Page 8 of Coercion

He sits down in one of the oxblood leather chesterfield wingbacks like it’s a throne.

For a moment he doesn’t do anything but watch the fire crackling away, it’s not giving out much heat but I like the aesthetics of it and it’s helped deal with a few items I deemed not worthy of keeping.

He grabs the bottle, opens it, and I get up to put two crystal cut glasses down.

“This business with Levi…” He begins before sighing like he suddenly has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The whiskey gurgles as he pours out two extremely generous portions.

Neither of us are old men by any stretch of the imagination but if you look closely you can see the whisps of grey in his dark hair, you can see the peppering of it in his stubble.

“What is it?” I ask, because clearly something is rattling him.

“She’s my goddaughter.” Nico says quietly.

“Who?” I frown.

“Ruby Holtz.” Nico mutters sounding almost weary. “Her father was a mentor of sorts. A long time ago. In a previous lifetime.”

“Why does no one know this?” I ask. I didn’t even know they were friends. In truth I know little about the family beyond the fact their marriage was something of a shock. Diana, Ruby’smother, was not what you’d class a traditional ‘Mafia Bride’, not from one of our families– she was Nigerian, or Ethiopian, heiress to half the diamond mines of Africa by all accounts and, no doubt, why Isaac chose her in the first place. It was tactical, strategic, it benefited his business interests.

He shrugs. “Things were different back then. It didn’t always please people to have rival families like ours working in tandem.”

“If she’s your goddaughter why didn’t you claim her when her father died?”

He takes a long sip of his drink, scowling at the flames like they’ve personally insulted him. “I should have. I should have done more for her, more for the Family, but by the time Levi made his move it was too late. Issac was dead. The son was dead. The mother was presumed to be dead. Only Ruby survived.”

“And Levi doesn’t know?”

“He knows nothing.” Nico states, fixing those deadly eyes on me. “And that’s how I want it to remain. Ruby can’t find out. Levi certainly can’t. I want them to think this connection is purely what they’re setting up.”

“Youwereplaying him.” I smirk.

“Of course I fucking was.” Nico growls. “A man like Levi, he would never have handed her over if he knew. Besides, we need these routes, we need this alliance.”

I narrow my eyes at that. He’s right, we do need it but, while I’m as ruthless as the next bastard, I don’t like the idea of ignoring Levi’s more nefarious activities. Afterall, it’s not just diamonds and rubies he’s smuggling, it’s a far less palatable treasure. Girls. Young ones. I guess that’s where the notion of selling his own niece came from. He’s trading children already, what’s another to add to the list?

I take a sip of my drink, savouring the taste and allow it to distract myself from that thought. Nico always has the bestbottles, the best vintage. “Is that why you’re ordering me not to touch her?”

He gives me a look that would make an ordinary man shit himself but I’ve learnt to hold my own.

“She’s off limits. That’s how she remains.”

I nod. I can do that. From what I’ve seen of her so far she looks barely old enough to vote, so it’s not like that’s going to be an issue. I’ll house her, clothe her, feed her, but beyond that, she won’t exist.

“She was intended for me.” Nico murmurs.

“What?”

“That’s what Issac wanted, to tie our families in marriage. His first daughter was closer to my age but she died. She had Leukaemia and passed before they even had Ruby.”

“If she was meant to be your bride why did Issac make you her godfather?”

He shrugs. “He knew I’d take care of her if anything happened, and he never trusted Levi or Diana for that matter. When she was old enough then we’d get married. At least, that was the plan.”

“So you’ve met her?”

“Once, she was young then, probably too young to remember. Besides, I married Eleri.”

“Did you not consider…”