Chapter 16
Alexander
The restaurant was crowded, which was what Rocco had intended.
I wasted no time going inside, both Steven and Brogan by my side.
As we were taken to Rocco’s table, I scanned the facility, chuckling under my breath.
Rocco had obviously been afraid of what I might do. Good for him for being so careful.
However, at the end of tonight, his blood would be on my hands.
When I spotted him, I realized it had been years since I’d seen him, the pictures flashed across certain news programs unable to do him justice. He’d certainly changed over the years.
Then again, so had I.
I eased into the chair, Brogan beside me. It was obvious by the smug look on Rocco’s face that he recognized Brogan after all these years. He calmly took a sip of his wine then motioned as if looking for his waiter.
“You brought one of your lackeys. How interesting,” Rocco dared to say.
While I sensed Brogan tensing, I smiled. “Brogan is actually my VP of business development.”
He shifted his hard glare toward my friend, chuckling for a few seconds. “So you’re expanding. Good for you. Anything you gentlemen would like to have is on me. It’s the least I can do.”
I glared at him, leaning over the table. “Unfortunately, Rocco, this isn’t a social visit. We’re here on business, which is what I assumed was the reason for your call. So, let’s conduct business.”
“Very well, Alexander. We’ll skip the niceties, although allow me to say that it’s good to see you out of prison, Brogan. I know you were just covering for your boss here.”
Brogan knew better than to take the bait. He merely smiled, reaching across the table and grabbing the man’s glass of wine. I had to give my friend credit. He had style. After he consumed the glass, he pushed it back in Rocco’s direction, keeping the grin on his face.
Rocco looked the other way, annoyed but not stupid enough to react.
“Fine. I can see we’re not going to make significant ground today so let me say this.
” Rocco snapped his head in my direction.
“You killed my father. You were always the bully, the big man on campus. Well, no longer. In retaliation, I took one of your own. Garrison’s death was… sweet. Now we’re even.”
I could tell Brogan was about to rip the man’s throat out, but he was able to maintain his composure, at least for now.
I tapped my fingers on the table. Given patience wasn’t one of my virtues, I didn’t waste much time in replying.
“You’re right. You killed an innocent man.
That’s something I won’t easily forget, and I never forgive.
As far as being even, that’s where we differ in opinions, especially since you took it upon yourself to threaten both me and the men I trust with my life, although texting seems beneath you. ”
I’d fully anticipated that Rocco would deny the accusation. That was his style. What I hadn’t anticipated was the look of confusion that crossed his face for a split second. I was a damn good observer of people, my instincts almost never wrong. He hadn’t sent the text messages.
Interesting.
“I’m certain you receive threats all the time, as do I. I suggest we end the feud that’s been going on with our families for decades. I have no intention of coming into New York. I find the city…” Rocco leaned back, looking out the window toward the busy street. “Dirty. I prefer Chicago.”
The man was full of bullshit, but if this was his way of stepping back even for a few months, I’d feign acceptance.
Then I’d slit his throat.
Brogan snorted, giving me a hard look. He knew what I had planned, at least to a point.
“I’ll consider it, Rocco,” I said as I rose from my chair. “If you’re serious about your intentions, I’ll expect you to leave this filthy city tonight. If you do not, I’ll know you had other plans in mind.”
He grinned at me, motioning for one of his men to refill his glass. The man was a true pig. “Then I’ll drink my wine and be on my way. I’m certain you have other issues to attend to, Alexander.”
I glared at him for a full ten seconds before nodding to Steven. I wasn’t in the mood for listening to any more of his lies. A part of me was surprised we made it to the car without incident. I turned toward my Capo, keeping my voice low. “Find out where he goes afterwards.”
“You got it, boss.”
Brogan waited to say anything until we were inside the back of the SUV.
“Did you just offer me a job?” Brogan laughed, tilting his head.
“I have plans, my friend. I do hope you’ll be a part of them.” I took a deep breath, my thoughts returning to Cassie.
“You don’t believe his shit, do you?” he asked.
“Not in the least.” As I thought about the man’s facial expressions during our conversation, my thoughts were interrupted by an incoming text, but not from my regular phone.
