Chapter 7
Alexander
The kiss came from an angel.
For all the times I’d hungered for a woman, not once had I felt a sense of loss.
She’d driven me to madness, pushing me to a point that I hadn’t been able to think clearly.
So I’d reacted with anger and intense need, tasting her when she didn’t belong to me.
Even worse, I’d done so with a woman who potentially had the power to send me to prison.
Even worse than both, which were already damning, I’d simply locked her in a room and walked away and I somehow felt a sense of loss. For fuck’s sake. Had the tragedy and today’s shit show altered my abilities? Or just my opinions and needs? I couldn’t be certain except for one thing.
Catherine Devereaux was a complication I didn’t need.
Even as I headed to my office, I was lost in thoughts of the kiss, replaying it in my mind.
She tasted sweeter than I’d imagined, cherries in the spring or the first bite into a ripe peach.
She’d resisted at first, acting as if she was too good for the likes of me.
But her true personality and the same longing I’d seen in her eyes from the minute we’d established a connection in the courtroom had won out.
After that, all I’d managed to think about clearly was unwrapping the beautiful package, discovering every inch of her body over time. A very long time. The nights of sin could prove healing but unfruitful.
Letting her go was the only logical objective, but she had seen me gun down a man. Did it matter she now knew why? Taking the risk wasn’t in my best interest.
“What took you so long?” Sinclair threw at me as soon as I walked in the door.
“Complications.” I rubbed my jaw and as soon as I did, I realized the scent of her perfume lingered on my fingers.
If only they were covered with the fragrance of her sweet pussy.
This needed to stop. There was business to attend to that couldn’t wait and certainly couldn’t be shoved aside based on my carnal needs.
“So we heard. The prosecutor. Interesting.” Montgomery had made himself at home, standing in my office with a drink in his hand. Granted, the lingering taste of her lips plus the bourbon had left me craving more of both.
“A last-minute substitution.” I headed to the bar, pouring a fresh glass. To think she’d really believed I’d spiked her drink was ridiculous. She truly had no clue who she was prosecuting.
“That usually means a setup.”
Chuckling, with my glass in my hand, I tipped my head toward Jaxon. “Not all things in this world revolve around us. Besides, I’m not firmly convinced I was the one on the chopping block today.”
Montgomery narrowed his eyes. “Whoa. Hold on. The prosecutor? Are you serious?”
“Maybe. One gunman was actively hoping to end her life. Or at least injure her. It’s possible the assassin believed she was of importance to me personally.
” The thought certainly wasn’t far from my mind.
Swirling the drink, the moment I inhaled I was intoxicated.
Once again because her perfume lingered on my skin.
Sinclair sat down in one of the chairs, his brow as furrowed as my mind felt. “Then we find out everything we can about her. Before Armand does.”
“What has the bastard done?” My growl was full of hatred.
Montgomery half laughed. “Nothing yet, but he’s asking a lot of questions.”
“I should kill him and get it over with.” My words did little more than cause my brothers to glance from one to another.
“You do remember he’s family. Yes?” Sinclair’s question was tossed out casually, but he was staring at me.
“I’m painfully aware. What the fuck happened today?” My question wasn’t directed toward anyone in particular in the room, but it was full of agitation.
“So far, there’s no news. The police are still investigating and other than replaying the interview Ms. Devereaux gave to reporters before heading into court today, there’s a complete shut out of the press.” Sinclair was as perturbed as I was.
“I need to call Sebastian. They will eventually determine that I had everything to do with breaking a man’s face and killing another. Although I did use one of the asshole’s weapons.”
Sinclair whistled. “Be careful.”
“Self-defense,” Montgomery insisted. “I wouldn’t worry about it. We have far too many other things to contend with.”
“Given the fact our father had been keeping a secret from us and that someone slaughtered Lorenzo Russo, things are already dicey. Disguising the murder to make it appear as if I’d acted in revenge was brilliant.”
“You’re suggesting this is all a game?” Jaxon asked incredulously.
“With Lorenzo’s murder, things changed and we need all avenues examined very carefully. With the switch in the prosecution, I think worrying is perfectly acceptable.” There shouldn’t have been any secrets within the family. Maybe it was a casual lunch and nothing more, but my gut told me otherwise.
