32. Giovanni
THIRTY-TWO
GIOVANNI
Meet me at the Long Wharf. You and your wife owe me.
K ian was in Boston. I wasn’t surprised, but I’d hoped he wouldn’t come back into the picture for another few weeks.
Lia and I debated meeting with Kian all morning. She was against it but wouldn’t explain why, so my decision prevailed, considering Kian wasn’t wrong. I did owe him, and so did my wife.
As my driver drove down the long, winding road that led to a once major commercial entry and departure point for Boston, Romeo watched me while Liana watched the sights pass her window, her calculative gaze lingering on the countless security guards stationed at each corner of the property.
“I didn’t know Kian owned Long Wharf,” Romeo muttered. “He shouldn’t be in our territory.”
I just shrugged, even though I wondered the same. Why in the fuck did Kian Cortes own anything in Boston?
“This was such a bad idea,” Lia muttered, her eyes still locked out the window. “We should have at least brought backup.”
Romeo snickered. “I am backup. Give me some credit.”
She looked at him, rolled her eyes, then returned her gaze to the window. It was great to see my brother and sister making an effort with her. If only Cristiano would get on board. For the past few weeks that we’d been in Boston, he’d kept his distance, my mother probably whispering poison into his ear.
It appeared it was time to deal with her again, once and for all. Mateo hated her guts and kept away from her like she had the plague, but I was starting to think that was a mistake. That woman needed to be on a leash, to be reminded of her place.
“This guy lives like a fucking king with the security of a crime lord,” Romeo stated, facing me.
“He is a crime lord,” Lia pointed out. “In case it escaped you, he runs several illegitimate operations, the Cortes Cartel being the latest addition.”
“I thought he ran a security operations company.”
“He does,” I confirmed. “Although I suspect it’s mostly a front.”
“Maybe your wife is right then,” Romeo grumbled. “We shouldn’t be here.”
“Making an enemy out of Kian wouldn’t be wise,” Lia answered begrudgingly, repeating my words from our argument this morning. I suspected it wouldn’t be our last. Lia was stubborn and accustomed to running things her way.
The corners of my mouth lifted. She was quick to end it though. “Don’t be smug now, Giovanni. It’s not a good look on you.”
I smirked. “I’m just happy my wife agrees with me, that’s all.”
I checked my phone and scrolled through my messages. Disappointment washed over me, seeing that the one I was waiting for was nowhere to be found.
I had reached out to Nico Morrelli, a Baltimore mobster who specialized in gathering intel, hoping to retrieve the identity of the woman who’d murdered Lia’s baby.
Romeo scrolled through his own device then lifted his head, readjusting his glasses with his index and middle finger.
“I have to say, Romeo,” Lia noted, studying him, “I didn’t know you wore glasses. Makes you look very… distinguished.”
“Don’t mistake me for being any less lethal, Lia,” my brother grumbled. He hated wearing glasses, but sometimes when his cornea flared up, he didn’t have a choice.
She smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Romeo pinned me with a look. “It’s rumored that Kian has a hidden agenda.”
“Don’t we all,” I scoffed. “But we owed him this meeting, and I don’t want to worry about him on top of everything else.”
“Like what?” Romeo demanded. “Things are finally running smoothly. Our position in the Omertà and the Tijuana Cartel is solid. We don’t need to fear him.”
I had yet to tell my family I was getting out of the Omertà. Mateo wouldn’t be happy, but he had options. I didn’t. If Lia’s involvement in the Marabella Agreements ever came to light, the Omertà would demand her death. I couldn’t allow that.
It was the only option, because my wife would always come first.
“We’re doing this, Romeo,” I said as the car came to a halt. I stepped out, buttoned my jacket, and extended a hand to Lia.
A security guard motioned for us to head toward the northern entrance. From the information and surveillance I gathered, this place had four wings, forming a massive rectangular shape.
We entered the hall where a statue with eyes that seemed to look in all directions welcomed us.
“That’s not creepy at all,” Romeo muttered, his posture tense and his palm on his handgun.
We followed the man up the sweeping marble stairs until we reached an office. He stopped, straightening up, before knocking on the door.
“Come in.”
I recognized Kian’s deep voice.
The man opened the door and nodded at me to go in. Lia flicked me a glance before swallowing and stepping inside, Romeo and me close behind.
We found Kian lounging casually in his office, reading from a newspaper. He was wearing a designer shirt and trousers. No jacket or tie—which he seemed to avoid at all costs. His silver hair was styled and his features were sharp.
Kian neatly folded the newspaper, sliding it onto the table, an unusual ring on his index finger that I hadn’t noticed before, and his dark eyes locked on my wife.
Taking his time, he stood up.
“Welcome.” He extended his hand, and I shook it firmly.
He motioned to the sofa, and I unbuttoned my jacket then sat down, acutely aware of Liana’s tense posture as she took a seat next to me, Romeo opting to stand behind us. He was always worried about an ambush.
“Thanks for meeting me.” Kian’s deep voice shattered the tense silence.
