Chapter 21
“You’re alive?” Luca asks. “Shit. Where the hell have you been?”
“Gideon attacked the casino.”
There’s silence for a moment. “I had a feeling the news channels had it wrong. It wasn’t a malfunctioning generator then.”
“Nope. It was all Gideon. He set bombs.”
“Shit.” More silence. “Where are you now?”
“Heading to my hangar. I’m going to New York.”
“You’re getting on your plane?” he asks in surprise.
“Driving will take too long,” I tell him. “I’ll be on the jet in an hour.”
“Are you sure it’s safe? If Gideon has infiltrated the casino, he may have someone watching everything you own,” Luca voices what I’ve already considered.
I glance at Andie. “I have no choice.”
He mumbles something I can’t make out, as if he’s covering the receiver with his palm. Then I hear a female voice I assume is his wife, Carina.
When he returns to the line, he says, “I’ll charter a flight for you to New York. Once you’re at Briar House, we can make a plan. Are you alone?”
“I have a woman and child with me.”
Again, with the silence. “Can you leave them behind?”
“No,” I say without hesitation. “Gideon knows about her now.”
“Fuck. I’ll text you the details.”
After I hang up, Andie turns to me. “I’m worried about Miri. If this Ferryman guy knows about us, he might know about her too.”
I shake my head. “As long as she’s smart and stays away from your apartment, she’ll be fine.”
“Yeah. She’s smart. A little stubborn too, unfortunately.”
Twenty minutes later we’re on the way to a private airport located just outside the Nevada state line. Several armed guards are waiting by the gates as we enter.
Lola sits up and stares at the large white jet on the tarmac. “Wow. Is that what we’re going on?”
“Are they from your alliance?” Andie whispers. On our drive here, I told her as much as possible about the alliance without saying anything that might upset Lola more than she already is.
“Not exactly.”
Of course, Lola hears everything. “Are the Mafia bad guys?”
I twist in my seat to face her. “They can be. But these guys are here to help us. They’re going to get us somewhere safe.”
Andie parks near the jet that’s teaming with guys preparing it for flight. One of them comes to greet us when she turns the engine off.
“Good to see you made it,” he says with a heavy Hispanic accent as he extends his hand.
Shaking it, I ask, “You’re Damian?”
“That’s me, bro.”
“This is Anderson,” I tell him. He glances at Andie as she steps out of the car and comes around to where I am and takes my hand. Then at Lola, who comes out as well, and because she’s curious and wants to get a better look, she stands on my other side. But she’s a bit scared too, so she takes my hand and tugs my arm in front of her like a shield. “And this is Lola.”
“Boo,” Damian mocks playfully.
Lola doesn’t jump, but she does press in tighter against me. I squeeze her hand, letting her know I’m here. I will be her shield if it comes to it. But I hope not. We need these guys.
Damian reaches over to ruffle Lola’s hair, and this time, I do jump. Every muscle in my body tenses as I automatically shift to block him.
He chuckles. “Easy man. I get it. We protect our family.”
“She’s not…” I start to say, but stop when she glances up expectantly, and I can’t bring myself to say she’s nothing to me. Instead, I say, “Thank you for being willing to take us to New York at such short notice.”
“It’s not a big deal. I was heading that way for a delivery.”
“A delivery?” Andie asks.
“Yup.” He begins to walk toward the jet, and we follow. “It’s what I do.”
“Like a mailman?” Lola asks.
He glances at her over his shoulder. “Exactly, princesa. I’m like a mailman and a pilot all rolled up in one.”
“What is he delivering?” Andie asks.
I arch a brow and her lips form into an O.
Damian Cruz, as it turns out, isn’t part of the mafia. Rather, he’s a part of the Diablos del Sur Cartel. They control a vast portion of the border between the United States and Mexico. Although I’ve never had dealings with them, Luca obviously has.
A few armed men have already boarded when we step into the luxurious plane. Both Lola and Andie press against me as we move down the aisle past them.
We choose seats at the very back. I drop into the soft leather with a groan, and prop my leg on the seat opposite me.
“How are you feeling?” Andie asks, concerned.
“Like if I take my shoe off, my foot will balloon and I’ll never be able to put it back on.”
Damian comes through a door behind us, and tosses an ice pack at me. “Saw you limpin’.”
“Thanks.”
Andie takes the pack from me and places it on my ankle. “I’m sorry.” She winces like it hurts her as she moves it around, searching for a spot it will stay put.
“Miri would have been able to help,” Lola says.
I lean back and grimace. “She probably would have wanted to amputate.”
