25. Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter twenty-five
Peter
A ding pulled me from a dead sleep, and it took me a moment to orient myself. When my phone went off again, I rolled over and grabbed my phone.
Lukas:
Lukas:
That had me out of bed in a flash. What happened now?
I threw on jeans and a t-shirt before running upstairs, slowing down right before I got to his office door.
Knocking twice, I opened it and walked in.
“How bad is it that she’s going to see Dallas this early in the morning?
” I glanced at the clock on the wall, noting it wasn’t even nine in the morning in Chicago yet.
Lukas looked up and chuckled. “Not that bad. I got off the phone with my mom a little bit ago. Gage got a hell of a tip last night that had everyone up until the wee hours of the morning confirming details. Lianne’s heading over there to pass on the intel.
She’s also being formally introduced as the Agosti Don.
” He gestured to the chair next to his desk.
“You might want to sit down for the next part.”
I did, running my hands over my face, trying to wipe away the last of my sleepiness. “I haven’t even had coffee yet.”
“One step ahead of you.”
When I picked up my head, Lukas gestured to a full coffee mug sitting on the corner of his desk.
“I started the coffeemaker while I was talking to my mom.”
“Thanks.” Grateful for the caffeine, I took the mug and inhaled deeply before taking a sip. “So, why do I need to sit?”
Lukas took another sip from his mug and let out a sigh. “Apparently, after Gage met up with his contact, he saved a woman from being attacked and abducted by two Vaux guys in the middle of Dallas territory.” When I arched an eyebrow, he continued. “I know.”
“Is she okay?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Mom is keeping her close until they get more answers.”
Good. My thoughts immediately went to Hummingbird and how Lynette was protecting them, too. How many times has she done this?
Lukas and I were going over the information and reports Lynette had sent over when his phone buzzed. After glancing at the screen, a relieved breath rushed out, and he sank his head into his hands.
“Lukas?”
After taking a deep breath, he sat up again, a proud smile on his face. “Li’s home again. Apparently, she kicked ass, and I should expect a call within the hour.”
I couldn’t help but smile as well. “Well, she is a badass.”
“Yes, she is.”
“Do you want me in here for that call?”
Lukas nodded. “Oh yeah.”
We didn’t have too long to wait before a call came in on his laptop.
He answered it, grinning as Lianne appeared on the screen. “Good morning, Don Agosti.”
Looking very much the role of a Don with her royal blue button-down dress shirt, Lianne broke character as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Good morning, Mr. Gates.”
Lukas glared at his sister, and I took the opportunity to lean into the frame. “Good morning, Lianne.”
This time, she smirked. “Good morning, Peter.”
Lukas leaned forward on his desk. “Heard you were a badass this morning.”
Her smirk morphed into a pleased and nearly smug smile. “I had my people with me, and I held my own.”
There was a tightness to her jaw that had me glancing at her brother. Did he notice it, too?
“Ryan said you were everything a Don should be. Why the clenched teeth?”
“Probably because Jobe Senica is a fucking idiot.” When all Lukas did was stare at her silently, Lianne continued.
“He ran his mouth, and after getting permission from Don Dallas, I slammed him into a wall, cut off his air supply, and jammed my gun into his jaw.” She rolled her eyes, clearly disgusted by something.
My jaw dropped. That wasn't at all what I expected her to say. “Please tell me you didn’t shoot him.”
Lianne snickered and shook her head. “No. All I could think about was how much Mom complained when one of her favorite rugs got ruined by blood, and I didn’t want to put Mrs. Dallas through that.”
Lukas actually laughed. “Wait, are you telling me the only reason you didn’t kill the man was to keep the Don Supreme’s wife happy?”
“Yes, but no. I also didn’t want to murder someone the first time I visited the Dallas compound, even if I was fucking pissed.”
I pressed my lips together before asking the question ricocheting around my head. “Do we get to know what Senica said to earn your ire?”
“A bunch of stupid, misogynistic bullshit about me.” Lianne let out a deep sigh as she rested her chin on her hand.
“Nothing I haven’t heard before, but it was unnerving to hear it come from someone on Dallas’s Prime team.
” She glanced off to the side, furrowing her brow slightly.
“Ryan said he’d keep me in the loop about the man’s punishment. ”
Lukas bounced his left leg slightly and let out a long, quiet breath. I’d worked with him long enough to know there was a lot of rage about someone talking shit about his sister brewing under that calm exterior. “You’ll keep me in the loop, too?”
She returned her attention to the screen and smiled softly.
“Of course, Lu. I know you’re just as pissed about it as I am.
” The happy expression slid off her face.
“Oh, one more thing. While we were there, Emily Lindholm mentioned they acquired some information about Susan from a tap. She’s going to send a copy of the recording to Ryan, but the information she relayed during the meeting wasn’t good.
Susan wants to infiltrate us… and by using someone we can’t say no to.
Which is bullshit, because we don’t let just anyone into the house.
I don’t know what game she’s playing, and I don’t like any part of this.
” Lianne sat up and tightened her ponytail the same time Lukas sat up and ran his hands through his hair.
If the situation hadn’t been so tense, I would have chuckled at the twins’ mirrored reactions.
Lianne let out a sigh. “And then there’s Gage and the woman he saved.”
“Mom mentioned that. What else can you tell me about that?”
