Page 47 of Corrupted Pleasure

“He was here initially, but then he left,” Quinn added. “He was in a rush. So I assumed his cousin was left to pick up the paperwork for him.”

“He left alone?” Liam questioned and I thought it odd. Obviously the man was left alone if his cousin was still here.

“As far as I could tell,” Quinn grumbled. “The bar area was riled up. It was hard to see.”

Quinn shot me a glare, clearly blaming me right along with my friends.

“I assure you, Liam. You have nothing to fear,” Dante drawled, though everything about him screamed a sophisticated, raw danger. “The deal is sealed and official the moment you hand over the deed.”

I held my breath as my eyes darted back and forth between the two men. The silence stretched and with each second that ticked by, I felt panic rise inside me. I shifted, but Liam’s hand tightened around my waist as if warning me to stay close. So I did.

Quinn was the one that finally broke the silence.

“Where did Basilio go anyhow?”

“None of your business.” Dante didn’t even glance his way, his voice cold.

My heart thundered under my rib cage and my mouth went dry. All the movies I’ve seen about the mafia indicated that killings and conflicts happened anytime. Danger always lurked.

“I-I have to go back to school,” I stammered and it wasn’t until the words left my lips that I realized how stupid it sounded. It made me sound like a high-schooler.

Dante’s eyes flicked my way and I offered a feeble smile. This was so fucked up.

“Umm, not high school,” I added, sounding even dumber. “College. I have finals tomorrow.”

Ugh! Stop talking Davina, I scolded myself.

Dante’s mouth twitched

“I’m sure you’ll do great,” Dante answered, though I couldn’t quite figure out if he was being sarcastic or a smartass.

“Thanks,” I murmured, glancing at Liam and instantly stiffened.

The look he gave Dante was murderous, and I wondered what I missed.

CHAPTER18

Liam

Damn Italians!

They never kept to the plan. Basilio DiLustro was supposed to pick up the last deed, and the fucker wasn’t here. I had a suspicion the little bastard was chasing his dick.

“Are we having a meeting without DiLustro’s head of the famiglia?” The voice of Gio DiLustro came behind Dante. The latter didn’t move but an expression flickered in his eyes that told me he hated the old man.

Well, get in fucking line. I hated him more. Gio DiLustro belonged six feet underground. I owed it to my sister, and it fucking burned me that I couldn’t deliver that justice for her without causing a war and more death. Fuck, if I could get a guarantee that it wouldn’t be Aisling’s or Wynter’s deaths, I’d do it.

“I decided to witness the passing of the Eastside Club to the Syndicate,” Gio gloated. “Another Brennan down. After all, it’s a cause for celebration for DiLustros. A victory.”

I growled, ready to snap Gio’s neck. The nerve of that fucking moron.

“You Brennans thought yourselves too good to connect to DiLustros,” Gio’s voice was bitter. Even after all this goddamn time, he held a grudge.

The itch to wreak violence and shoot him right now flooded me. Like a rush of water after the dam has broken. Davina must have sensed it because her hand wrapped around my forearm, her grip tight.

A simple touch by her and calm washed over me. Her touch grounded me, unlike anything else I had ever felt before. I took a deep breath, reining in my anger threatening to spiral out of control.

“We’re passing each other on Brennan’s way out,” Dante said.