From the one I’d given Cassie.
I rarely had any reaction other than the initial hunger felt around a beautiful woman, but the small special sound I’d selected in case she called or texted slammed me full of electricity. When I pulled out the phone, I found myself holding my breath.
Yet when I read the text, I couldn’t help but growl. The audacity of the worthless senator to threaten us should be amusing. On this night, I was furious.
“What is it?” Brogan asked.
“Evidently our rebellious girl has been busy. I would say she’s been snooping on her father.”
“Meaning what?”
I showed him the text, my anger unfurling.
“How interesting her father found the balls to threaten us.” I knew enough about our little bird to know she had a hidden meaning in sending me the text.
She was trying to prevent me from killing an innocent man, only Rocco wasn’t innocent.
I would never tell her the truth about the fact that he’d had Garrison killed.
“What do you want to do?” Brogan asked.
“For the first time in my life, I’m going to follow my heart instead of my gut. Steven, we’re going back to the estate.”
“You sure, boss?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. However, I do want to know if or when Rocco leaves the city.” I sat back, shaking my head.
“She has a way of getting under your skin, doesn’t she?”
“Not just under your skin, my friend. She snagged my heart.”
“You too. When are we going to do something about it?” he asked.
I envisioned her face and smiled, my cock aching. “As I said, I have a plan.”
Brogan laughed as Steven pulled away from the curb. “Why does that not surprise me?”
* * *
Daniel
One week later
The week-long trip had been arduous, but even though it was almost three in the morning, I remained wired. Maybe the four cups of coffee on the plane were to blame.
The several-hour flight had given me far too much time to think. And wish. As I unlocked the door to my condo, I tipped my head toward the stars, thinking of Cassie one more time. Getting her off my mind was next to impossible.
I dropped my bag and laptop case on the floor, heading into the kitchen and grabbing a beer.
Then I walked into my combination den and office and eyed the computer.
I had paperwork to do to finish out the recent mission, something I could have handled on the plane, but instead I’d spent the entire time daydreaming.
Groaning, I eased into the chair, flipping on the computer. Then I closed my eyes, swinging back and forth in the chair as I took several gulps of beer.
Goddamn it. All I could think about was the night on the beach. I’d almost contacted her five different times, maybe more. I’d gathered all her information, from where she lived to who she worked for, acting as if it was because of my CIA training, but I knew better.
At least I knew she was safely tucked away in an unassuming little house on the outskirts of Chicago.
Laughing, I finally opened my eyes, glancing at the computer.
As usual, I scrolled through the online news source mindlessly, not interested in the latest skirmishes or Wall Street numbers.
I sighed, rolling the bottle across my forehead as I moved from page to page.
It was part of my job to keep up with current affairs.
You never knew when a coup could be avoided.
I was ready to move onto my email when an article caught my eye.
“What the hell?” I scanned the short piece, taking and holding a deep breath as I sat back in my seat.
Senator Walter Fields had retired unexpectedly. The man was only sixty-one and I knew his kind. He was in it for the long haul.
My gut told me this had something to do with Cassie. The little spitfire needed to keep out of politics and other dangerous business, but I had a bad feeling she wouldn’t follow our instructions. As I moved to my email, I noticed one from Alexander. The words were simple but in bold and all caps.
CALL ME.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll call you.” I hadn’t felt like talking to him since leaving the island. What did we have to say to each other? I scrolled through the other emails, finding nothing that mattered.
Until…
Then another shock.
She’d emailed me.
Cassie.
The woman I’d fallen madly in love with.
I’d given her my private email address since I never carried my phone while on a job. My mouth was dry, my pulse quickening. I took a deep breath before I opened it. I wasn’t certain what I was expecting, but what she’d sent me made my blood boil.
“What. The. Fuck?”
As I read through the information, including various documents, I remained floored.
If even half of what she’d sent regarding her father was true, the man could spend one hell of a long time behind bars.
Her accusations were disturbing, especially her indication that her father had been funded by the Durante family.
Did Alexander fucking know about this? Had he condoned it?
That wasn’t possible. Couldn’t be. This had to be all about his father.
Jesus Christ.