Chapter 39
Thirty-Nine
VIOLET
The orgasm helped my nerves for a little while, but then the anxiety took over again.
I clung to Mateo’s hand in the car after we climbed in.
Each of us couples took separate SUVs, and Mateo said that they’ve always traveled that way.
In case they’re ever attacked, they likely wouldn’t all go out at once.
His words, not mine.
I don’t like that thought.
I’ve never been to the Four Leaf resort before. I’ve passed by it a million times, and I’ve heard that it’s beautiful, I’ve just never had a reason to go there.
And as it turns out, the Irish mob owns it, and Mateo and his brothers give them permission to do business in Vegas because they’re allies.
I know more about organized crime business than I ever thought I would. It’s fascinating and a little unsettling. But the girls assure me that I’ll get used to it.
Diego pulls into the Four Leaf’s entrance, and Mateo turns to me.
“Stay with me.”
“Like glue.”
He stares into my eyes, and I can see the apprehension. He doesn’t want me in there with all those dangerous people. And while arguing and banter is our love language, I won’t give him a hard time about this. I need him to feel confident tonight.
“Hey.” I brush my hand over his cheek. “I love you. I’m right here, with you. I’ll stay calm, and I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”
He exhales sharply. “Christ, I don’t like this. I love you too. Let’s get your sister and go home.”
“Excellent plan.”
He leads me out of the SUV, and I’m immediately surrounded by four guards. Bobby and Lucky are two of them, the other two I don’t know.
The rest of the gang joins us, but we don’t walk in as a group.
The guys want us spread out until we’re safely in the ballroom, and I can’t help but feel the guilt once again because of the measures they’ve had to go to in order to make sure we’re all safe.
Mateo kisses the back of my hand, and we’re escorted through the resort to a nearby ballroom. It’s not tucked deep into the building but is just off the lobby. And when we walk inside, my jaw drops.
It’s beautiful.
Crystal chandeliers the size of cars hang from the ceiling. There’s a stage where a six-piece string band is set up, playing soft music.
Tables with beautiful champagne-colored linens draped over them are spread out, each with gold place settings. Huge bouquets of flowers are the centerpieces, and I realize that they’re the same flowers as my tattoos.
The same as the new garden on the rooftop of Mateo’s building.
I love him so much.
I’ve also never been to anything this fancy in my life.
“Let’s mingle, shall we?” Mateo asks as he smiles softly at me, but then turns to stone once more as he surveys the room.
Despite the fact that this man rides a sport bike, fights in cages, and runs this city with his brothers, he very much fits here, with his tux and sharp eyes taking everything in. He’s switched right into James Bond mode, and I am here for it.
Julian and Natasha join us, and I lean over to kiss my friend’s cheek. She looks amazing in a red ball gown with her hair half up, showing off incredible diamond earrings.
“No movement,” Julian says, and Mateo nods.
Rome and Lulu are across the room. She’s absolutely glowing in her black gown, which does not look like a muumuu at all. They’re talking to a tall man with dark blond hair and light scruff on his chin.
“Who is that?” I ask.
“That’s Cillian O’Connor. Head of the Irish. This is his resort,” Mateo says and offers me a glass of champagne. I have no intention of actually drinking anything, but I hold the glass. “The man on his left is his brother Declan.”
“Are they twins? They look so much alike.”
“Identical,” Julian confirms. “Cillian inherited the family business because he was older by five minutes.”
“Wow.” Natasha’s eyebrows climb. “Did that piss Declan off?”
“No, he didn’t want it,” Mateo replies. “He likes the freedom of being Cillian’s number two.”
Carson’s moving around the room, his face hard and his blue eyes shifting over every person here.
“You guys are so . . . I don’t even know how to describe it.”
“We’re at work,” Julian says, but leans over to press his lips to Natasha’s head. “This is a side to us you won’t see often.”
I notice that Cillian walks away from Rome and heads our way. He nods at Julian and Mateo and kisses Natasha’s hand, and when his gaze moves to me, his bright-blue eyes soften, and he smiles kindly.
“It’s a pleasure, lass.” He shakes my hand politely. “Congratulations are in order, I hear.”
“Thank you. And thank you for doing all of this.”
“Who doesn’t enjoy a party,” he responds with a wink. “Yakuza just walked in.”
“I saw,” Mateo says, his hand tightening on mine, and I follow his gaze to the door where six Asian men just came in. They don’t have any women with them.
But then Mateo smiles, and another man walks our way.
“Javier,” Mateo says.
“Hello, cousin,” Javier replies, pulling Mateo in for a backslapping hug. “Congratulations on your happy news.”
“Thank you. This is my wife, Violet.”
Javier turns to me and smiles. This must be the head of the cartel that Mateo was telling me about.
“Hola, Violet. This is my wife, Carmella.”
I loosen up as I meet more people, and it actually starts to feel like a party. The Italians from New York arrive, along with some guy who looks creepy as hell from the outfit in Chicago.
There’s an edge to the room, as if no one truly trusts each other, but it almost feels like a weird reunion. People mingle, some even dance.
“Do they all know why we’re here?” I whisper to Mateo.
“No.” Mateo kisses my ear. “This is a charity event.”
I nod, and when I see movement by the entrance, I crane my neck to see if it’s Rose, but it’s not, and I can’t help the crushing disappointment that fills me.
Where is she?
Two hours later, I’m seated at our table. Dinner was served, but I didn’t eat a bite. There’s still been no sign of my sister or Lincoln, and I’m starting to lose hope that they’re coming.
“Something’s not right,” I hear Carson say to Mateo. “I feel it.”
