8. Massimo
Ikept Evelyn tucked protectively under my arm as I guided her the short distance from the armored SUV to the club entrance. The wealthy neighborhood where Duarte and Rodríguez met to conduct their business stood in sharp contrast to the rest of the impoverished town. The small haven of opulence was surrounded by a ring of squalor, which was hemmed in by miles of wild jungle.
The wealth disparity disgusted me, but my contempt was directed at those who chose to remain in poverty, not the elites who ruled over their territory. Any of them could choose to work with the cartel, to do what was necessary to lift their families up out of their shitty circumstances.
But not all men had the guts to wade through the blood and sin to take what they needed. That was their own shortcoming.
I didn’t want Evelyn to see any of it, so I would keep her close during my meeting with Adrián Rodríguez. As we entered the club, two armed men opened the double doors for us—they were military, either Colombian or Ecuadorian. Their nationality didn’t matter. They were on Rodríguez’s payroll. They were paid to look the other way while he trafficked his product over the border. We didn’t have anything to fear from the authorities in this lawless haven in the remote jungle.
The territory was utterly unfamiliar to me, but I hid my disquiet behind a confident, cool mask. I was accustomed to the streets of Naples and the complexities of urban criminal warfare. This wilderness made me edgy; I rarely faced the unknown. I made sure to be thoroughly in control of every possible scenario when I was conducting my business.
But I was in Rodríguez’s world now. I would have to handle myself carefully to ensure the notoriously sadistic drug lord’s friendship. Otherwise, Evelyn and I would be isolated out here. And I refused to put her at risk.
I traced the line of diamonds that encircled her slender neck: a collar marking my ownership of this stunning creature. If I could’ve attached a leash to it tonight, I would have. But Evelyn would balk at that, and I didn’t want to spook her. Not when she had given herself to me so sweetly. She’d entrusted me with her dark secrets, just as I’d craved. The imbalance between us was rectified. I was thoroughly in control again.
Admiring the way my diamonds shimmered on her delicate collarbones, calm settled over me. Evelyn was safe in my care, and I could conduct my business without distraction or worry for her. She didn’t like my business, but she would become accustomed to it.
“Massimo!” Stefano greeted me warmly, as though we’d been best friends for years. His mercurial nature was designed to keep me off balance, but I met him with a carefully crafted, charming smile of my own.
His black shark’s eyes flicked to Evelyn. “I’m surprised you brought your lovely companion. But I’m sure Adrián will be pleased to meet you both.”
Despite his jovial tone, I knew he wasn’t delighted at her presence. Evelyn was an outsider. Until a few days ago, she’d been engaged to one of his enemies.
I cupped her nape, running my thumb over the diamond collar. Duarte’s sharp eyes noted the possessive gesture.
“Evelyn belongs with me,” I said smoothly. “I couldn’t leave her all by herself in that big, empty mansion.”
I let him read the truth in my words: I wouldn’t be parted from her.
He tipped his head at me, accepting the situation. I had Evelyn under my control, and she wouldn’t cause any trouble for him. She didn’t belong to George Crawford anymore, and she wasn’t a threat to Duarte’s business.
I wished Carmen were here to put Evelyn at ease, but I understood why the cartel queen had stayed in Mexico City. After Los Zetas’ brazen attack in their territory, one of them needed to remain in their stronghold to oversee security.
“Come join us,” Stefano invited with a sweep of his arm, gesturing toward a cluster of armchairs in the back corner. A dark-haired man occupied one of them like it was a throne, and a massive guard stood stone-faced at his back. He was about my size—well over six feet tall and roped with muscle. If I so much as looked at Adrián Rodríguez he wrong way, he was prepared to snap my neck.
At least, he could try. We would be evenly matched, and I had Evelyn’s safety to worry about. If he sparked my protective fury, he would die screaming before he got anywhere near her.
I managed to keep the threatening tension from gripping my body as I sauntered behind Stefano to join the men. Acting like a brutish caveman wouldn’t do me any favors tonight. These were my new, dangerous friends, and I needed them on my side. I had to secure the alliance and keep my promise to Gian and Enzo.
When we reached them, my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in the shadowed corner. The stage was by the bar, and the riotous music that filled the club was notably quieter this far away. Our conversation wouldn’t be overheard, but we wouldn’t have to shout over the music. The setting was ideal for a clandestine meeting.
“Massimo, this is Adrián,” Stefano introduced us. “Adrián, this is our new Italian friend I’ve told you so much about, Massimo Imperiale.”
Adrián didn’t stand to greet us. He remained reclined in his chair, his only acknowledgment of the introduction a slight inclination of his head. He was a king in his own domain, and he bowed to no one. His shockingly pale green eyes seemed to glow through the darkness, studying me with an intensity that would’ve made a weaker man squirm.
I met him head-on, offering him a warm smile. “I’m looking forward to our new friendship.”
He cocked his head, a cunning snake. His cold eyes cut to Evelyn.
