Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Sver
“You don’t handle Vinnie Morelli. I do,” Angel grits out, his hand clenching. “Do I make myself clear?”
I didn’t expect such a strong reaction, and I cock my head, attempting to understand why. Many might consider what I just proposed a favor.
“Fucker shot Angel,” Gunner murmurs, shifting the pistol at his own belt.
Each of these men might outstrip me in their specialty. But I make up for that in sheer breadth of knowledge. I tuck the knife in my palm and place a finger in my belt loop so that I can wrap my palm around the hidden handle of my own gun.
“That is war among men,” Angel replies through clenched teeth. “I don’t hold a grudge for that. What he tried to do to Promise… That is what I can’t abide.”
Ahh. Now it’s making sense. “I understand and I am angry for the same reason. When he ordered the hit on Candy, he made me his enemy.” I know I’m revealing a fair bit to them in sharing this information.
I see Angel’s mouth thin. “Why would he do that?”
“Inside.” I don’t ask this time.
“The video is for internal use only,” Knox says, standing straighter.
“I’ve never heard that one before,” I answer, matching his stance.
A muscle in Angel’s jaw flexes as he assesses me for another few seconds, and then he waves me forward. “Come.”
He turns, leading the way and I follow, the brothers falling in line around and behind me, closing me in a circle.
I appreciate how they move as a unit. It won’t help.
Taking down one man in this formation would take down another three as they fell, especially when we enter the narrow hall.
But that’s when a sixth man appears.
Killian Smith.
I flex my shoulder, feeling the place where a bullet from his gun pierced my skin. What was it Angel said about shooting each other? It’s just war between men?
The look on Killian’s face doesn’t suggest he shares Angel’s opinion. My job here just got more difficult.
“You,” he rumbles, his lips thinning. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face.”
“Do I?” I ask lightly. While I don’t relish facing Killian, his attendance for this meeting might make it both quicker and easier to reach my ultimate goals. “Personally, I’m thrilled to see you again.”
“How’s the bullet wound healing?”
“Very well, thanks for asking.” I give him a wink.
His lips thin over his teeth. “What does he want?”
“As far as I can ascertain, he’d like permission to kill Vinnie Morelli.”
“Not permission,” I correct easily. “I thought you might like to weigh in on options and timing. He’s dying either way.”
“What makes you think you get to make declarations?” Killian spits.
Angel gestures for all of us to enter a meeting room of sorts. The table is chipped and worn, the walls painted near black, and there is a large bar in the corner.
Angel crosses and pours himself a drink, while Killian and I just stare at one another.
I wait for Angel to return before I answer Killian’s question. I have to be careful with my answer. I’m starting to form a plan, but if I enact it, I will not be these men’s lackey. I will be a collaborator, on equal footing.
Once Angel sits, we all follow, Killian and I taking seats opposite one another. “To answer your question, Killian, I can make declarations because I am able to follow through with them. Feel free to try and stop me if you’d like.”
“You piece of fucking shit,” Killian spits.
I lean back in my chair. I know I’ve wounded his ego. Killian is more like me than any other man I’ve ever met. Shrewd, intelligent, instinctually driven. But he and all his brothers failed to contain me, and it grinds Killian that I bested him.
And while reminding him of that fact is not the best negotiation tactic for this conversation, for the rest of the men in the room, the power I wield is an advantage. “Be as angry as you like. I thought I was playing nicely to inform you of my decision and allow you to shape some aspects of it.”
Killian snarls even as Angel clears his throat. Angel works for the Smiths, but this is his house.
“I appreciate your consideration, Sver, but for the moment we need Vinnie alive. If I’m allowing him to live after what he did to my wife, you can see how I can’t allow you to kill him over Candy.”
“Your part in Candy’s attack last night doesn’t bother you?”
Killian lets out another rumble. “You, of all men, are preaching to us about women’s safety and how they should not be collateral damage?”
I wince, knowing what he’s referring to, and the worst part is, he’s right. “All of our women should be kept safe.”
“Is Candy yours?” Angel asks.
My jaw hardens as I look back at Killian. “I could be part of the force that keeps your wife, Chloe, safe—"
“Keep her name out of your mouth.”
Clearly they need a bit more information, or this won’t move forward. “Vinnie is double-dealing behind his father’s back. If he’s successful, all of your plans will blow up in your face.”
The room goes quiet.
“How do you know that?” Angel asks quietly.
I turn to him, giving him a small smile. “The same way I know that Marco tried to kill Candy last night on Vinnie’s order.”
“What do you want?”
I draw in a deep breath. “Today, I want an assurance that you will keep Candy safe whenever I can’t. And…” I turn to Killian. “I want to hear the voices of my daughters. Know that they are happy and well cared for.”