She dove into an explanation about how they were still looking into how Sunny, the woman saved, was connected to Vaux or a Vaux enemy, how Gage had been assigned to lead her security detail, and how she was going to be staying at the house until further notice.
“Mom insisted.”
Lukas nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like her.”
I looked at him pointedly. “You did something similar with Quinn but brought us to her.”
He smirked and shook his head. “True.”
When we both returned our attention to the laptop screen, Lianne suddenly looked weary, which startled me. It was extremely rare for her to show anything else other than confidence… or when appropriate, anger. She looked down at her desk. “Lu, did I do the right thing?”
“Look at me.” When his sister raised her chin, he went on. “Lianne, you are absolutely doing the right thing. You handled the Jobe situation perfectly. I’m sure you impressed the hell out of Dallas, as I knew you would. You are absolutely rocking this.”
She stared at him for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh. “Really really?”
He nodded again. “Really really.”
“Okay.” Lianne glanced to her right and let out a groan. “I should check in with Gage to see if there’s an update.”
“You know he’ll come straight to you. Take a couple minutes to breathe, Li. You’ve earned it.”
“Okay.” There was a pause. “Thank you.”
“Any time, Sis.”
All of a sudden Lukas leaned forward. “What’s on your jacket?”
Lianne shifted and pulled her suit jacket from where it had been draped on the back of her chair. “Dad’s pin.” Her eyes misted over with unshed tears before she blinked them away. “Mom said it was only appropriate that part of Dad came with me this morning.”
Lukas nodded, pride beaming from his face. “Absolutely. He would have been so damn proud of you. I know I am.”
There was a moment of silence before Lukas cleared his throat. “You look like you need some headphone time. Need anything else from me?”
A small smirk appeared on her face. “Nothing right now. I’ll text you later.”
“Sounds good. Love you, Sis.”
“Love you, too.”
The call ended and Lukas crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back against his chair and shook his head. “I can’t believe she pulled a gun in the Dallas compound.”
“I can’t believe it came to that.”
Lukas glanced at me. “You think Jobe lives to see another day?”
I snickered. “No way in hell. That was Lianne’s first interaction with Dallas and his crew as the Agosti Don. I’d be surprised if he was still alive when she got home from the meeting.”
He let out a sigh and looked at the now dark computer screen. “I guess we’ll find out.”
The next afternoon, another call came in from Lianne, and I glanced from the phone to Lukas. “Do I need to leave?”
Lukas shook his head. “No, just stay quiet for now. I’ll wave you out if it’s needed.”
After I nodded, he answered the call. “Hey, Li. Everything okay?”
“You’ll never guess who asked if I wanted to put up Christmas decorations today.”
An amused expression flickered across his face. “Who?”
“Gage.”
My mouth dropped open, matching the shock on Lukas’s face.
“What? No way. How did that happen?”
She let out a tight laugh. “I think he was worried about me and how much shit I’ve been dealing with and legitimately wanted to put a smile on my face.
It was sweet, honestly. I know he and I butt heads a lot, but the man looked like he was on a mission.
When Ben teased me about it and playfully threatened to decorate with Mom and not invite me, Gage doubled down.
He’ll never admit it, but I think guilt about Dad’s death is weighing on him heavier than we know. Hell, we even talked about Dad.”
Lukas’s eyes went wide as he stared at the phone on his desk. “Oh? And how did that go?”
I could hear the smile on her face as Lianne continued. “Really well. Honestly, it was nice talking about Dad and hearing that he also struggled to balance all this bullshit.”
Guilt washed over Lukas’s face as he tensed up and looked away. “I’m sorry, Li.”
“The balance was going to be a bitch whether you were here or not. Please stop beating yourself up, Lukas. You've stepped up and are helping me now, and I appreciate it. Seriously. Having you checking in every day is so much more helpful than you could ever guess.”
A timid smile appeared on Lukas’s face. “I have to do right by you. First, you’re my sister, and I want to. Second, Dad would kick my ass from the grave if I didn’t. Third, I don’t want to incur Ben’s wrath again. It’s us against the world, Li. I got your back, and you’ve got mine.”
She let out a pleased sounding hum. “Oh, shit. I almost forgot to tell you the best…well, maybe best isn’t the right word, but the craziest thing that happened today.”
Lukas’s eyebrows went up as he glanced at me. “Crazier than Gage willingly decorating for the holidays?”
“Don Dallas called me.”
That was not what either of us had been expecting.
“Okay. Why?”
Lianne let out a nervous chuckle. “To extend a formal apology on behalf of the deceased Jobe Senica. Apparently, the idiot kept running his mouth after we left, disrespecting both me and Mom, and… Oh, how did he say it again?” She paused for a moment.
“Oh yeah. ‘I will not tolerate nor allow that type of behavior to happen in my house or my city.’ I got chills, Lukas. Chills.”
She wasn’t the only one.
Lianne sniffled. “Do you know how validating it was to hear the Don Supreme backed me up like that? I’ve never had someone in a position of authority do that for me.”
Lukas had a sad smile on his face. “You deserve that kind of support and respect from everyone, but I can only imagine how amazing that feeling was. It’s probably something similar to what I feel every morning when I remember how you and Mom are steering our family toward greatness.”
~~~~~
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