55. Obi
OBI
Ihad half a mind to push Leona back into that bathroom, lock the door behind us, and repaint her thighs with cum. She gave me her sweetest look of sincere apology—utter bullshit—and I pinched the bridge of my nose while turning to face the party again.
“What did the mayor say?”
“Well, she at least took the thumb drive.” She explained their conversation and her warning. It hadn’t gone to plan, but at least Leona had a private conversation with her. “I’m not sure if Greco had spoken with her yet.”
Greco was still unseen. My guess was that he’d arrive just before the dinner portion of the evening began, make a fine speech about supporting the mayor and her interests, and then schmooze for the rest of the evening.
Max came up to my side. “The police commissioner is here.” He nodded toward one table near the front of the room. “Should we corner him?”
“Watch him until he’s alone, and then we’ll approach,” I ordered before looking at Ryuji and Caspian. “Stick by her side for the rest of the evening. Do not let her out of your sight.”
Ryuji gave me a mock-salute. “Can I bend her over the balcony and fuck her?”
She inhaled sharply and smacked his chest.
I smirked. “Save it for when we get home.” She paled, and I tweaked her nose. “Remember, you brought this upon yourself.” When she rolled her eyes, I gripped her cheeks. “I will redden your ass until you cannot walk. Behave yourself.”
Her eyes twinkled with mischief and lust. “Of course, my king.”
I couldn’t wait to be buried in her again. My thumb drew down her lips. “Temptress.”
“He’s on the move,” Max said. He and I peeled off from our group, following the police commissioner as he made his way to the balcony alone. “We’re approaching.”
“Be ready to run if necessary,” I murmured while I straightened my tuxedo.
“Everything is ready if we need a distraction,” Ciel added.
“The event is about to get started,” Wynn said. “We’ll keep an eye out for Greco while you two talk with the commissioner.”
The commissioner had been avoiding my communications. I know he received them because Ciel hacked his systems, which is how we knew he had been in direct contact with Greco. This would be his last chance to respond to my favor. If he did not, we’d expose the blackmail we had against him.
“Michael Drake,” I said as I stepped up beside him. Max drew closer on his other side, so the two of us cornered him against the balcony railing. His head snapped up in surprise. “You have been avoiding me.”
Drake stepped backward and bumped into the railing. “Obi. What the fuck are you doing here? Do you have any idea what this event is?”
I chuckled. “Do you? You’re outwardly associating with a known international crime lord.”
He scoffed. “Hardly. Piero Greco might be throwing this event, but it’s all formalities and politics. Run of the mill in this city. Attending a party isn’t a crime. The mayor herself is here. Are you accusing her of corruption?”
“I’m not here to talk about the mayor.” My voice lowered. “I’m here to talk about you and the favor you owe me.”
He blanched. “I was going to—”
“You get one chance, Drake,” I said, holding up my index finger. “One chance to do what I’ve asked of you. If you refuse, we will expose you and the work you hired us to do.”
“That was years ago. You can’t—”
“I can, and I will.” I leaned closer. “I know that you’ve been talking to Greco already. If I was going to accuse anyone of corruption, it would be you.”
Drake swallowed. “He’s offered me a ridiculous amount of money for my department to turn a blind eye. How am I supposed to turn that down? It would set my family up for generations.”
I shrugged. “Take his blood money, but also know that I will expose what kind of man you are. Your family will not appreciate your incredibly dirty laundry becoming everyone’s business.
You might receive enough money to set them up for generations, as you say, but what will that be worth when your entire world hates and reviles you? ”
His jaw worked while he considered the ramifications of my threat.
“This is what I need from you. You will order your department—from every chief to every officer—to go after Greco and his men. You will work with my Shadows specifically to capture Greco and either kill him or deport him. You will arrest every single one of his known associates. You and your department will stop accepting his bribes. It ends now. Tonight.”
Drake turned to Max. “And you, Max Volpe, long believed to be part of the Five Families. Is your presence here tonight confirming your criminal nature?”
Max shrugged. “As you said, it’s not a crime to attend a party. I’d be much more concerned about the offer right in front of you. Take it or leave it, but we’re not leaving without an answer.”
He stared at his feet while his fists clenched on the balcony rail. He might fume on the inside, but he knew he had no choice.
