Page 39 of Thorns of Death

The ruthlessness of this man reminded me of Illias. I couldn’t pinpoint any particular quality, but it was there. In the lethal energy around him.

I kept waiting for Enrico to explain, but he didn’t. Nor would he. I’d seen that look plenty of times in my brother’s eyes, like when he decided to handle that senator who got a bit too handsy with me. One day, I ran crying to my big brother that the senator touched my bare legs and tried to push his hand up my skirt. The next day, he was dead. I wasn’t an idiot, and I certainly didn’t believe in coincidences. Not that I’d ever voice it.

But I never inquired further. Sometimes ignorance was bliss. Bottom line was that my brother was a good man, and he had probably spared other women and girls of the senator’s attention. So, like a coward, I buried my head in the sand and pretended my assumptions were wrong and irrational.

“Do you have any travel plans?” His question caught me by surprise. I had been contemplating going back to Russia and staying at my brother’s place, but I wouldn’t share that with this man. He could keep his secrets, and I’d keep mine.

“No.”

“Good,” he said, still cupping my cheeks. “We’ll talk about us when I get back. I won’t be gone long.”

I frowned. “Us?”

He smacked me lightly on the ass. “Yes, Isla. Us.”

“Okay, Father. Whatever you say.”

He smacked my ass again, this time slightly harder.

“You’re really striving for punishment.” Then he smiled smugly, his gaze flaring with something hot and dark that sent shivers rolling down my back. “Although if you’re taking that route,dolcezza, I must insist you call me Daddy.”

My cheeks flushed, sending heat through every inch of my body. “Daddy,” I repeated, tasting the word on my lips. He must have liked it, because his eyes darkened and his fingers—still on my ass—squeezed my cheek.

“Good girl.” I just about purred at the praise. Jesus, what the hell was going on here? His gaze darted around the room until it landed on the pad of paper. He reached for the pen next to it, and wrote something down. “That’s my number. Text me yours.”

Then he walked out of my apartment with a soft click behind him.

THIRTEEN

ENRICO

The Marchetti empire was built on blood, women, and drugs.

It wasn’t until about twenty years ago that I had started building the legal side up. My legitimate empire didn’t happen nor did it thrive through sheer luck. I had made strategic movements and used certain manipulation skills to ensure the expansion of the Marchetti empire.

All with one purpose in mind.

To cease any involvement with human trafficking and illegal brothels.

I succeeded in that not long after I’d taken over as the head of thefamiglia.

Except now, as I stood in my home in Paris and read the report that Manuel was able to extract, I knew my success had come too late. I already had big obstacles to overcome with the red-haired young woman, but if Isla learned of this one, I’d bet my life on it being a hard ending.

“You’re sure about this?” I questioned Manuel. I trusted him with my life. My children’s lives. He wouldn’t be fucking around with information like this. Yet, it seemed so unbelievable.

“I’m afraid so.”

He moved to the little bar in the corner of my office and started preparing a drink. He strode back to the desk and handed me a glass of scotch. I shook my head, so he put it on the coaster in front of me before downing his drink in one go.

I returned my attention to the document, reading through her family’s information. On her mother’s side.

Mother: Louisa Maria Cortes.

The youngest daughter of the Cortes family, she was sold to my father to settle a debt twenty-four years ago. A lost drug shipment. A debt owed and settled by the flesh of a young cartel princess. Jesus Christ. Why would any parent give their child up like that? Yes, the Corteses were known for their ruthlessness and usually used their women to advance their position, but this was beyond normal behavior we’d seen from them.

My father had put her in one of the brothels, which was where Konstantin Sr. fucked her and got her pregnant.

Fuck! Make that double fuck.