Page 33 of Deadly Obsession

She waves off my accolade. “It’s a fake engagement... kind of. And don’t worry about my father. He was only pissed that I sprung the engagement on him in front of all his rich friends, but he’s cooled off by now. I have a plan, and I need you there at dinner to act as sort of a mediator. Gio won’t lose his cool with a civilian present.”

“Um... are you sure?”

“I’m pretty sure.”

I check my phone and groan. “Ugh, I’m going to be late, but yeah, I’ll come to dinner. Not going to lie, I’m terrified.”

“I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

Chapter 8 – Elias

I’ve been in a foul mood all week, and I’ve barely slept.

It began with the shipment we busted.

Twenty.

Twenty women, girls, and boys were in the shipping container. Some as young as twelve. Some kidnapped right from their front yards in a small Midwest town. Brooklyn was their last stop where an auction was to be held for rich disgusting pricks to bid on them.

We’re working to get the names on that auction list, but it’s a long shot since the men taken into custody last night were mules, forced to transport the shipment to the pier. They were likely being blackmailed and won’t know the names I need to pass on to the Marionette and Colpa Sicario.

My brother and Noah.

Two mafia brats who are also the country’s top contract killers.

Anytime I get names from these sex trafficking busts, the FBI allows the assholes to be killed or to coincidentally disappear because the government doesn’t want to admit this country has a human trafficking problem.

Most of the girls and women are on their way back home to their families. I made sure they were set up with funds for whatever they want or need, not that money will resolve their trauma. But hopefully unlimited access to counselors will help.

My sour attitude is also because of Sage. It’s been nearly a week since I’ve seen her.

She hasn’t responded to any of my texts either. Not that I’m being aLevel 100 Clinger.I’m not. I’ve only sent her six texts. There’s nothing wrong with wishing a person good morning every day.

I considered asking Noah for her address, but I knew she wouldn’t give it to me without Sage’s approval.

And reason number three I’m in a shitty mood: my goddamn brother.

Word quickly spread about Noah and Lance’s engagement. Me being at the Christmas party didn’t help. Tensions are high between the Empire and the QBM with speculations that I’m attempting to start a turf war by arranging my little brother to marry Lenetti’s daughter.

Not that Lenetti is worried. He showed his fucking dominance by shooting my brother in the shoulder. He was also likely punishing Noah for getting engaged to aQBM heir. The only reason I found out Lance was shot was because Sage texted me—the only other text I received from her aside from the one telling me she was home. She found out after visiting Noah at Lance’s Brooklyn safe house.

I stormed over to my brother’s place to confront him about it, only to walk in on him fucking Noah’s ass. Those fuckers enjoyed putting on a show, but I stayed because one: I wanted to piss off my brother and two: I needed answers.

What are these two up to with their fake engagement?

Noah has a plan.

Which is why my driver is now pulling up to Lenetti’s Lower East Side townhouse.

Noah wants to convince her father to merge the Empire and the QBM.

I practically called her insane, because there’s no way I’m giving over control to Lenetti, and he would rather kill me than let me rule. Noah explained that combining the organizations is temporary until we can uncover the truth about our mothers’ murders.

Noah witnessed two men kill her mother the night before Lance was forced to slit our mother’s throat. We believe Lenetti was behind both hits. If that’s the case, then he dies, and I take over sole control of the combined organizations. If Finn O’Connor was responsible for the murders, then he dies and the plan to dismantle the Lordswill continue. And if it was my father, Percy, then there’s nothing left to do since he died fourteen years ago.

I step out of the SUV to cleaners dousing the sidewalk with sudsy water, washing away a puddle of blood. I’m going to guess my brother had something to do with this. Of course he’d be the one to start shit on Empire territory.

“Oh my God!” a familiar voice gasps. “What happened?”