“Incoming,” Wynn said in our earpieces. “Greco is here. He’s on the move.”
“He’s headed toward the balcony,” Caspian warned. “Get out of there.”
“What will it be, Commissioner Drake?” I pressed. “Are you on my side? Or Greco’s?”
His back straightened as he found a backbone. “Why should I allow assassins such as you to influence me? Why would I bend to you?”
“Why, indeed?” Greco mused from behind me.
I turned slowly. I had two guns sitting in holsters underneath my jacket, plus I had my knife on the small of my back. “Greco.”
“Ciao, Obi,” he said, tilting his head to the side.
He looked the picture of a fundraiser gala host. He oozed wealth as usual, with his immaculate tuxedo.
His black bow tie had a jacquard pattern that caught in the sparkling fairy lights, and the golden cufflinks at his wrists each held a giant, sparkling diamond. “Are you hassling my guests?”
I smiled like we weren’t mortal enemies. Like I hadn’t been plotting his death for most of my adult life.
“Speaking with an old friend,” I replied. “Isn’t that right, Commissioner Drake?”
“I wasn’t aware that you two knew each other,” Greco said. His hands clasped in front of his stomach. “But I believe that relationship has concluded.”
I turned to Drake. “You know what I require.”
He remained silent.
So be it. His choice was made.
Then Greco turned to Max, a vicious sneer on his face. “So good to see you again, Maximiliano. I’m not surprised you all came, and I have to say, I’m pleased that you did.”
“Dozens of men are entering the party,” Wynn said in our ears. “Coming out of the hallways and elevators.”
“Reinforcements,” Ryuji said tightly. “We need to leave.”
“Buffalo,” I said, using our code word for escape.
“Initiating,” Ciel responded. Behind us, the TVs within the event space blared to life and rolled the footage we had prepared.
Greco turned, watching the TVs play a prepared montage of news stories and real-life footage we’d collected over the last few weeks.
Using access to Lucia’s files, we were able to backtrack Greco’s locations and clip hours of footage of him meeting with city leaders.
We had access to hundreds of encrypted text message threads and emails that admitted to dozens of crimes, bribery attempts, and more.
All of it was now being played over the loudspeakers, plus a copy had been emailed to every single attendee and all major news stations.
Guests began to murmur and shout. Some pointed at Greco and his men, the same men who were on the TVs intimidating citizens, setting fire to businesses that refused the pizzo, and assaulting those who resisted them.
“Get Leona out of here.” My eyes scanned the room. Max and I were trapped on the balcony. “Now.”
Greco whirled, fury etched on his features. “Kill them!” he shouted.
Gunshots exploded through the event space, ricocheting off the metal balcony behind us.
I grabbed Max’s arm and dashed closer toward the balcony doors, closer to our brothers.
Chaos erupted. Attendees screamed. Dozens of Greco’s soldiers blocked our path, but our saving grace was that any shots fired at us would likely hit other attendees.
Max pushed me aside just as bullets hailed through the crowd.
“He’s going to kill everyone here,” Max said while we ducked again. Brick peppered my arms as a bullet exploded near the wall.
“How good are you at jumping?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“What?” he answered. “Did you ask how good I am at jumping?”
“Yes,” I said, looking over the balcony.
He saw where I was looking and what plan I had in mind. “I think I’m better at shooting.”
“We have little choice,” I said, pulling my guns free from their holsters. “Go! I’ll lay cover fire!”
I shot back at Greco’s soldiers while Max climbed up on the railing. They ducked behind cocktail tables to avoid my bullets while Max leapt from the balcony. Only when I heard the fire escape rattle did I turn and jump as well.
The air whooshed past my face. Crash. My feet landed on the metal. I rolled, bracing myself as quickly as I could so I didn’t roll off the opposite side. Max yanked me to my feet.
“Are you good?”
“Good.” Bullets pelted the fire escape. Screams and shouts from the above balcony still echoed all around us. We fired back, dashing downward. Run, jump. Run, jump. Down each floor until we got close to the ground. I jumped the last level, landing on the hard concrete with a thunk.
A car screeched to a halt at the end of the street. Caspian sat in the driver’s seat.
“Come on!”
Max and I sprinted towards it. We hopped in the open doors and sped away, leaving Greco’s event in chaos behind us.