Page 45 of The Devil's Heir

Jarek

I've thought a lot since that night Liliana and I fought last. Joey told me I needed to do some kind of grand gesture, and although it took me a while to figure out what I should do, I found one.

It doesn't matter that it helps me out in the process.

All that matters is that it makes my pauper happy.

Thinking back to that evening when she wanted to send leftovers to Sunset Avenue for her friends got me thinking. I had Jackson's help to find her two friends, and then it took a bit of convincing to get them to agree.

It's not like I was just asking them to come visit. No, I offered them a job and living quarters here on the estate grounds. There's a two-bedroom cottage sitting empty at the back of the property, and after bringing in a crew to clean it up and get it ready, all it needed was someone to occupy it.

Heidi and Fran would not only have a solid roof over their heads and a job, but they would also be close to their friend and could come and go as they pleased. Aside from having Jackson, I know Lily's been lonely, and having her friends here should lift her spirits tremendously.

I plan to make her happy and ensure that she stays safe while I'm gone.

The more people she has around her, the safer she will be.

Her friend Fran is the perfect person to have at her side; that woman has the mouth of a sailor and doesn't take anybody's shit.

She was also the hardest one to convince; it was almost like she despised this place and the Falcon name.

I understand not everyone is a fan of my family, but they still respect us because of who we are. Fran, however, isn't afraid to say what's on her mind, even knowing that I could end her life at any given time—it's very reassuring knowing she'll be with Lily while I'm gone.

I hadn't counted on having to go on this business trip, so Lily's friends coming here worked out great.

This isn't a trip I would want my pauper coming on because of the nature of it.

Someone fucked up, and now, I have to go clean up the mess, and it's not going to be pretty.

Besides, I don't trust bringing my most prized possession into a den of vipers, and that's exactly what I'd be doing if I brought her along.

As much as I want Liliana by my side, I will not put her in danger if I can help it—not even for my own selfish reasons.

I guess you could say I've changed in that aspect. Before, I wouldn't have given a shit—as long as I had a warm pussy to sink my dick in during my trip, I wouldn't have cared for my companion's life—but Lily isn't just some woman.

"Ah, I know that look, young Falcon," Lonzo muses from the seat across from me on the jet.

I brought my top men with me, and now I wish I had left my underboss back in Rushwood. He insisted on being by my side, since this was an old crime family, and he'd dealt with them in the past.

"What look are you talking about, exactly?" I lift my brow as I meet his eyes over the top of my laptop.

"It's the look of a man in love." Lonzo smirks.

I roll my eyes. "I think you're becoming senile, old man," I retort dryly.

He scoffs while his son sits quietly beside him, grinning.

Scowling, I return my attention to the reports on my laptop.

Comparing the most recent numbers with the previous ones, I can clearly see the pattern.

The Rossi crime family in Italy has been skimming from our shipments and breaching the contract they have with us.

They've been warned one too many times, and now, action is required. I'm too busy thinking about what's to come to think about the nonsense Lonzo is spewing. My love life is not up for discussion. Unfortunately, my underboss seems to think differently.

"No, I don't think so, Jarek. You're looking more refreshed these days—like you're sleeping better. I never thought a warm cunt would ever settle you—"

"Don't ever refer to Liliana by that name!" I bark angrily .

Both father and son chuckle at my reaction, which further pisses me off. Slamming my laptop closed, I set it aside and glared at the two men across from me.

"Deny it all you want, young Falcon, but the Bellezza has captured your heart," Lonzo states and then shrugs. "There is nothing wrong with that but be prepared for your enemies to catch wind of it. Love can be a beautiful thing, but it's also the most dangerous in our world."

"Do you not love your wife—the mother of all your children?" I glance over at Joey who turns his attention out the window.

Lonzo smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"I love my wife, yes. I respect her because of all the years and children she's given me, but our marriage was one of convenience.

I've had many affairs; I will not hide that fact, but my wife knows of them all.

I don't do it out of disrespect, but more for protection. "

I furrow my brows at this and ask him to clarify exactly what he means by this.

For me, sleeping with others while married is disrespectful.

Not that I've ever had an issue with others doing that, but it's one of the reasons why I never wanted to settle down.

Now, I can't imagine being with anyone else but Lily.

"It's simple. If your enemies see you enjoying the company of other beautiful women outside your marriage bed, they assume your spouse isn't all that important to you.

They are less likely to use her against you.

It's your children you need to worry about the most," Lonzo explains, then pats his son on the arm, smiling sadly.