“Get comfortable. I’ll have you in New York before you know it.” Damian makes to leave, but turns back. “By the way, when we get there, wait until you’re told to get off the plane before you do. We wouldn’t want you seeing anything you shouldn’t.” He winks at Andie, who sinks into her seat. And with a laugh, he heads to the cockpit.
Less than two hours later, Damian parks his Ford Bronco under the large portico of Briar House.
“Delivered safe and sound, as promised,” he says as he shuts off the motor.
Just over the horizon, the first rays of sun peek through. Luca and Carina, accompanied by several armed men are waiting for us at the door.
It’s a new fucking day. I can breathe again.
When Damian steps out to greet Luca, I turn to Andie. “We’re safe now,” I tell her. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
Things, as it turns out, are not going to be okay. I just wish I knew that before we let our guard down and walk inside.
* * *
“I took a bullet and lost three men fighting to get Carina back. And I did it without hesitation. Or have you forgotten about that?”
We’re all sitting around the large dining room table. It’s become familiar to me because I’ve been here enough times with these men, going over strategies to keep ourselves safe from Gideon.
But today, as familiar as it has been, it also seems foreign. I feel like someone that’s come home to find everything has changed. Someone else has moved in. Strangers.
“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Luca says. “I also haven’t forgotten everything Gunn or Arran or Noah have done. To ask them to go in blind is like asking them to commit suicide.”
I don’t miss the fact that he left Rowan out of it. But I suppose with what Gunn told me, the discovery that was made while I was away, it makes sense. Rowan is Gideon’s half-brother.
Rowan doesn’t miss the jab either. His jaw tenses and he fists his hands, but says nothing.
“All I’m asking for, is support,” I tell him.
Luca adjusts his position. At the head of the table, he’s already poised as leader of the alliance. But he must still feel the need to sit taller, sensing the tension and resistance coming from me.
“We’ve been at this for an hour. Gideon is in that building with who knows how many men,” he says to me, but he glances toward Rowan. “There is no way to infiltrate. You’ve made it so that the security system is so impenetrable, even you have been kicked out.”
It’s true. For over an hour we’ve tried everything. His tech guy, Kyle, has used every trick in the book, and couldn’t break through The Red’s firewalls, which means, we cannot see what’s going on inside.
“I know my casino,” I insist. “Know every nook and cranny. I can lead the men?—”
“To certain death!” Frustrated, Luca slams his palms against the table. “This isn’t like Noah’s house or the boatyard. We’re talking about a forty-four-story building. Not to mention the basement level. And you’re asking us to go in blind? Who the fuck knows what’s waiting for us in there. Is Gideon alone? Is he working with someone?” Again, he glances at Rowan.
“My brother wouldn’t be working with anyone,” Rowan finally retorts. “If this is even his doing.”
“Who the fuck else would it be?” I can clearly see his hackles rise and Rowan’s upper lip curl up. But we don’t have time for this shit right now.
“I’d do it for you,” I say to Luca, interrupting their cockfight. “For the alliance.”
“Would you?”
“Yes. In a heartbeat.”
“Gavin,” Carina, who has been standing by the windows, steps closer and places her hand on my arm. “Think about it. You’re safe. Your…Uh…” She throws her thumb toward the pocket door. Just beyond it, in the kitchen, Andie and Lola are eating breakfast. “Everyone is safe. Stay here with us. You have our protection. We can take a few days and figure things out.”
“Too much time has already passed,” I tell her, my voice much calmer than it had been with her husband. “Every day that goes by is one more day for them to barricade themselves deeper in The Red.” What if we can’t get it back?
“You waited this long,” Gunn says. “What’s a bit more?”
“It wasn’t on purpose,” I assure him.
“What? Did your girl tie you to the bed?” He chuckles, but stops when I glare at him. “Oh shit.”
“Did Andie kidnap you?” Carina asks.
Gunn covers his mouth to stifle a laugh. “He might prefer the term, gently sequestered.”
“We should go,” I say more to myself, than to them. “It was a mistake to come here. I thought I could trust you.”
“Gavin, please stay.” Carina, always good with words, tries her best. “Get rest. You’re hurt. Your girls exhausted. We will keep surveilling the place. You can trust us. And deep down you know we’re right.”
“It won’t matter. We still won’t be able to see inside the casino.”
“But we can see who comes and goes,” Luca adds.
“You’ve been doing that for over a week. What have you seen?” They all look at each other. “Exactly. I won’t lose The Red.”
“Gavin—” Carina starts, but I cut her off.
“Is Damian still here?”
“He’s packing up a few things we’re sending back with him.”
I nod. “I’ll ask him to take us to a hotel.”
“Gavin,” Luca sighs. “Let my men escort you. After you’ve had some rest, come back. We’ll talk.”
“I’ll find another way,” I say and turn my back on the alliance, the way they have done so with me.