Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Hades
It had only been two days since Capri went back to the states, but not having her in my bed made me irritable. My staff had been tiptoeing around me, and according to Atticus, no one wanted to set me off.
As I walked through the VIP lounge, I glanced at the bar. I visualized her so clearly the night she came into my club and disrupted my life in that pink dress and those silver shoes. I should have ignored her the moment I found out who she was but then I rescued her from being drugged.
She became my responsibility. Did I have any right to demand she come back to me? She was far too young and innocent for a man like me. With her whole life ahead of her, why would she consider being with me? It was her who chose me. I gave her the opportunity to walk, but she kept running back.
Capri had put herself in this position. She had no one to blame but herself. I knew better, but I took what she offered anyway. Revenge may have motivated me, but that was before she had captivated me in ways that I didn’t know were possible.
I still wanted my revenge, but it didn’t look the same as before.
When I entered my office, Atticus and Zeus waited for me. Atticus had called this meeting and requested Zeus, so whatever he had uncovered must be serious enough to warrant the extra help.
“Sorry to keep you,” I said. “I had to sign off on the next alcohol shipment.”
“It’s fine,” Zeus said. “I’m drinking on your tab tonight.” He motioned toward the whiskey bottle on the side table next to the chair he sat in. “Keep me as long as you want.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I took a seat at my desk. “Thanks for meeting with us.”
“I heard your pretty girl from the bar the other night went back home to her daddy.” Zeus smirked. “She might have done you a favor.”
“There’s no reasoning with him when it comes to Ms. Ferrante.” Atticus paced by the window. Never a good sign. “I tried.”
“Are we here to discuss Capri, or do you have actual business that involves me?” I asked. “I do have a club to run.”
The club could survive a few hours without me. I had capable staff, but working helped take my mind off Capri. Somewhat. She consumed most of my waking hours and even invaded my dreams. How did I let this happen?
“This particular meeting involves Capri.” Atticus slipped a file across my desk. “You’ll have to decide what you want to do about it after you hear what I have to say.”
“What about her?” I opened the file and glanced at the pages inside. “Is this about that hotel in the Hamptons?”
“Yes,” Atticus said. “According to my sources, Leo has been meeting with Benny Lazaro.”
“He does business with the Lazaro family?” The Lazaros were a prominent family in South America. They dealt with several cartels and weren’t known for showing mercy. They were much more dangerous than the New York mafia. “I wouldn’t have thought Leo would stray from the Italians.”
“You haven’t been in his life for a long time.” Zeus poured himself a glass of whiskey. “But from what I know about Leo, working with Lazaro isn’t a surprise. It was only a matter of time before they joined forces.”
“No, I guess it isn’t a shock to anyone.” I nodded toward the crystal decanter. “Pour me one of those.”
“Me too,” Atticus said. “I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.” I looked through the file. “Why does this association concern Capri? I see the hotel transaction and the ridiculous amount of money Leo has spent on renovating it, but we already knew he had invested in this property.”
“Remember when I thought the hotel was going to be a graduation present for her?” Atticus took a glass from Zeus. “According to my sources, it is going to be a gift, but not for her graduation.”
“For what then?” I asked as Zeus placed a glass in front of me. “What is this file going to tell me?”
“I had to cash in some pretty big favors to get this information.” Atticus took a sip from his drink, and then placed the glass on the edge of my desk. “The only reason I did that is because you’ve taken such an interest in this girl. An unhealthy one if you ask me.”
“I didn’t ask you.” I appreciate his interest to always have my back, but we weren’t going to agree in my relationship with Capri.
“You said all of our problems start with a pretty girl sitting at a bar.” Zeus shook his head. “Nothing but problems.”
“Atticus,” I said. “I’m losing my patience. Get to the point.”
“You’re about to lose your shit after you hear what I’ve uncovered.” He nodded at my glass. “Drink that. You’re already in a foul mood. None of the staff will come near you. They begged me to send you home.”
I drained the liquid in my glass, letting the hints of caramel coat my throat. The drink did nothing for my mood, but that didn’t stop me from pushing my glass toward Zeus for a refill. He quickly obliged.
“Can we get on with this?” I tapped my fingers against the desk. “I want to get back to work.”
“During my investigation, I uncovered that Benny has a son named Christopher,” Atticus said. “He’s twenty-eight and has a law degree from Yale.”
“Of course he does.” I took my glass from Zeus. “His father needs a lawyer in the family.”
“Especially if he’s expanding into the states.” Atticus sat across from my desk. “New York particularly.”
“The hotel?” What would Lazaro want with the hotel Leo owned? “Why is that so crucial? What makes it something I need to deal with?” Obviously, I didn’t want Capri working closely with these people, but I needed more information before I decided if I needed to assassinate anyone.