Whether I understand what my old friend is saying or not, I can't do that to my pauper. Maybe it's because I despise other women; nevertheless, I've chosen my path and couldn't be happier.

My only response is, "Well, it's good that I have the means to keep Liliana safe. Anybody who tries to come after what is mine will suffer a long, excruciating death."

Father and son look at each other with a knowing smirk, but I ignore them both.

Instead, I get up and help myself to the minibar.

I don't want to admit that what Lonzo spoke of affected me a little.

I already worry about her when I'm not around; now, that worry has grown more with my friend's words .

I toss back the bourbon and pull out my phone. After typing out a quick text, I use the restroom while I wait for a response.

ME: How's my beautiful girl doing?

PAUPER: I'm good. Did you have a good flight?

Smiling because she asked me such a simple question, I replied:

ME: I'm still on the plane. We have another few hours yet, but I wanted to check in with you.

PAUPER: I see. Thank you again for bringing my friends here. Remind me to thank you properly when you return home.

ME: Oh, you can count on it. Be a good girl while I'm gone. I'll call you tonight.

PAUPER: Okay.

Pocketing my phone, I leave the restroom with a smile on my face and the start of a stiffy. I'll have to take a cold shower once we get to the hotel.

This is going to be a very long week if this is the way it's starting already.

Hours later, I'm walking out of the bathroom in my hotel penthouse when there's a knock on my door. When I open it, Joey's grinning, and then walks past me, letting himself into my room. I'm in nothing but a towel hanging low on my waist.

"Come on in, Joey, and make yourself at home," I say sarcastically as I shut the door.

"Hurry the fuck up and get dressed; I'm starving," my friend states before plopping himself down on the sofa.

"We just ate on the plane. How can you be starving already?" I ask incredulously.

"I'm not talking about food, my friend." Joey winks at me.

"For fuck's sake—I didn't come here for you to get laid. The sooner I can take care of this business, the sooner I can get home." I walk back to the bedroom and head to the closet to grab a clean pair of pants and a dress shirt.

"Oh, come on! Rossi won't even be back until tomorrow night," Joey whines from the other room.

"What's your point?" I ask as I drop my towel and pull on a clean pair of boxer briefs.

Joey appears in the doorway, sulking. It's not like we've never seen the other naked. Hell, we've shared plenty of women in the past—I'm not shy at all.

"My point is, let's enjoy tonight and then put our game faces on come morning. There's plenty of time…"

"No. We're not here for you to get your dick wet, Joey. We have to meet up with the informant and get everything we need before confronting Rossi."

Another knock interrupts us, and figuring it's Lonzo, Joey leaves to answer the door.

I've just thrown my shirt on when I hear a muffled pop.

It's a familiar sound—one that has me reaching for my gun on top of the dresser.

I glance out my door and see a masked man pointing a silencer toward the floor.

As soon as I hear my friend groan, I know he's the one about to get shot. I don't think twice as I lift my gun, but before I can get my shot off, the assailant's head snaps my way and moves. My bullet misses him, and the fucker slips back out the door.

I chase after him, but he goes through the exit door at the end of the hall, and I need to go back and check on my friend. Grabbing my phone as soon as I get back to the room, I call down to the front desk and tell them to lock down the hotel.

I don't own the place, but I frequent it often enough that they make a lot of money off me. I also pay for top security, so this breach is unacceptable.

"This is Falcon," I growl through the phone when the front desk answers. "I need this place locked down, now! My man was just gunned down, and the intruder left by the fire exit stairs. Find him and bring him to me—and get a fucking ambulance here now!"

I drop down beside Joey. He's holding his side, blood seeping through the cracks of his fingers. I pull my shirt back off and instruct him to hold it in place while I call his father. Lonzo is on the floor below me, so it takes him no time to get to my room.

"Joseph!" Lonzo cries out as he runs into my room and sees his son bleeding on the floor.

"I think I'll be okay, Father. Don't worry…"

Regardless of whether his son was shot, Lonzo slaps Joey upside the head. "Don't ever tell me not to worry about you, bambino !"

With Lonzo tending to his son, I get on the phone with security only to find out that whoever it was got away before they locked the place down. They were seen crashing through the back door and running down the alleyway.

Cursing, I toss my phone on the counter just as the soccorritori, Italy's emergency workers, get to my room. I tell Lonzo to go with Joey and to keep me updated. I still have Koval with me. I had left Elliot behind to see to things back home.

Someone put a hit out on me and I'm going to find out who it was. Something tells me that our old friend Rossi got wind that we were in the country and knew the reason why. So, he decided to take me out before I could take him out.

Wrong fucking move, Rossi… Wrong move!