“It’s not as if we had much of a choice,” Lia muttered, her gaze discreetly taking in her surroundings, likely memorizing possible exit points.
“There’s always a choice, Liana,” he retorted. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“I’ll take bourbon.”
“Excellent choice.”
“Liana?”
“Nothing for me, thanks.”
He shot a questioning glance at Romeo who shook his head, then Kian strode across the office to his minibar and poured us both a drink.
When he returned, I took a sip of my drink before speaking again. “Shall we get straight to business?”
“Mm.” Cradling the drink in his hand, he leaned his elbows on his knees. His expression didn’t change, but I could sense his calculating mind. “I thought maybe I could give Liana a chance to explain herself first.”
My wife remained stoic, and I couldn’t help but feel proud of her.
“I’m shocked by your generosity, Kian,” she said, sarcasm lacing her voice.
He shrugged. “Considering you kept Amara safe all these years, I’d say I owe you.”
“But” hung unspoken in the air while the two locked eyes. I hated not knowing what it was that Kian held over Liana, but I trusted her. God help me, I did.
“But I think you owe me too,” Kian stated. “If I hadn’t disclosed your location to Giovanni, you would be dead.”
“I can hold my own,” she spat, pulling her shoulders back.
“Maybe against Killian, but not against Danil Popov and the remaining DiLustro gang. Not against Bogdan Dragovi?.”
Bogdan Dragovi? was the Serbian don who was devoid of emotion and ruled his criminal empire with an iron fist. He was notoriously reclusive and owned several soccer and football teams. Kian wasn’t wrong. Getting on the wrong side of him could prove to be a deadly mistake.
“I can handle the DiLustro gang. Even Danil.”
The unspoken meaning was left hanging in the air. Lia knew she was no match for Dragovi?.
“Atticus is the one who led them all to you.” Kian’s lips curled into a cruel smirk. “You made a big mistake when you betrayed me to him.”
Well, fuck!
“I didn’t have a choice. Amara was dying,” Lia gritted, clutching her hands in her lap. “I would think you , of all people, would understand.”
“And why is that?” Lia’s lips thinned as her eyes flashed dangerously, but she remained silent. “I promised Francesca that I’d watch over her daughter, not that I’d jeopardize my whole”—he made air quotes—“‘life’s work’ for her.”
“Are you fucking with me, Kian?”
Kian raised a brow, appearing impressed. “No, but it seems you fucked with my life when you made a deal with Atticus.”
“Listen, Kian,” I chimed in, sick and tired of this coded conversation. “Why don’t you tell us what you want so we can come to terms and move on?”
He glanced at me before returning his attention to Liana. “I warned you it’s?—”
“For Christ’s sake,” she spat out. “She’s your grandchild, and you’re holding it against me that I did everything in my power to save her? Fuck you, Kian.”
“Giovanni,” Romeo warned as I started out of my seat.
Kian, on the other hand, seemed at a loss for words. It took him a second to get himself together.
“You’re making assumptions, Liana,” he retorted wryly. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
She let out a sardonic breath.
“Men,” she scoffed. “You’re so blind sometimes. The facts are right in front of your face, but by all means, ignore them.”
Kian was rattled, that much was obvious. Not that I could blame him, remembering exactly how rattled I was when I learned who my biological father was.
I took a drink, relaxing into my seat. Kian seemed to owe my wife more than she owed him. This was certainly not the conversation I expected, but a good position to be in.
“What evidence do you have for this… theory?” Kian demanded, his eyes narrowed on Lia.
“Emory’s paternity test, Amara’s too. All that was left to do was do some basic math,” she scoffed, then sobered. “I thought you knew, considering you saved us.”
“Francesca assured me Emory wasn’t mine,” Kian said in a semi-exasperated, semi-resigned tone. “Swore it on her life, in fact.”
“Obviously she lied,” I stated matter-of-factly. “Now, does that change the purpose behind this meeting?”
Kian brought his drink to his mouth, taking his time to savor it while contemplating his next words.
“Do you know what Atticus wanted the information for?” he asked Liana.
She shrugged.
“I was more concerned with saving Amara’s life than working out his motives.” Her eyes lowered to her lap. “I didn’t even ask.”
“Did you tell anyone else?” he continued to question her.
“No.”
“Not even your husband?”
Okay, this was starting to piss me off.
“I’m assuming Atticus found you?” I asked.
Kian smiled at that, the sadism that shone in his eyes hard to miss.
“Don’t tell me you killed him?” Lia muttered.
“I didn’t.” Kian spoke with complete nonchalance, but I suspected he knew exactly what he was doing. “Atticus and I have something in common.” Kian shook his head, then smiled at me. “And when the time is right, you both will help me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “With what?”
“Yes, with what?” Lia snapped. “I don’t like the idea of you putting my husband in danger.”
She cares. The words played in my head on repeat, and the corners of my lips twitched.
Kian stood, and we all followed suit. “I’ll be in touch.”
Lia and I shared a glance. “I hope that time never comes,” I grumbled.