The silence in the room was a reminder of my position. Armand’s accusation had been partially correct. In my youth, I’d cared more about myself and breaking free of the chains born link by link by way of my name and heritage rather than being the rightful heir to the throne.
No longer.
My brothers and every man standing in the room were looking to me to define their roles moving forward.
I’d always known I’d eventually be placed in charge of the regime.
I’d been groomed for it. My entire life had been about preparing me to accept my coveted position as head of the French Creole Crime Syndicate.
Owning New Orleans. Controlling the darkness, a phrase my ancestors had coined two centuries before.
It wasn’t a question of whether I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. It was simply a birthright I couldn’t ignore or run away from.
That hadn’t meant my entire life had been centered on those lofty goals. I’d had my own, which was why I’d left the family fold for a couple of years, determined to find my way. But I’d found my way back. I’d learned a hell of a lot about duty to family, loyalty, and respect.
The hard way. But the time away, living on the streets had been good for me.
Although some of our enemies would consider me a hardened man capable of doing the most heinous crimes.
Just like I’d been accused of.
What I had to do was lead.
Every man and woman in my employ needed me.
“Any news from the Russo family? Any additional threats?” The concern for retaliation had forced me to be placed in solitary confinement. That didn’t necessarily mean a threat had been made.
“The usual. Don Russo went on television and promised to find the person responsible, the wording he used implicating our family.”
I laughed at hearing Montgomery’s words. “As to be expected.”
“We also had a suspicious package outside Indulgence.” Sinclair was eying me carefully.
“Where was it?” I was instantly tense.
Montgomery sighed. “Near the back door.”
I could tell whatever was inside had unnerved them. “What was inside?” The way they all looked at each other meant it was something I didn’t want to hear. I rubbed my jaw, already tired of the mess that had been dropped into my lap. “Fucking just tell me.”
“A severed hand.”
It took me a few seconds to realize what Sinclair had said. “Whose?” Why was it they weren’t eager to provide me with the information? “Talk.”
“One of our father’s Capos has disappeared.” Montgomery had a difficult time admitting it. “DeMarco.”
DeMarco had been close to my father, a guy who’d come up through the ranks, earning my father’s trust years before.
If Vitelli Russo was behind this, he could have used the ‘gift’ as a smokescreen, the hit at the courthouse the reason.
Or the act could have been performed by someone else entirely.
I’d suddenly accepted that the field was wide open.
Even Armand might do something so crass, swooping in and forcing me to remain as Underboss.
“Did you fucking try and find his body?” An old tactic used by one enemy against another.
Send a body part to issue a strong warning.
While rarely used any longer, it led me to believe Russo, whose family had controlled parts of the city for over a hundred years, was responsible.
Tit for tat. It also meant they had plans on acting further on their need for revenge.
Sinclair looked me dead in the eye. “We’ve tried. We’d also added extra security to the entire block of our business. I’m surprised at the boldness of using Indulgence for their threats.”
“They knew we’d baby the business. What about cameras? Do not tell me they were disengaged.” We had a tight security system. I couldn’t believe anyone had managed to infiltrate it or the buildings.
“A figure in dark clothing who knew to keep his face from the camera.”
Classic and if someone knew how to avoid cameras that weren’t evident, that meant someone on the inside had provided credible information. “I don’t care what it takes, find out who left that goddamn package.”
Sinclair nodded. “We will.”
“So else what do you want to do?” Jaxon asked.
“At this point, we need to keep a close eye on the Russos. You can bet their entire family is locked down much like ours. I need to know what they are doing at all times. Plus, find out the information from the courthouse. Enlist Jacques to make it happen. We need to know if any were identified. I also want to know about the security cameras.”
I also needed to have a long discussion with Jacques about our father’s meeting.
“Do you want me to hack into them, boss?” Luc Tannon had been my father’s right-hand man, someone who’d come up through the ranks over the years, becoming almost like a son. For him to call me boss so soon meant great respect. He was a brilliant hacker, his capabilities often blowing me away.
“Let’s wait until the dust settles. But yes. I don’t want the Russos or any of our other enemies to get wind we’re weakened. This is like a ticking time bomb.”
“You’re nervous,” Sinclair said.