Chapter 6 #3
My hands worked quickly while my brain still screamed thong, naked, skin over and over again until the words were burned in the back of my skull. “Done.”
"Phew!” She pulled up her pants and buttoned them. “Thanks, and you said married life was a dream like it wasn’t, look how helpful we can be!”
I gritted my teeth. “Yes, so very helpful. You’d do well to remember that next time you take off your pants—how helpful I can be.” I slapped her on the ass lightly. “So fucking helpful, you’d be walking funny for a week.”
She stumbled toward me with a wink and then pasted a bored smile on her face. "Imagine if it were my underwear.”
"Stop flirting, it’s weird when you try too hard, Tempest. Also, you have lipstick splashed across your chin.”
“Wha—“
I flicked her in the nose. “Kidding, I just wanted to see you panic, looks good on you, super innocent, kind of strange if I’m being honest.”
"We’re going to be late. You’re driving.”
I yawned like I was bored when really I was still thinking about her naked, but her knowing that meant she’d think she had the upper hand again. Not gonna happen. “I expected as much.”
She started walking away from me. “No, not just today, forever, I hate driving when I don’t have to. One of your main jobs is driving, only driving, all the time driving. Oh, and getting gas.”
“Mm-kay princess. Whatever you say.”
"I prefer Queen.” She met my gaze over her shoulder.
“Whatever you say, your highness,” I grumbled and opened the door to the garage then grinned and went in search of the car keys. I clicked the unlock button twice. “Your carriage awaits.”
"Bugatti.” She nodded. “Not street legal, at least not really.”
“But fast.” I added. “And since I’m driving—“
“Have at it, just don’t talk to me while we drive. I’m using it as time to mentally prepare for my family and for family dinner and all the questions.”
I barely kept in my snort and slid into the smooth red leather seat.
Slowly, I pulled out the vial and tossed back the contents.
I read no instructions, I just assumed. “Ever thought that maybe they need time to prepare for you? Just saying, you aren’t exactly calm.
” I put the vial back in my pocket and started the engine.
To my utter satisfaction, it roared to life. “Ever.”
She clicked in her seatbelt. “Didn’t even ask what it was, crazy. And who would be calm given this family and the situation I’m in?”
“You mean marital bliss?” I put the car in drive and sped out of the garage and down the driveway. “It almost feels like freedom going this fast.”
"Speed always feels good until you remember that the earth’s round and you’ll just keep going in the same direction only to repeat it over and over again in a vicious cycle with no final destination.
” She paused. “Just like insanity, doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”
I turned on the blinker and pulled into traffic. “Well, that was uplifting.”
"How are you feeling?” She changed the subject swiftly. “Nauseated? Tired? Dizzy?” A pause. “Alive?”
I frowned and started to think about the steadiness of my own breathing and my own heart rate like a paranoid hypochondriac. “Well, I was feeling fine, now I’m wondering what the hell you gave me as a wedding present.”
“Like I’d kill you.” She snorted. “I need you to infiltrate, remember? All I know is these were the instructions sent to me and my new made man.”
“Made man,” I echoed. “And you don’t even know when my first kill was.”
“Young,” she snapped. “I imagine it was really young, like most in this industry, right?” She was correct.
“I remember what happened when my cousins suddenly changed. It was impossible not to notice; it was like one day the innocence of being a child was just wiped clean from them, like they were baptized in someone else’s blood and knew they could never be clean no matter how many times they screamed or showered.
I think it affected Ash, my oldest cousin, the most. He’s better now, but he’s a bit unhinged still. ”
I shrugged. “No offense but every single one of the new bosses in the five families are unhinged.” When she said nothing, I prodded, “You know, the only boss who hasn’t been replaced by the new generation is your dad.”
She smiled down at her hands. “He’s younger by ten years then the older bosses, barely in his forties and looks like he’s still in his twenties. Of course he hasn’t been replaced yet. You don’t replace Tom Brady when he’s still throwing bangers, you know?”
I snorted out a laugh. “Did you just compare Dante Alfero to Tom Brady?”
“Hey, it’s a good comparison. Uncle Nixon and Uncle Chase are off living their lives after their sons took over, Uncle Pheonix will probably die with a gun in his hands.
” Accurate. “Uncle Tex has King now as the Cappo, I mean look around, the new generation rose from the ashes of their parents, who built a greater, stronger five families.”
“Is that why you’re always sad then? Rebellious? Getting into trouble?” I asked. “Because you’re constantly looking for a place to belong?”
“Careful, Louis, we aren’t that close, and you did have your tongue down my sister’s throat last year.”
I shrugged. “She’s married. Moved on. Everyone else has a place, a thing. I wonder…in this giant game, what’s yours? What’s your story, Tempest? Don’t you think you owe me more than vials of poison and favors?”
She turned to me, the leather made a stretching noise as she moved.
“This, from the man who was only so willing to drink when told, who bent over backwards without as much as a blink, a trained assassin who’s really an innocent little lamb?
I don’t buy it. We both know you need my name just as much as I need your body. ”
“To infiltrate,” I said again.
“The Vescovi Family.” She finally said it. “They don’t take any made man, and they won’t take women.”
I nodded slowly. “They wouldn’t take you?”
“Not even me, not even if I promised to destroy my entire bloodline. Apparently women have no place in their ranks.”
Bastards. If anything, they should be more terrified of women—at least in my experience. I kept silent.
“Anyway, that’s where you come in, husband.
Drink your poison well, sip every last drop because I’ve been told they’ll test your loyalty and if you don’t have a mild tolerance to what I’m giving you, you could die.
I’ve been told every single present I give you has just enough of their fun viruses for you to learn to fight them off so that when they do finally inject you and expect you to fight, you don’t just shit your pants and cry. ”
“I would never.”
