21. Aidan
The locationwhere the gala is being held bears more resemblance to a castle than it does to a mansion. We’ve been ready for weeks, but I had to make some changes now that I know Shaan is Fusco’s son and the one who is trying to outrun us.
Standing in front of the mansion, only Scott is with me. My da’ decided to make his entrance earlier, and Blakely will be coming later on with some members of her team. I don’t know what she has planned; she only told me to trust her. And that is exactly what I’m going to do. Even though we still don’t know what Fusco and the Snakes planned for us tonight.
Glancing at Scott, we nod in agreement and start to walk towards the main door. As we approach, two guards dressed in black with masks covering their faces step forward to greet us. How surprising.
I can’t spot any weapons on them, but there’s a feeling of tension in the air that suggests otherwise.
This place is bigger than it looks. Kore”s message comes back to my mind, and I now understand why he sent us the mansion’s blueprints. You could easily get lost in there. Crossing the threshold of the French doors, noises come from everywhere. The place is swarming with people, and as I look around, I recognise a few familiar faces. I stop dead in my tracks, making Scott bump into me.
“What is it?”
“I…” I start. No, it can’t be. I’m being ridiculous. He’s dead. “Nothing.”
“Now is not the time to lie to me, brother. You saw someone that triggered something.”
“It”s nothing. I thought I saw my grandfather.” I catch his gaze, and his incredulous look makes me feel like a circus freak with two heads.
“The old man? He’s been dead for years now, Ade. We saw him die.”
“I know.” I press a hand over my face.
As I push the feeling away, I focus on the decor that surrounds me.
The ceiling is adorned with stunning chandeliers, and a bar is conveniently located in the corner. People are laughing, and some are yelling.
“Why are some of The Twelve here?” asks Scott. “Do you think they’re working with Fusco?”
“I don’t know. Let’s keep our eyes open,” I say, noticing my da’ in the centre of the room. After acknowledging him with a nod of my head, I walk towards the bar as I crave the burning sensation of whisky running down my throat.
“Mr Preston.” I turn my head to see who is greeting me. I’ve never seen him before. He has a strong Italian accent, which doesn’t ease my nerves.
“Aye?” I say.
“I’m Riccardo Valentino.” He extends his hand, offering it for me to shake.
I’m surprised to see him.
“Mr Valentino,” I say, gripping his hand tightly and giving it a firm shake. “I didn’t expect you to be here tonight.” With his glass in hand, he chuckles heartily.
“Aidan. Can I call you Aidan?” I nod my head in agreement, signalling my approval. “When Angelito called me to let me know what was happening, you can guess I had no intention of letting her do this by herself tonight.”
“She already has backup,” Scott says through gritted teeth.
“I guess you’re Mr Reed. Blakely’s brother.” A single curt nod is his only response. “Well, Mr Reed, my intention was not to insinuate that she wouldn’t have backup. What I meant is if the mafia is involved in your business and they have their sights set on my Angelito’s skin, I won’t just sit back and wait for the worst-case scenario.”
“Why do you suspect the mafia is involved?” I ask.
“Through extensive research, I’ve discovered that Mr Fusco is the son of a notorious and cruel mafia leader from Italy. Fusco took his place a few years back when he passed away. We thought they were all dead. He is a relentless seeker of material wealth and is always searching for ways to increase his assets. He’s after more than just your business and title. There’s something else that he’s searching for. The Snakes will meet their downfall at his hands once he is done with them. He views them as insignificant pawns in his game, to be used and discarded as he sees fit,” Riccardo answers, taking a sip of his drink.
“Did he try to kill you?” He finds my question amusing and chuckles to himself.
“Who hasn’t tried to kill me? I have the power to make or break anyone I choose,” he says, his voice low and menacing.
“So, what’s happening now?” I ask, my eyes scanning the surroundings.
I get the feeling that I’m being watched, and as I glance around, I notice that some people are looking at me with curious eyes. They look like they’re waiting for something, anticipation in their eyes.