“I want to get the girls out of here,” Rome agrees, but before any of us can move, we hear gunshots just outside the doors, and then men come pouring into the room, guns raised.
“Motherfucker,” Mateo growls as everyone flies into action. Tables are turned on their sides for cover, and I watch in horror as people are shot. “Take this.”
Mateo passes me a small handgun, and I don’t hesitate to take it from him and raise it.
“If anyone comes near you that you don’t know, you shoot them.”
I nod frantically, and then Mateo is shooting as he leads me toward a side door, obviously trying to get me out of here. He hits two men, right between the eyes.
Rome slips out with Lulu and Scarlett, but then someone grabs my hair from behind, and I whirl around and, without pausing, punch the asshole in the throat.
He sputters, gasping for breath as he falls to the ground.
“What the fuck?” Mateo asks.
“He pulled my hair.” I shrug and Mateo laughs.
“Fuck, I love you. I want you out of here.” Diego comes running our way as Bobby and Lucky flank me, their backs to me, as they continue to open fire. “I want hostages,” Mateo growls.
“We already have two that we’re taking to the cell,” Diego says.
Within minutes—seconds?—the intruders are slaughtered, and Cillian looks mutinous as he runs our way, while to my surprise, everyone else goes back to normal after righting the tables and finding their seats.
Like this is just a normal Saturday night in Mafia-land.
This is freaking crazy!
“What the fuck,” Mateo demands.
“My thoughts exactly,” Cillian says. “No sign of Lincoln or your sister. I’m sorry, lass.”
My heart is weeping, but I simply nod. “I know. I’m sorry too. They shot up your beautiful ballroom.”
“And they’ll pay for it,” he replies with a smile that makes my blood chill.
I’m whisked out of the room and to the waiting SUVs. Mateo gets me inside and slides in next to me, and when the door closes, I turn to face him. He pulls me to him and buries his lips in my hair.
“I’m so sorry, baby.”
“Me too. Where are we going now?”
“To the penthouse to meet with the others and decide what our next steps are. I have two men in my cell that I need to fucking interrogate. They have to be working for Lincoln.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense. He didn’t show, and everyone else was there. Someone tipped him off to our plan. Trust me, when we find the mole, they’ll suffer.”
I reach for his hand, but he hesitates to grip onto me, and it makes me frown.
“Don’t pull away from me.”
“I’m feeling fucking violent, baby, and I don’t want that to touch you.”
“You’ll never hurt me.” I raise his hand to my lips. “I’m so sorry.”
“What the fuck do you have to be sorry for? I promised you that I’d get your sister for you tonight, and I fucking failed you, Savage.”
“No you didn’t. She wasn’t even there.”
“Exactly. Christ, I’m so fucking sorry, but we’ll get her. The men in the cell will talk. I’ll make sure of it.”
I shiver at the ice in his voice and decide to sit back and watch the Strip pass by on our short drive home.
“Well, that was a fun party until it wasn’t,” Scarlett says when she and Luke walk into the penthouse. They’re the last to arrive. “But there’s never a dull moment with the boys.”
She joins Lulu, Natasha, and I in the kitchen, where I’ve poured us all something to drink. The guys are in Mateo’s office, and I heard raised voices not long ago.
“I’ll be back,” Luke says to Scarlett before kissing her softly and then striding toward the office to join the guys.
“I’m so sorry, Violet,” Lulu says, shaking her head. “I thought for sure this was the night that you’d get Rose back.”
“I’m disappointed, but I’m also numb. Because fuck this sucks.”
Suddenly, all the men come out of the office and head our way.
“We’re going downstairs,” Mateo informs me. “But I need to ask you something.”
“Shoot.”
“Would—” He swallows hard and shoves his hand through his hair. He shed his jacket and tie, and he’s in a white button-down with the sleeves rolled. “Fuck.”
“Hey.” I step into him and run my hands up his firm chest. “What do you need? I’ll do whatever you want.”
“If I need you to ask the fuckers questions about Rose, things I wouldn’t know to ask, would you be willing to?”
“Of course.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t want you in my cell, baby. Never.”
“I don’t have to be. Call me and put me on speakerphone.”
His eyes clear, and then he yanks me against him, hugging me close. “Why the fuck didn’t I think of that?”
“Because it’s been a long fucking day,” Rome replies. “Let’s do this.”
Mateo kisses me hard and then pushes my hair behind my ear. “I’m going to get you answers.”
“Thank you.”
The men walk out after they each kiss their wives, and the butterflies in my stomach wake up.
“I think this is what’s going to work,” I tell the others as I finally let myself get excited. “Not the gala, but this. Because those men downstairs know where my sister’s being held.”
“I have a good feeling about it too,” Natasha says as she and Lulu sit on the couch. “Our men are excellent at interrogation. If there’s something to find out, they’ll get it.”
“I want to see the cell,” I admit, pulling my lip through my teeth. “Like, I want to know what it looks like and what they do in there.”
“No, you don’t,” Lulu says, shaking her head. “None of us does. I’ve seen them be ruthless, and when they’re in that mode, they’re not our husbands.”
“They don’t just ask questions,” Scarlett adds.
“Because if they did that, no one would talk. They have tools down there, and they make the people in those cells give information until they finally kill them. It’s not quick.
It’s not like it is in the movies, Violet.
If you saw your man doing what they do down there, you’d never see him the same way again. It’s none of our business.”
I take a ragged breath and decide that I definitely don’t want to see what goes on in the cell.
“Anyone want a tattoo?”
They laugh and shake their heads.
“Fine. Anyone want to see my new rooftop that Mateo gave me? He proposed up there.”
“Yes. That we want to see,” Natasha says as she stands and then helps Lulu to her feet. “Lead the way.”