Chapter 18 – Enzo
ENZO
Leaving Althea mostly naked and tied to my bed isn’t what I want to do right now.
I can think of several things I’d rather be doing with her in that state, but I have shit to do and arrangements to make before shit gets even further off the rails and Nazario starts dropping bodies all over town looking for answers.
I need to go speak with Naz but decide to head down to the basement to see Stavros and Drew first. I’ll get to Naz in a few, but I need to find out what Althea’s guard dogs are going to do first.
Pulling out the clone of Althea’s phone, I locate Liam’s number and make the call. He answers on the first ring.
“Thea? Where the hell are you? Where’s Drew? Are you all right?” he shoots off the questions in rapid succession.
“Why don’t you come and see for yourself how she’s doing? Meet me down at The Mansion,” I demand.
“Who is this? Where’s Althea?”
“You know who this is.” I wait for him to connect the dots.
The heavy sigh on the other end of the phone lets me know he’s put two and two together.
So, I continue my demands. “Bring a bag of Althea’s clothes.
Anything she might need to travel, including her passport in case we need to get her out of the country for a little while. ”
“Out of the country?” Liam asks, surprised. “Why would we need to leave the country? Is she in trouble?”
“I’m glad to hear you say we , since it’s the only answer that will keep you and your partner alive.”
“Where’s Drew now? Is he with Althea? Are they all right?
” His voice is full of worry, which shows his loyalty to Althea and her family is strong.
I can hear rustling around in the background, and a female voice I assume is Chloe's.
Liam tells her not to worry and to go back to sleep.
Then there were heavy footsteps and a loud thud.
“I’ll answer everything when you get here. I will tell you, they’re both safe—for now. But that can all change in a matter of hours, so I need you to do exactly as you’re told.” I reach the basement and find Stavros posted up outside of Drew’s cell. Stavros tips his chin in greeting.
“He’s still passed out. Should be coming around soon.” He points to a metal bucket full of ice water down by his feet and smiles.
“Who’s passed out? Who are you talking to? Give me fucking something,” Liam growls, his impatience obviously getting the better of him.
“Drew is fine. He’s taking a nap. Althea is currently tied up, and I need you to grab a bag for each of them with clothing and shit for a few days of travel.
Now, get that together and meet me at The Mansion.
One of my men will meet you in the lobby and bring you to me when you arrive.
And Liam …” I lower my voice, and leave no room for misinterpretation when I say, “do not contact anyone about this. Leave your phone powered off where it won’t be found.
Don’t fuck this up. Althea’s life depends on your ability to follow orders and do what’s right. ”
I hang up, not giving him a chance to argue or ask any more questions.
I tip my chin at the bucket of water. “Ready?” Stavros nods, hoisting the bucket up, following me through the door.
This particular room is more like a drunk tank than an actual cell.
It’s usually used for our men, or sometimes Mauro, when they come in too inebriated to function or needing a place to lie low for the night.
There’s a twin-sized cot with a dirty mattress across the room with metal cuffs attached to each leg of the frame. Each cuff has a fifteen-inch chain typically only used for the severely intoxicated or unruly. Mainly, Mauro.
I give Stavros the signal, and he proceeds to launch the entire contents of the bucket onto Drew’s still-sleeping body. Drew sits up, spewing a string of curse words as he comes to. When his eyes lock on mine, his face turns serious.
“Where’s Althea?”
“I’m impressed.” I say, smirking. “I wasn’t sure if your loyalty would be to Althea’s safety or your own first. Most men facing death this closely would beg for their own life, and yet, you ask about hers. Maybe you’re not the foolish piece of shit I thought you were.”
His face contorts. “Thea has always been my primary concern.” Something about his tone and the way he says those words doesn’t sit right with me.
“Is she now? And is that because you’re paid to be her bodyguard?
” I step forward, invading his personal space.
To his credit, Drew doesn’t back down regardless of my reputation or the fact that I stand over him by at least six inches.
“Or is there something more personal about your relationship with Miss Drakos? Have you two crossed the line of protector and protected?”
Drew scoffs. “Althea doesn’t need a man to protect her, but you already know that, don’t you?
You’ve been having her followed and digging into her background this whole time.
She knew. We all did. But she allowed it.
” He smiles. “She figured you were keeping tabs on her to make sure she wasn’t here to fuck with your family’s business. Which she’s not.”
“Well, then. If she doesn’t need you, and she’s fine with my men being her new detail, I don’t see much reason to keep you around.