I’m prepared. We’re prepared.
With a slight turn of my head, I notice Shaan engaging in a conversation with Fusco at the edge of my field of vision, my anger simmering.
Wee bawbag.
I remind myself that I need him alive. For now.
“Now, we’re waiting for Angelito to make her entrance. And when she does, the game can finally begin.” Just as I’m focused on listening to him speaking, I’m startled by the sudden opening of the French doors, and my breath is taken away by the stunning view that appears in front of me.
As Blakely enters, it’s impossible not to notice her because she looks like a goddess walking among mere mortals.
Her black heels elevate her, and she adorns a sparkly black dress, a slit exposing her delicate skin to the crowd, while her crimson lipstick is reminiscent of the blood she expects to spill tonight. Her steps draw all eyes to her, making her the centre of attention. Her presence has an immediate effect on me, causing my cock to twitch.
My attention is drawn to Scott, who has a look of surprise on his face and his mouth open as he gazes at Emilie. She’s wearing a stunning long blue gown that accentuates her features and makes her eyes look even more striking. Isla and Eilidh are not far behind; both looking beautiful as well.
The girls’ appearance tonight is truly exceptional, and I must say they look absolutely gorgeous.
As Blakely approaches us, she stops to engage in a conversation with an individual whom I don’t recognise. The furrowed brow on her face suggests that the conversation is very serious. She directs her gaze towards us, nodding at the man to indicate the end of their conversation as she begins to walk in our direction.
As if it’s the most natural thing in the world, she comes to me and plants a gentle kiss on my cheek. We talked about it earlier, and we thought it was the best way to act with people watching us. We need to show a united front. They will know that if they mess up with her, they will mess up with us. Not that I’m complaining. There is nothing quite like the sensation of having her soft lips pressed against my skin.
Her attention shifts towards Riccardo as she faces him, wrapping her arms around him affectionately.
“Riccardo. Long time no see.”
“I wish we could have met in better circumstances, Angelito. How are you holding up?” he asks.
“As good as I can be.” With her gaze fixed on us, she poses the question. “Do we have any more information?”
Fixing my eyes on her, I respond. “Nothing new yet.”
“We should mingle,” she adds. I stop her before she goes further. In a hushed tone, I lean towards her ear and murmur softly.
“Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?” I can’t help it. I know we need to get her sister out from wherever she is. And we will. She is here, and Jonas told her she was safe until the end of the night. But the mere sight of her in this dress as it moulds to her curves makes me want to take her into a dark room and fuck her senseless. Which I’ll probably do.
“You have not,” she answers with a smile. “And you clean up pretty well yourself.” My black suit blends seamlessly with her outfit, creating a casual yet chic vibe. I dropped my suit jacket earlier and rolled up my shirt sleeves, which exposes my tattoos. Given her fascination with my arms, it is no surprise that she made that comment.
I lean down and place a kiss on the top of her head before saying to her. “Go mingle and keep your guard up.” She rolls her eyes at me. I stop her once more and whisper in her ear. “You know what happens when you roll your eyes at me?”
She steps further and quietly says, “Yes, Sir,” with a wink.
Oh, baby. Game on.
As she walks towards my da’ and Fusco, my eyes are glued to the movement of her arse.
All of us have earpieces, which means I can hear every sound and conversation that takes place.
Scott’s over-the-top sigh pulls me out of my reverie.
“Would you mind being less obvious about your ogling of my sister’s derriere?” I chuckle. This guy is incredible.
“Seriously, Scotty boy? Like you’ve never done that with your sisters around?” snaps Emilie. I forgot she was here. Riccardo looks amused, “Because if I recall correctly what Blakely told me about you, she had several sleepless nights because you were doing God knows what in your bedroom.”
Amused, I say, “Okay, love birds, that’s my cue to leave.” They both speak at the same time, but I can’t hear them anymore.