Killian’s lip curls over his teeth, but he turns to Angel, who gives a slight jerk of his chin in the affirmative.
A muscle tics in Killian’s jaw, but he takes out his phone and pushes a button.
“Win,” he rumbles into the phone before he puts it on speaker. “I’m with Angel and his brothers. Sver—”
“What has that fucker done now?”
“Well, currently he’s sitting across the table from me asking to hear the voice of Katarina or Sasha in exchange for information of how Vinnie Morelli is attempting to double-deal us.”
I can hear Win’s molars grind through the phone. He has every right to hate my guts. The fact that he forgave me enough to still marry my daughter is a point in his favor and one I will return at some point.
“And you called me instead of Ryker?” Win asks. “You know my history with Sver.”
Killian sighs. “I thought Katarina to be the better choice in terms of the women, even if Ryker would be more inclined to negotiate with our least favorite Russian.”
Win grunts his acknowledgement. There is a long pause as he considers and then he calls out, “Katarina, my love, how was your day?”
I can hear the tap of high heels grow closer. “It was fine. Good. Help me take these heels off, would you?”
Even the request makes my chest unwind. A woman does not ask a man to take anything off of her body if she does not trust him. “Of course,” Win answers easily.
“The luncheon was a success, we raised an amazing amount of money, but I’ve just been talking for hours. Can we have dinner in the suite tonight instead of the dining room? I just want to be with you and no one else.”
“Dinner in the suite sounds perfect. Did you end up connecting with Sasha?” Win asks, doing a masterful job of allowing me to hear about both my daughters.
“Yep. On the way to the benefit. She gushed the entire time. Ryker is so perfect. She doesn’t have an ounce of morning sickness. I had no idea Sasha would ever talk that much. If I didn’t love her so much, I’d think it was disgusting.”
I can’t help it, my head drops to the table, my chest tightening with emotion. My daughters aren’t just safe, they’re thriving. It makes me ache to know it.
Mostly good.
But a small part… I wish I could participate in their joy.
“How about I run you a bath?”
Katarina groans. “That sounds perfect. Thank you.”
The line clicks dead, but I don’t need to hear more.
“Satisfied?” Killian asks.
I nod into the table.
“Now, tell us what you know about Vinnie.” Angel leans forward, his chair squeaking as I pick up my head.
“Marco, Candy’s ex-boyfriend, was a dealer for Vinnie.
Vinnie came here five months ago looking for Candy, trying to pump her for information under the guise of dating.
She didn’t remain hidden. They knew where she was and they were just waiting for the right moment to use her.
Vinnie was a setup all along to try to gain access to you. ”
“How much do they know?” Angel growls.
“Not much,” I answer honestly. “Because of Candy’s loyalty to you, she applies herself to knowing as little as possible. She doesn’t have information, so she can’t give it out. A fact I can confirm firsthand.”
Angel’s face spasms and I know he knows the truth. She held the line for him all this time, and he didn’t reciprocate.
“But between Vinnie not being able to get any dirt on you, and you besting his father, he’s decided he needs a new, bigger partner. He went behind his father’s back and made a direct partnership with their Columbian contact.”
“That little motherfucker,” Rock spits. “I’m in on the killing him plan.”
“You’re always in on that kind of plan.” Axel glares at his brother.
But their brotherly banter has me lifting my head again. I’ve not had connections with anyone for a very long time. Listening to them is…nice.
Angel gives me a side-eye. “Did you have a particular plan in mind?”
Now we’re getting somewhere. “The easiest solution is to kill Vinnie and make it look as though the Columbians are at fault. It further weakens his father, strengthens your position, while casting no doubt on you. Especially if his father learns about his son’s double-dealings.”
Angel shakes his head. “That is a good plan.”
“And one I will enact, provided you can assure Candy’s safety while I’m at work.”
“Deal,” Angel says, leaning back in his chair.
“Angel,” Killian warns. “This is a mistake.”
“Too late, Kill. It’s done.” I use his nickname as a familiarity meant to twist a knife.
“Don’t call me Kill,” Killian spits, having the exact reaction I assumed he would.
I ignore him and turn to Angel. “I’ll drop Candy off first thing tomorrow morning.”
But Angel doesn’t respond to me, looking at Killian instead. “Relax, Killian. This is just a one-time arrangement to help him and us and…Candy.”
“That’s what you think.” Killian pushes to standing. “You’re going to ruin us all, Angel. On a short cut.” And then he storms out.
I watch him go, my mouth pinching down into a frown.
Of all the men I have ever met, Killian is the most dangerous.
Besides myself, of course.