“Oh, many do.”
“And once I’m in?”
“That’s if you make it.”
“I’ll make it. I don’t fail.”
The statement hung heavy between us, because I did, I had. I failed her sister, and I failed my brother all those years ago. It drove my twin insane and it drove me to vengeance, to this very seat in this car driving a mafia princess into dangerous war games she wasn’t ready to play.
You have to be ready to die for your revenge the way you’re willing to survive until you know the truth, and that’s a very complicated thing for a selfish person to do.
“So?” She crossed her arms. “Any crazy aches or pains, or are we good to walk into dangerous territory?”
“Wow and just like that, back at the original question?” I clenched the steering wheel.
“Alarmingly, no warm fuzzies just exploded in my stomach. Weren’t they supposed to just hours after getting married?
I signed up for at least one warm fuzzy.
I could have sworn it was in the contract.
Then again, no sex, arranged marriage, lots of threats, violence, and having to infiltrate a sketchy as fuck crime family might do that to someone.
Just strip the warm fuzzies right away.”
She smiled over at me. “We have antacids at Dad’s house if your tummy’s upset and it needs to feel warm.”
I licked my lips and tried to appear calm even though everything within me was fighting to ask her what else was going on, what wasn’t I seeing and what the hell did Cassian have on her?
Furthermore, what did he have on her family?
The guy hated getting his hands dirty, he preferred to nominate volunteers by gunpoint.
Lucky me.
I was forced into becoming one because he had one thing on me—my need for the truth, my thirst for revenge.
Two very dangerous combinations. I pulled to a stop in front of the massive three-story brick house.
SUVs were parked around the circular driveway and a handful of armed men walked around the perimeter.
Some of them were clearly part of a government security detail, which meant that Senator Abandonato was probably lurking somewhere on property.
It also meant that, for now, we were safe, protected from the inside out.
And nobody would be stupid enough to snoop around—not counting me.
I was stupid enough to take my chances especially considering we were at Dante Alfero’s house.
Powerful. Untouchable. The GOAT? We’d see, wouldn’t we?
“We should probably go in,” Tempest finally muttered, toying with the clasp of her bracelet, a gift from one of her many admirers before she said I do?
Maybe. “They’ll be expecting us to be on time, you know how the family feels about punctuality, mainly my dad.
Plus, he’ll be ready to pick a fight with you. ”
“Ah, yes,” I drawled out. God forbid we show up late and show the middle finger to their plethora of rules. “We don’t want to be disobedient to Daddy.”
She cut me a sideways glance of complete annoyance. “Says the man playing the doting husband so Daddy doesn’t murder you in your sleep.”
"He would never touch someone you love,” I pointed out.
“Which begs the question why you’re suddenly so sure he actually might do something to us or suspect me.
Must be some secrets you’ve stumbled upon, hmm Tempest?
Anything you want to dump into my lap?” I finally turned to face her.
“Don’t worry, I’ll give you just enough attention to make Daddy think I’m in love with you.
” I released humorless chuckle. “I might even hold your hand, graze your boob… the day is young.”
“You mean you don’t love me?” Her voice was light. Too light. “The absolute devastation.”
I grinned. “I’m just a regular breaker of hearts and arms.” I imagined loving Tempest would be akin to loving a cactus.
"That’s rude.”
"Oh, shit! Did I say that out loud?”
“Asshole.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with.” She hesitated. “But really, you don’t feel sick or anything?”
I frowned. “No, I really don’t.”
“Good.” She clutched her black designer purse between her fingers until they turned white. “That’s really good.”
I stared at her hands then back up at her. “Yes, that’s what I’m feeling all over, my body good while you sit there and twitch with your purse like you’re thanking the universe I said I was fine.”
“I don’t like deaths hanging over my head.”
“Same?” I frowned. “Sometimes? Whatever, let’s get in there. I’ll remember not to make direct eye contact lest he set my ass on fire.”
She rolled her eyes. "Be polite or I'll tell him you blindfolded me and tied me up before taking my virginity.”
I burst out laughing. Wow. “Can’t steal something you threw at your freshman boyfriend after Homecoming, Tempest.”
She froze, her hand on the door. “Who told you—”
She sighed, and I was once again reminded of the person I used to be with—used to kiss—used to love—used to think I was going to end up with.
Her twin.
“Right.” She found her voice. “Raven needs to learn how to keep secrets.”
Calling the kettle black but whatever. I got out of the car and started walking toward the door.
She followed and walked up to my side. “Just be nice, I know he’s a lot, but he’s still my dad. You don’t have to love him, but respect him.”
I almost tripped.
Respect?
Where was his when I asked to see him all those years ago?
When I begged for answers?
Where was the respect when everything was conveniently buried beneath names with too much power and money to follow? Gone.
I’d lost respect for anyone who lorded their power over me the day my little brother was murdered—the day I had to shoot my twin in the head—I’ve done nothing but lose consecutively for years.
Never again.
I'd rather drink more Vescovi poison.
"Copy,” I whispered, sliding my fingers into my pocket. They closed around the threadbare scrap of fabric. It was blue, it matched the cape from his superhero bear. I carried it with me; it was more important than any of my weapons because it reminded me why I had them in the first place.
Vengeance.
On his behalf.
He no longer had a voice, a body—I would be both.
And when all was said and done, I would be the judge, jury, and executioner if he was guilty—and if he was…
He would be dead.
And I would be the one delivering the welcome blow.
She wanted me to infiltrate the Vescovi family? Fine. Easy. What she didn’t know? It gave me the perfect segue to infiltrate hers. Keep your friends close—and your enemies closer.
Her first mistake was assuming that I was anything but a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Her second was thinking I was safe.
And her third? Thinking she could win a game I’d already been playing for years.
A game I helped make the rules to.
A game where only one person would win.