As I walk towards Blake, still engrossed in conversation with my father and Fusco, my eyes dart around the area, checking if my team is in position in case anything goes wrong. They have orders. At least Al and Tim have them. They’re the only ones I can trust at the moment. If something were to happen tonight, they have to take Blakely out of here. She won’t be happy about it. But they will have me instead of her.
“Father,” I greet, pulling Blake closer to me by wrapping my arm around her waist. “Fusco.”
“Aidan. How are you doing on this lovely evening?” asks Fusco.
My eyes linger on him, and I can’t help but imagine the feeling of his throat between my fingers, yet I know better than to take any risks in a room full of mafia members.
“Indeed, it is. Do we know why our presence has been required?” I breathe in the sweet aroma of vanilla, and it instantly relaxes me.
“From what I heard, the Snakes want to offer peace,” says Fusco.
Peace, my arse.
“And what about the Italians?” I feel Blake’s sharp nails digging into my skin, making me flinch. I guess I’m not the only one that wants to kill him.
Fusco’s eyes remain impassive, yet I detect a hint of a shift in his expression. Only for a second, but it was there.
“The Italians won’t be a problem. After all, I saw you speaking with the mafia Don himself. I think they will propose a deal.”
I bet they will.
I give my da’ a quick glance, then nod almost imperceptibly for anyone else to notice.
On to Step 2.
“If you will excuse us. I think it is time for me to keep my promise and take my lovely wife to dance.” It is apparent from the expressions on Fusco’s face and the tension in Blakely’s body language that my words have affected them, but I decided to take us to the dance room anyway.
I hear Scott’s nosy voice in my earpiece. “Wife, huh? I don’t think you ever asked me or my da’ for our blessing.” My eyes dart around the room until they finally lock onto him and I give him a knowing smirk. In fact, I did ask for Blakely’s hand in marriage when her parents came to visit, and her father was delighted to give his blessing. Now, I need to convince her to say yes.
“Wife?” Blake asks as we start to dance. “ If I remember correctly, I never agreed to that, and I don’t seem to have a ring on my finger.” Her eyes settle on her ring finger as she speaks.
“Does that mean you would say yes? No, don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter. You won’t have a choice in that matter.”
She mutters an “arsehole,” which I completely agree with. I think I’ve been waiting long enough. We haven’t said ‘I love you’ yet, but we don’t need to. We never let go of that love from before. Our bodies and minds are connected.
Glancing around, I feel her tense against me.
“What is it?” In an attempt to understand, I look around, trying to see what she saw.
“I… I thought I saw Bailey,” she says, her voice trembling with uncertainty. Looking around, I see nothing. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the bastard brought her here tonight. Her phone buzzes at the same time, and her brow furrows as she reads.
“An hour. We have an hour before they do anything.” She doesn’t explain who sent her the text message.
“Do we know where she is yet?” I ask.
“No. It’s time.” She presses her face to my chest and whispers into her earpiece, making sure no one can see her. “We have an hour. We move now. Follow the plan. And don’t get killed.”
“Let’s go.” Just as we’re about to move, Shaan appears out of nowhere and intercepts us.
“Boss. We’ve got a problem in the back garden.”
Oh, so he wants to kill me now, in front of everyone? Not tonight, arsehole. Tonight, you will be the one who’s buried six feet under.
“Sorry. Blakely doesn’t feel good. You’ll have to handle it.” He looks at me with a disapproving expression as if I ruined his plans.
“But, boss. It is—” I silence him with a simple hand gesture.
“Handle it. I’m taking my wife to get some fresh air.” He looks at me with confusion when he hears the word ‘wife’ from my lips. “Do you think you can do it, or do I need to ask someone else?” Anger paints his face at my refusal.
Good. Hold on to that anger. You’ll need it when I start with you. I waste no time taking us to the closest room, not bothering to check behind me. The library is dimly lit, and the heavy curtains block out most of the light from the outside. The world around us seems to fade into insignificance.
