciate it.”
“Wouldn’t want to ruin your marriage by saying I’m fucking your wife,” I said, a bite to my voice.
He had the nerve to chuckle softly at me. “I’m in the position you gave up, De Luca. The guy you kept pushing out. And guess what? It feels so fucking good to push in now, if you catch my meaning.”
“You piece of shit,” I snarled softly into the phone. “Remember who carved out that pussy first. Who it belonged to.”
“You’re right. Belonged. Now it’s mine. She barely remembers your fucking name. I’d like to keep it that way. Release the statement. We’ll send you money if you require it.”
“Keep your fucking money, prick. I have enough of my own.”
“Right. Straight to the top, huh, De Luca? What did it cost to get you there? One brother, your girl, and… your wife? Was it worth it?”
My jaw quivered as I clutched my phone.
“I’ll make the statement. Congratulations on your marriage, Alessandro. I’ll send you a wedding present.”
“You’ve already given me enough. Have a good day, Enzo.” And with that, the line disconnected.
I closed my eyes, and for the first time in nearly five years, I cried softly.
I didn’t know what I was crying for. For what I lost or what I’d earned. Either way, both fucking hurt.