Page 24

“Busy with what? Playing with yourself? I could’ve used some help preparing the place for tonight.”
Nico’s head twists back and he pins me to the wall with a threatening glare. As if I’m gonna fuck up and say shit that I know I’m not supposed to…shit that can fuck all of us up pretty bad.
And I thought the blow-out we had a month ago with the Bonnaro family was bad. They’d partnered with the Cinques to take down our family in an elaborate sex and drug trafficking scheme, inflicting a little vengeance for us working with Viktor Ivanov, their sworn enemy. They would have succeeded, too, if Nico hadn’t taken control of the situation and sent in a mole to figure out their plans ahead of time. He’s always ten steps ahead of everyone, which should make me feel a little bit better about what’s going to happen.
It doesn’t.
Because I know what can happen if shit goes sideways.
Whenshit goes sideways.
It always does, no matter how much or how long we prepare.
That’s pretty much a guarantee.
Nico pulls his phone from his pocket and stares at it. “Guys, I’ll catch up with you later. I need to take care of something.” He gives me one last hard look before disappearing into the crowd of drunk ass people grinding around us.
Max smirks at me. “So do you know what’s up his ass these days? I mean, he should be relaxing since the Cinques are coming after you and not him, right?”
“Thanks, dick.” I rub the knot again, but it’s even tighter now. How is that even possible?
“Listen, you know I have your back. Although, it was pretty damn stupid of you to screw around with one of their women, then cut and run. You fuck one of them, and then all of them fuck you.”
“Thanks for reminding me.” Yeah, it wasn’t my brightest move. And it’s the only thing Max knows about my time in California. Nobody except my dad, Viktor, and Nico know what I was really doing and why I was really doing her.
I needed to get close, and Daniela Cinque was my one sexy, leather-clad roadblock to finding out the truth. I had to break into her business and fucking her was the only way inside.
Unfortunately for me, it turns out she’s more dangerous than the men in that family.
And I feel the noose tighten around my neck constantly even though she’s out in Los Angeles, and I’m in New Jersey.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide out for too long. When I came back here, Nico made sure I was in jobs where his security could keep an eye on me. And for some reason, the Cinque family has let me live.
That makes me very nervous. The longer they keep me alive, the worse my ending will be.
I’m tired of looking over my shoulder.
I just want a normal life, is that so much to ask for? I’m not a bad person, but somehow I end up doing a lot of bad shit for good reasons.
“How much longer do you think—?”
I shake my head. “Don’t even say it.”
“You managed to escape them for this long. Maybe they’ll leave you alone. Maybe they have bigger things to deal with. Why bother with your sorry ass? So you fucked around with Daniela. I’m sure she’s had better since then.”
I roll my eyes. “Screw you.”
Max snickers. “Don’t be so sensitive. I always knew that was why you lifted so much. Compensating for a small cock. That’s why you’re still alive. Daniela probably feels sorry for you and your little dick. Figured it wasn’t worth the effort of killing you.”
“You’re a real tool.”
“I know I have a real tool, unlike you, bro.” Max nudges me. “Come on, you need another drink. Lemme buy you one.”
I stare into my empty glass and jiggle the ice cubes around. He’s right. I definitely need more booze to work through the shit going on in my head right now. I follow Max to the bar. I like this new version of him. He’s in love, has his own club…he’s a changed man. Completely opposite of the borderline psycho he used to be, although I do miss that lunatic sometimes. He was an entertaining bastard to watch.
I put my glass on the bar and Max orders two scotches. “Wait,” I say. “I’ll have a Stoli on the rocks. Make it a double.” In honor of my new pal, Stoli 2.
And Kat.