I tensed, but Stefano quickly said, “Evelyn is with Massimo. He didn’t want her getting bored at the mansion all by herself.”
“Are you so easily bored?” he drawled, addressing her. “Can you not spend a few hours away from your beloved?”
She stiffened, but she edged toward me. “I want to stay close to Massimo,” she declared, her voice ringing out clearly. She might be intimidated, but she didn’t cower. “He keeps me safe.”
Adrián’s dark brows rose to his artfully tousled black hair. “Do you feel unsafe in my territory?”
She swallowed but met his challenging gaze. “I want to stay with Massimo,” she repeated, avoiding answering his question directly. It was a trap, and she was clever enough not to get caught in it. If she’d admitted she was afraid to be alone in his territory, he would’ve pounced on the insult. She didn’t give him the opportunity to rebuke us.
Again, she pledged her loyalty to me, staring down one of the most dangerous men in the world. The urge to sweep her up in a hungry kiss was almost overwhelming. This strong, stunning woman belonged to me. She gave herself to me willingly. Fearlessly.
“The girl isn’t a threat,” the big man at Adrián’s back interjected, his voice deep like rolling thunder.
The cartel kingpin glanced at his bodyguard, mild irritation tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I can see that, Mateo.” His sharp gaze pierced me once again. “You are both welcome to join us.” He gestured at the empty armchair directly across from him.
Stefano took his seat beside his Colombian partner, and I took the offered chair. It was barely big enough to accommodate me, so I placed Evelyn on my lap.
She sat stiffly, clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement. I placed my hand on her hip, giving her a light squeeze to ground her to me. She blew out a soft sigh and relaxed a fraction.
“As I was saying,” Stefano said to his friend, “Massimo has come to us with a very profitable proposal. His associates are already back in Italy arranging the final details.”
“I know,” Adrián replied in that cold drawl. “You don’t have to put on a show, Stefano. I’ve overseen some of the arrangements myself. This meeting wouldn’t be happening if I weren’t already committed to the deal.”
“Yes,” Stefano allowed with an almost maniacal grin. “But this way, we all get to have a drink together.”
Adrián sighed. “It’s always a party with you. I prefer business. You can be very tedious, Duarte.”
“You can go home to Valentina soon enough,” Stefano replied, the picture of a sympathetic friend. “I know how you hate to leave your wife.”
“Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth unless you want to lose your tongue.” The threat was calm and cold.
“Adrián,” Stefano chided. “Massimo will think we’re not truly friends.” He turned his black eyes on me. “It’s just his way,” he explained. “He has a reputation to uphold.”
Yes, I’d heard about Adrián Rodríguez’s reputation for sadism and calculating cruelty. I didn’t like having him so close to Evelyn, but as long as I remained in his favor, that fearsome reputation would provide protection for us both. No one crossed him, especially not this deep in his own territory.
“I have a lot of respect for you and your operation,” I told him. “My associates and I chose to approach you and Stefano for this deal because we trust that you have the strength and resources to foster a profitable alliance. I came to Colombia because I would like to be your friend. We could make a lot of money together.”
Adrián considered me for a long moment, then gestured to a server. The man appeared out of the shadows, waiting to see to his boss’ every need.
“Get my friends something to drink.” He issued the command lazily, as though he wasn’t making a significant gesture.
With that one order, he was accepting our alliance and cementing our deal. Gian, Enzo, and I now controlled the cocaine trafficking route from the source in Colombia to the European market. We would be richer than gods, and we would be powerful enough to eventually stage our coup back home.
I offered Adrián and Stefano a real, savage smile, not bothering to hide the triumph in my eyes. We’d all just become wealthier than we ever could’ve dreamed.
The server hurried off to fetch us something from the bar. I didn’t care what it was; I’d toast with whatever they chose to serve me.
The music stopped abruptly, and the sudden silence immediately captured our attention. The bodyguard, Mateo, went on high alert, his massive frame swelling as he looked for an encroaching threat to his boss. Stefano leaned forward in his chair, his keen eyes raking over the crowd. Adrián remained relaxed in his throne, but there was a predatory sharpness to his gaze as he assessed the club’s patrons.
I drew Evelyn closer to me, my fingers itching for the gun that wasn’t holstered to my side. It would’ve been a death sentence to come to this meeting armed.
I scanned the club for potential weapons. I’d break a bottle if it came to that, but it would be even better if I could acquire one of the automatic rifles that the guards at the door carried. But I would have to cover Evelyn. I couldn’t leave her to grab a gun.
Before I could finish calculating my next move to protect her, a doughy man dressed in a suit that was too small for him dragged a struggling woman onto the stage. She was dressed in only a white lace robe, the shape of her curvy, petite body clearly visible through the thin garment.
“What is this?” I demanded, glaring at Adrián.
His attention remained fixed on the spectacle onstage, his sharp eyes never wavering from the horrific scene.