“Did you need to fuel him like that? It’ll just add more—” I kiss her because, one, I’ve been waiting for this all night. And two, I don’t want her to be worried about me right now.
“Whenever I say something you don’t want to hear, you just resort to using sex as a distraction.” Her breaths are quick and shallow.
Gripping her chin firmly, I lean in close and feel the heat of her breath on my face. “It wasn’t sex. Just a kiss. And did it work? Because from the moment I saw you walk into the room in that dress, I couldn’t stop thinking about burying myself deep inside you. You look sinful as hell. And I’m sure your underwear will be as well.”
Her eyes lock onto mine, and I notice her chest rising and falling rapidly. Smiling mischievously, she reveals, “What underwear?“
“Are you telling me you put my pussy on display for anyone to see when I clearly said you better not?” The sensation of wanting to spank her is pulsing through my hands.
“It’s impossible to wear underwear with this dress. And I clearly remember what you said about not putting my pussy on display. I just decided to ignore it.”
“So, you did it on purpose? I don’t have time to do exactly what I want with you, but you can bet you’ll pay for this later.” She stirs in my grasp, and I can see her trying to close her legs. “What is it, Tink? Are my words getting you wet? Are you thinking of my marks on your arse?” Her eyes seem almost translucent as she glares at me, revealing everything I need to know.
I nudge her legs, and as they open, I move my finger slowly until it reaches the warmth between them. The tension between us is like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. All the emotions of these past few weeks are coming back in full force. She needs a release. I know her body. My cock is hard as steel, ready to explode. I ignore it, focusing on her and her alone.
“How wet are you for me, brat?” I run my fingers through her hair before planting a hard kiss on the crook of her neck.
“Aidan. We don’t have time for this.”
Though she is confident that our team has already searched every room of the mansion, she’s too tense and upset to focus correctly.
“No, we don’t. But that doesn’t mean I can’t help you release some tension.” I slip my finger inside of her before bringing them to my mouth to taste the sweetness of her arousal on my lips. “Hmm. My favourite taste.” She gasps at my move as I glide my finger back inside her. I can feel her inner muscles tighten around me. I move my finger in and out of her expertly, teasing her with my mouth on her neck until her hips press into me, and she cries out for more.
“You’re ready to give me one already? I can feel you around me, sucking my finger inside your cunt.”
I look into her eyes and see her lust for me. I reply with a smirk and slide two fingers inside her, sending shockwaves through her body. She moans louder, and I start to thrust in and out of her, increasing intensity. Tracing circles around her clit with my thumb, I feel her body tense and hear her gasp.
“Aidan. Fuck. Stop teasing,” she says as she gasps for air.
My lips find hers, and I savour the taste of her as I push deeper into her. Her body quivers, and I can feel her orgasm building.
“Give it to me. I can feel that you’re close.” As I increase the speed of my thrusts, I use my other hand to slap her clit, causing her body to convulse against mine and a cry to escape her lips.
“Your noises are mine and mine alone.”
“Aidan—” I silence her with a kiss, feeling the rapid beating of her heart gradually slow. I lean in and press my forehead against hers, asking softly.
“Feeling better?” She nods, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath.
“Ahem, ahem,” someone says into our earpiece. “Once you two are done, I think we may have something.” Shit, I completely forgot about them, and by the flushed look on Blake’s face, she forgot as well. She takes her face into her hands and speaks into hers.
“Did… Did my brother hear all of that?”Her cheeks are bright red, and her skin is glistening with sweat. My eyes focus on her neck, and I can just make out the beginning of my marks. The primal urge in me wants to give her a thousand more.
The sound of laughter echoes through the earpiece. “I cut all the earpieces linking to yours once I saw that caveman take you into a room,” she reassures her. Blake lets out a deep sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Skye.” She fixes me with an intense glare, her eyes piercing into mine. “Okay, let’s keep moving.”
The moment I step out, I’m hit with a wall of sound as people shout from every corner. “Fuck, stay close to me.” She tilts her head and smirks at me, clearly amused by something.