” I step back, reaching behind my back and unsheathing my knife.
I thought about leaving it on the bed just out of reach for Althea, just to see if she would surprise me somehow.
Then thought better of it. Just in case she actually did .
“Tell me, Drew. Why should I keep you alive? What purpose could you serve for me?” I ask, running the blade over my fingers, pushing it into the skin ever so slightly. Enough to feel but not enough to break the skin.
“Althea will hate you if you hurt me. But she’ll kill you if you kill me. She’s not just our boss. She’s a loyal friend. She cares about her people.”
“I know how to deal with a woman’s hate.” I know my smile is wicked. It matches all the filthy thoughts of what I could do to an angry, hate-filled little she-devil. My dick jumps at the possibilities.
“You could. But Althea isn’t the type to let shit go. She harbors guilt. It eats at her every day. Killing me and Liam would only add to her pain.” Drew leans his face forward and whispers, “I don’t think you of all people want to hurt Althea … in that way. Sex fetishes and kinks aside.”
He’s right. I don’t. To give her pain with her pleasure, taking her to the point of ecstasy until we’re both spent and sated, absolutely. But I don’t wish to hurt her emotionally.
But if she’s a traitor, you’ll have no choice.
“It won’t matter what I want if she’s found to be working with our enemies.
” I clench my fists, fighting back the red that was beginning to cloud my vision.
The very thought of Althea being an enemy—of the things I would be forced to do to her—it’s all too overwhelming and something I’m not sure I could go through with.
You would have no choice.
Drew backs up a few steps. “She’s not your enemy. She’s here on her own personal mission.” Drew scratches the back of his neck with his hand.
“ What mission ?” He may think it’s personal, but that could be what she and Caspien have told everyone in order to execute their plans. Why else would she ditch her own bodyguard and proceed to kidnap mine?
How could she have known you’d plant a guard on her? She doesn’t know the true depth of your obsession with her.
More unanswered questions.
“That’s Althea’s business to tell. But it has nothing to do with your family specifically. She’s looking for someone. Someone important to her.” His words are like a punch to the gut.
“How important is this person to her?” I have to know. Not that it would matter. I’ve claimed Althea Drakos as mine, and no one is going to take her from me.
“Look,” Drew says, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s not a lover or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.
But he means a lot to her. She’s been on this mission to find him for a long time.
She refuses to give up. So, if her digging put her in the crosshairs of your enemies, I’m almost certain it wasn’t intentional.
Althea would never put her family in danger like that.
She loves Caspien and Ophelia. They’re all she has.
Althea would never risk a war between the two families. She’s not that reckless.”
He has a point. More than one, actually, and I just might know a way to defuse the situation. But I’m going to need some help to pull it off.
“All right. Say I believe you, and Althea isn’t out to hurt my family.
Her recklessness tonight put us all in a bind, because any way you look at it.
” I glance over at Stavros with his creased brow.
“Nazario believes Althea was conspiring with our enemies. She was caught talking to The Bishop only days after my cousin was shot. And the man who shot Santo and killed some of our men was also seen talking to her in the same bar.”
Both men seem to be following, but neither is showing signs of comprehension. “Nazario wants Althea dealt with. I’m sure you both know what that means.” Both nod. “I must take her out of the country until I can figure this shit out. But if Caspien believes I took her against her will …”
“He’ll rain down hell in Dallas. Althea is that man’s pride and joy. He’s so protective of her he made Liam and me go to college as students so we could protect her in class and blend into the crowd.”
“That’s actually pretty smart,” Stavros says with amusement.
“It was Althea’s condition. She wanted to go to college without us, and Caspien refused to allow it. Althea compromised, and Liam and I got our degrees in shit we will probably never use in this job.” Drew shrugs.
“Then we all agree. War is inevitable.” A flicker of an idea starts to take form. One I never would’ve considered, but it just might be the only way out of this without bloodshed. “I may have an idea.”
They both stare at me with anticipation. “I know a way to prevent the families from going to war and to keep Althea alive. But I’m going to need your help, and she’s going to need a lot of convincing.”
“We’re listening,” Drew says exasperatedly.
“We’re going to join the two families together,” I state simply. Both men glance at each other.
“How do you plan on doing that?” Stavros asks.
“Convince Althea to marry me.”
“Fuuuck.” Someone groans from behind me. We all turn to find Liam standing in the doorway with Roman and the bags I requested.