The doughy man grabbed the microphone from the stand, keeping his other hand around the girl’s upper arm in a vise-like grip. He yanked her into the spotlight, and she stumbled into him. He muttered something that must’ve been a threat into her ear, because she stopped struggling. Her shoulders slumped, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.
“Gentlemen, I have something special for you tonight,” he boomed into the microphone with a leer. “A virgin. Who wants to start the bidding?”
“Adrián—” Stefano began, but the Colombian drug lord held up his hand to silence him.
“Do you want me to handle it, boss?” Mateo asked in a low growl.
Adrián’s cold eyes bored into me. “What are you going to do about it, friend?” He dared me to put a stop to it. I was in his territory, and causing a brawl to save the young woman would be an insult. He wasn’t going to say a word to end this disgusting spectacle.
I’d thought he operated under a code of honor similar to my own, but this sadistic piece of shit had no honor.
Only my promise to Gian and Enzo prevented me from wrapping my hands around his throat and squeezing the life out of him.
Someone shouted out a bid in pesos, and another man whistled. The girl on stage withered, her golden skin going ashen.
Another bid. The girl shuddered, her entire body convulsing in visceral horror. She couldn’t be more than twenty years old, if that. She was pretty enough to draw the lustful eye of the worst men in the room, her heart-shaped face soft and lovely. She might’ve been beautiful if it weren’t for the fact that she looked like she might vomit.
“One hundred thousand US dollars,” I called out, putting an end to the disgusting scene. If Adrián wouldn’t stop this, I would. I couldn’t kill every man in here to save her, but I could buy her freedom.
“Massimo!” Evelyn went rigid in my arms.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand.” Adrián’s voice rang out, and everyone went deadly silent.
His cruel, sadistic eyes remained fixed on my face, a cold challenge.
I met his stare head-on, not bothering to hide the disdain in my own eyes. My new Colombian partner was a twisted piece of shit, and I wouldn’t let him touch the girl.
“Five hundred thousand,” I barked, keeping my gaze steady on his. This was between us now; the rest of the men didn’t matter.
Evelyn trembled in my arms, but I couldn’t pause to comfort her. I knew this exchange would be distressing for her, but I couldn’t afford to take my focus off my opponent for even a moment.
Adrián nodded and offered me a sudden, shocking grin of savage approval. “She’s all yours, my friend.”
It’d been a test. He’d never had any intention of buying the girl. He’d wanted to assess my character, and I’d shown him the kind of man I was.
I didn’t appreciate being played, and I let him read my irritation clearly on my face. He continued to smile at me, delighted at my discomfort. The man truly was a sadist.
And now I was faced with a difficult choice: I had to claim the girl before someone else stepped in, or I could stay with Evelyn.
I turned my attention to Stefano. He might be mercurial, but he was a formidable man, and he’d spent enough time around Evelyn and me to understand how much I valued her.
“Will you take Evelyn back to the house, please? I need to handle this.”
“Massimo, no.” She gripped my forearm, clinging on tight.
The horror that darkened her lovely eyes made my chest ache. I never wanted her to witness anything like this ever again.
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” Stefano promised, completely sincere for once. No matter his capacity for violence, he wouldn’t allow any harm to come to an innocent woman like Evelyn. He’d approved of my choice to defend her from the very beginning. When I’d found her in that basement and killed his rogue men to save her, he’d thanked me for ending them.
The fearsome drug lord would keep my fragile little butterfly safe while I dealt with this clusterfuck.
I brushed a kiss over Evelyn’s chilled cheek and entrusted her into his care. He steered her away from me, toward the exit.
“What will you do now?” Adrián asked, pale eyes sparking with curiosity.
“I’m going to find out which motherfucker put her up for auction.”
“And then?” he prompted.
“I’ll make the man scream. And the bastard who announced the auction. And every piece of shit who dared to bid on her.”
Adrián nodded, his cruelly handsome features twisting into a terrible grin. “Mateo and I would love to help.”
A lot of blood was about to be spilled, and I wouldn’t deny the sadist his due. I checked the exit, catching a final flash of Evelyn’s platinum hair as she was led away from the impending violence.
She would be safe back at the mansion. I’d do whatever was necessary to hide the darkest aspects of my world from her. I regretted that she’d witnessed the disgusting scene here tonight, but I still wouldn’t have changed my decision to bring her with me.
Even now, having her out of my sight irritated me like an itch beneath my skin.
“Weapon of choice?” Adrián asked smoothly.
“Knife,” I grunted in reply, distracted by thoughts of Evelyn.
“Excellent.” A blade appeared in my hand.
The familiar weight was reassuring. I’d learned to fight with knives during my youth in Le Vele. Guns were good too, but a knife was more personal. A gun put a man down without a fight. A knife let me feel their blood on my hands. I didn’t revel in their pain like sadistic Adrián, but there was something honest about ending a man with a blade.
And I would get to watch the light leave my enemies’ eyes as I made them pay for what they’d done to that innocent girl. I didn’t get off on violence, but I relished justice. My retribution would be swift and bloody, and then I could return to my sweet Evelyn.