“Of course, handsome.” Her response is delivered with a sharp, sassy tone.
“Guys, what’s happening?” I murmur into my earpiece, hoping for a response from my team. My da’s eyes are fixed on something in the distance, his hand instinctively reaching for his holster as he tries to locate the source of the noise.
Who invites people to a deadly game of cat and mouse, allowing them to carry their weapons? Someone stupid. Grabbing my gun, I walk slowly towards the noise when I hear gunfire.
My earpiece crackles to life with Scott’s urgent shout. “What the hell was that?” he asks.
“Dunno. Scott, where are you?”I ask.
“Here.”
I spin around to catch a glimpse of him.
“We stick to the plan. Where is Riccardo?” I question.
I can hear the sound of my da’s footsteps pounding the ground as he runs towards us.
“No idea,” Scott answers.
“Kids. We need to get out of here. There’re more guards than we suspected,” my da’ states.
“Nuh-uh.” She crosses her arms and sets her jaw. “I’m not leaving until I know my sister is safe.” Blakely is not happy about this change of plan coming from my da’.
Chaos surrounds us. People are running around looking for exits. Some of The Twelve are running while some others stay static. Fuckers. There are at least three families not moving, which tells me they’re working with either the Italians or the Snakes. Or both. My da’s eyes narrow in anger as he spots them, muttering a string of curses under his breath. He did not expect them to turn against him. Blakely’s lack of surprise suggests that she saw this coming.
The deafening sound of gunfire grows louder, prompting me to instinctively shield Blake with my body.
“This way.” Blake points.
The sound of our echoing footsteps breaks the eerie silence as we navigate the maze-like corridors of the mansion, adrenaline still coursing through our veins. Our breath mingling in the air.
“Guys, where are you?” No answer. “Guys?” Damn it. “There’s no connection here.” With a glance, my da’ understands me without any need for words.
The sound of footsteps alerts us, and we pivot around, our guns aimed in the direction of the noise.
“Goddamnit, it’s only me,” says Riccardo.
“I almost shot you,” I say, the adrenaline still rushing over me. “What are you doing here?”
“They’re everywhere, and there’s more than we thought. I heard them. They want you all, but first, they want Blakely.” He pivots towards her, his voice low and urgent as he warns, “You have to get out of here, little dove.” His eyes betray his worry despite his best efforts to appear calm.
“I’m not leaving here without my sister, so let’s stop wasting time and keep moving.”
Scott looks at me, knowing what needs to be done. Right before I have the chance to do anything, a group of masked men suddenly emerge out of nowhere. There are six of them. Guns pointed at us. But their masks are not like the others we saw before. The masks resemble gas masks, specifically designed to cover and protect the nose.
No, no, no. They’re going to gas the place.
“Well, well. What do we have here?” One of them says.
There’s no escape. The tension crackled through the air like electricity. Blake’s eyes burn with fierce determination while Scott is ready to spill some blood. I hesitate to make a move as it might put Blake in danger, but she takes the lead, leaving us with no option but to follow. Without a second thought, she charges towards the man holding the gun with lightning-fast speed. The sound of fists hitting flesh and feet hitting the ground echoes from all directions. Without a second thought, I pull the trigger at the man standing before me, and Scott does the same. The scent of gas hits me before I even catch sight of smoke.
“They released a gas,” I shout to my da’. “Get her out of here.” She tries to stifle her cough, but it only makes it worse, and tears form in her eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she spits out.
Riccardo is still fighting, but he knows what he has to do. He won’t kill the other guys.
I need her out of here.
Our goal is to go with them and see where they take us. They’ll think they kidnapped us and won. But that”s part of our plan. Scott and I won’t fight.
We need to get inside to find Bailey.
“Get her out of here. NOW,” I shout. She strains against my father’s grip, but he holds her firmly. I can feel the smoke making my head lighter. Riccardo’s nod is the final image that registers in my mind before I pass out.