“My sources tell me Leo and Benny are getting into business together. My guess is they’re going to use that hotel to launder money. It’s the perfect location. Not too far from New York and on the water.”
“Why is their business my business?” I asked. “I’m not understanding.”
“I’m getting there,” he said.
“Get there faster.” I arched a brow. “Please.”
Normally, I wouldn’t be this irritable with Atticus, but I didn’t like how cryptic he was being.
It was as if he wanted to tell me what he found out but he was conflicted.
That didn’t sit well with me. The only reason it would take him this long to get to the point was if he was trying to shield me from something or protect me from myself.
If he was trying to prevent me from going off the rails over Capri, whatever he needed to tell me must have been bad.
“Atticus, I have a feeling you don’t want me to do something I’ll regret when I hear what you have to say,” I said. “But my actions are not your responsibility.”
“No, but your safety is,” he reminded me. “You pay me a lot of money to make sure you’re untouchable.”
That was true. As an assassin, I often had to deal with extremely dangerous people.
I required a unique kind of security, especially when I was on a job.
Discretion was a must and my focus couldn’t be off.
I didn’t have time to worry about someone tailing me or figuring out why I was in the vicinity.
I needed to get in, complete the mission, and get out.
It was impressive that Capri was able to breach that security. Neither Atticus nor I saw her coming. She inadvertently took advantage of that and managed to walk onto my property and invade my life. We didn’t see her as a threat. Maybe we should have.
“I won’t fly off the handle,” I said. “I’ll listen and think rationally.”
“Right.” Zeus laughed. “I’ll sit back and take notes.”
“Tell me why Leo’s business with Lazaro is my problem,” I said. “I’ll decide how involved I need to be.”
“It’s how Leo and Benny are planning on forming that alliance that will concern you. They’re going to unite their families.”
And that’s why it involves Capri. That son of a bitch. How could Leo even consider that?
“The hotel isn’t a graduation present.” I chugged my drink. “It’s a fucking wedding present.”
“Can I refill that glass for you?” Zeus reached across the desk when I glared at him. “Here, just take the bottle.” He set the whiskey in front of me. “I didn’t think arranged marriages were still a thing.”
“Atticus.” I stood. “Are you sure?”
“I told you I called in a pretty big favor. I got access to a security guard in Benny’s house.
” Atticus gestured to the file. “Christopher bought a brownstone in the city a few blocks from Leo’s house.
The guy feeding me the information said the only way Benny would trust Leo was if their families were tied together by marriage and eventually a grandchild. That keeps everything in the family.”
Capri had no idea what Leo had planned for her. What the hell was he thinking?
“If Leo offered Capri as a key piece in the deal,” Atticus said, “Benny would agree to work with him.”
“How could he sacrifice his daughter to that family?” I shoved my chair against the desk. “It’s not up to him who she marries.”
“Obviously, he thinks it is,” Atticus said.
Not on my fucking watch.
“Her timing in finding you was impeccable.” Atticus shrugged. “Almost fate.”
Now he sounds like Capri.
“This reception tomorrow night, will they be there?” That was why Leo wanted Capri home. He was going to ambush her. I never should have let her leave. “Is Leo planning on introducing them?”
“If I had to place a bet, I would say tomorrow night will start the beginning of Capri’s courtship with Christopher.” Atticus sighed. “She’ll have a ring on her finger by the end of summer.”
“Over my dead body.” I clenched my fists. “I won’t let that happen.”
“I had a feeling you would say that.” Atticus ran his hand through his thick black hair. “I don’t agree with Leo’s motives, and I certainly wouldn’t want to see Capri subjected to this, so I can only imagine how you feel.”
“I’m guessing that’s why I’m here.” Zeus leaned back in his chair. “You need backup.”
“I figured you would be on board,” Atticus said. “You’re our most trusted ally.”
“I’m always at your service.” Zeus raised his glass. “How do you want to handle this situation?”
While the two of them hashed out scenarios, I began to formulate my own plan. I had waited almost two decades to confront Leo for what he had done to me. He betrayed me and counted me out. That was a deadly mistake on his part.
I might have been willing to let go of the past, but I never forgot and I never forgave. Maybe Capri was right when she said fate had brought us together. What if the reason our lives had intersected was so I could save her from Leo’s disastrous plan?
As Atticus and Zeus discussed possible outcomes and evaluated and assessed the ramifications of interfering with Leo’s business dealings, I had already decided how I wanted this to go.
“Can both of you have your tuxedos ready in an hour?” I asked.
“Tuxedos?” Zeus set his empty glass down on the side table. “Why do we need those?”
“Interesting.” Atticus smirked. “We’re going to New York.”
“Cool.” Zeus nodded. “Why?”
“We have a reception to crash,” I said.
Eighteen years was a long time to have stayed away. I had planned on never going back. The last person I wanted to see was Leo.
But the universe had other plans when it dropped his daughter in my lap.