Chapter 18 #2
Yet another reason I needed every scrap of information on the man. Thankfully, just as my patience was about to wear out, my phone rang. My first thought, perhaps my hope was to see Fleur’s number, which I’d programmed into my phone while providing her with mine.
Seeing Gio’s number flash across the screen, I initially felt disappointment, chuckling as I answered the phone. “What did you find?”
“Do you know those moments when you’re told you don’t want to know?” Gio’s typical gruffness was on display, but there was also a reactionary understanding that I would despise what he was about to share.
“Tell me anyway.”
“You’ve heard of Sergei Papovek?”
“The Russian Czar from New York.” The red flags were raised even higher. “What about him?”
“He’s Ivan Barishnikoff’s first cousin.”
Barishnikoff, the Pakhan of the New Orleans Bratva who’d dared attempt to barge in on our territory.
They’d endured a significant blow to their organization and their ego after we’d discovered their attempts.
That had been immediately after the murder of our father, a difficult time that they’d hoped would fracture our family and make us weak.
Alexander needed a connection. Now we had one. Although I knew the family Don would need even more before engaging in a war.
Whatever we endured, we’d come out stronger. It was all beginning to make sense now. “A vendetta. That’s who put out the assassination order.”
Gio snorted. “That’s almost certain. That’s not why it matters.”
I took a deep breath, holding it while he continued.
“Danny Sebastian is a soldier for the Papovek Bratva. Low level and I can’t imagine he was made an assassin, but you never know.”
“Son of a bitch. I knew it.” I’d been prone to attacks of rage my entire life, taking out my need for vengeance with a clearcut authority and backup behind me. I had no such backup now.
Just an arsenal of weapons and a penchant for violence.
With Fleur in the middle of this nightmare, the last thing I wanted was to put her in harm’s way.
But that wouldn’t stop the Bratva. If there was one thing I knew about the Russian pigs, it was their loyalty to the Pakhan and every member of the organization came first, family a distant second.
Was it possible he’d come to warn her about her impending danger? The timing was off. Unless my original thought that there was a mole inside our organization who had spilled the information within minutes of the arrangements being made was true.
“That’s not all,” Gio added. “Fleur Sebastian was engaged to Zane Cummings.”
“And he is?”
“The son of Senator Jason Cummings. I did a little further digging and realized Cummings had been at odds with the Papovek Bratva for almost two decades. With Jason’s retirement, his son took up the cause.
But let me tell you, where Jason was honorable, Zane is no such thing.
From what I can tell, the bastard son pushed his own father out of a company he built.
There are fingers pointed all over the city that he’s as dirty as the Bratva. Violent too.”
Another reason to warn his sister, but only if Zane had been made aware of my involvement with her.
That could only be possible if my arrival had been compromised from the beginning.
While the pieces had yet to fit, my instinct was screaming that if the puzzle was finished, by then it would be too late, too many lives lost.
Violent.
A reason for her to break off the engagement. I needed to speak to her immediately. If there was any chance Danny had come to warn her, that meant rivers of blood were about to be spilled. With her in the middle.
Was his loyalty with his sister or with the people who paid him?
I had my doubts after our confrontation the night before.
The nagging lingered, including the timing issue and whether there was any chance Fleur had known about my identity all along and both she and her brother had been good little actors the night before.
Damn it. This was the last thing I needed.
“Let Alexander know exactly what’s happening. He’ll still need confirmation that the Papovek Pakhan ordered the hit.”
“You got it, boss.”
I had all the answers I needed to know she was in danger. Sadly, I’d need to ensure that Danny wasn’t able to provide a report back to his master.
That meant one thing and in doing my job, I’d lose someone I cared about.
But there was no other choice.
Danny Sebastian would face my brand of judge and jury.
First things first.
I needed to have a very long conversation with Fleur. Whether or not she wanted to be, she was indirectly but very deeply involved in the situation.
Without wasting time, I grabbed another weapon and ammunition, ignoring the pain in my leg as I headed to the SUV.
Calling her wasn’t an option. If I knew the girl at all, she’d immediately resist my request to have a conversation. Right now, the only option was the element of surprise.
If she wasn’t at her house, I’d head to the store. At this point, she couldn’t hide from me. I’d tear through the city to find her.
As I slammed my foot down on the accelerator, I asked myself the question as to whether I was determined to find her because of her possible involvement or because I gave a damn about her.
There were a few certainties.
She would talk.
And if I believed her to be innocent, she’d fall under my protection. After that, I’d make a decision.
The thought I’d had from the night before and the one before that lingered in the forefront of my mind.
She belonged to me.
As I swerved around several vehicles on the two-lane road, my thoughts lingered on aspects of the night before. Her scent, which had kept me company all night.
The taste of her sweet lips that the whiskey had refused to hide.
The lingering ache in my cock, the soreness giving way to an additional wave of hunger.
And the visions of her face popping into my mind.
I flexed my hand, still able to feel the warm clay between my fingers. What kind of spell had the little empath bestowed on me?
One thing was certain. The Ouija board hadn’t lied. The spirits had simply got the timing wrong.
Bad men weren’t coming. They were already in town.
With a sharp turn, I rolled down her short driveway, coming to a skidding stop in front of her house. Her car wasn’t parked out front. Something prompted me to take a look around her property anyway. The door was still locked, but nothing my credit card couldn’t handle.
I’d need to teach her how to be much more careful with security.
As soon as I ventured inside, the sweet essence of vanilla and jasmine infused my senses.
The scent was very much appropriate for her.
There was no sound and nothing appeared disturbed.
As I passed by the Ouija board, it was impossible not to smile.
She relied on the damn game to provide her with insights.
Moving through her house, I searched for any signs she’d connected with her brother.
My instinct was working overtime, telling me she’d gone to meet with him.
Chastising myself for not insisting the three of us have a discussion wasn’t going to help at this point.
I needed her trust at this point, or I’d place her in additional danger.
There was no sign of her in her bedroom or her small office. I took a few seconds inside the tiny room, noticing the few pictures she had on a credenza. Three silver frames held photographs of her store, including the opening. Seeing them brought additional thoughts of my father.
The fourth photo had been taken years before. She had her arm draped around a young man. Danny. They were both much younger, standing under an oak tree. Her little family that she’d tried very hard to keep together.
I brushed the tip of my finger across the image of her face before backing away. Her life was about to be upended.
Once inside the kitchen, I noticed a coffee mug near a Keurig machine with a piece of paper lying next to it. She couldn’t have been gone long. The coffee was still warm.
The moment I read the content, I smiled.
Bingo.
Now I knew where to find Danny. As soon as I did, he’d be required to explain why he was in town.
Then I’d do what was necessary to keep my family safe.