by Stone, Piper
“We’re good,” Brick said as soon as he returned, grabbing the bags.
I held my weapon close to my chest, keeping a firm grip on her as I guided her into the waiting car. With the light from overhead on, I could tell the man was studying the odd trio as we climbed inside. Brick had obviously already provided instructions as to where we were headed.
As he pulled away from the curb, I turned toward the back window, searching for any sign of lights or activity. Seeing none, I swiveled around, studying the driver.
Brick swept his gaze from one side to the other, always on duty. He would need to tell me how the hell he figured it out but that would have to wait.
To Genevieve’s credit, she didn’t say a single word as we drove out of the city. She merely kept her gaze planted forward, her lips pursed. The closer to the airport we came, the more my instinct kicked into high gear. Something didn’t feel right.
“We might have an issue,” Brick said under his breath.
I followed his gaze, noting two sets of headlights several car lengths behind us. While this was the single road leading to the airport, my gut told me that my soldier was correct.
“What?” she whispered.
I shook my head, placing my hand on her knee. At this point, she had to stay quiet. I felt a change in the engine, could tell the bastard was slowing down.
“Aumenta tu velocidad…” By instructing him to pick up the speed, I would be able to tell whether he was a part of the problem.
He ignored my request, pulling his foot almost entirely off the accelerator.
Brick swung around, placing the barrel of his gun to the man’s temple. “Conduce o vas a enfrentar a tu creador.” His words were gruff but said mostly under his breath.
“Drive or you’re going to face your maker,” Genevieve repeated in a harsh whisper, shifting as far away from me as possible.
Brick darted a glance in my direction, waiting for me to give the sign. When the driver floored it, the car jerking from one side to the other, I held up my hand, telling my soldier to wait. However, if the asshole tried the shit again, I’d have no choice but to end his life, taking over at the wheel.
The next five minutes were tense, the cars behind us gaining speed. We would have little time to spare once we got to the landing site. I yanked out my phone, calling one of the pilots. “Any issues?”
“No, sir. We’re ready.”
“Be prepared for visitors.”
“Not a problem. We’ll be able to take off in two minutes after your arrival.”
I ended the call, tossing the phone in my jacket, turning my full attention to the vehicles behind us. “Drive faster,” I said, not bothering with Spanish. The asshole knew everything we were saying.
“You can’t get away from him, señor,” the driver said.
Brick pressed the cold steel with more force, making certain the man got the message not to try another thing.
When the airport came into view, I calculated the distance from the enemy soldiers. Our escape was going to be tight. The last thing that needed to happen was bloodshed, but I’d do what it took to get us on the damn plane. As the driver approached, Brick giving him instructions on where to go, I scanned the perimeter.
The sudden appearance of flashing lights had been half expected. It was widely known that Morales had been bribing or eliminating various law enforcement officials in his effort to be the ruler of the entire country. The sighting also confirmed that the soldiers had been ordered to the city with one purpose in mind.
Eliminating a member of the King family.
After the driver swung through the open gates, he slammed on the brakes, a solid one hundred yards from where we needed to be.
“Get out, boss. I’ll take care of this.” Brick kept his Beretta pointed at the driver’s head.
I jumped out of the car, yanking her with me. “We need to run to the plane.”
“What about the luggage?”
“There is no time. Do not look back. Follow my orders.” As we took off running, I heard the muzzled shot coming from inside the vehicle even over the plane’s engine.
Brick followed closer behind, managing to snag two of the bags. Lumbering forward, he turned several times, prepared to fire if necessary.
The sound of screeching tires rumbled in my gut.
“Go. Go. Go.” I pushed her toward the stairs, turning once and prepared to fire. While they were getting closer, we still had a chance to close the door. “Get inside.” I waited on the landing until Brick was close. As I bolted inside, I shifted into the cockpit. “Get ready.”
The lead pilot nodded, flipping several additional switches.
I heard the sound of Brick closing the door. Turning around, he remained staring out the window, shaking his head. “What the hell was that about?”
He darted a look toward Genevieve. “I overheard a conversation in the bar. The musician? He has certain connections. I made a couple calls. Just got the callback before catching Miss Rossi. I’m sorry. I mean Mrs. King.”
Exhaling, I patted him on the shoulder, happy as fuck the plane was already moving. As I walked toward Genevieve, the headlights from the approaching flashed into the window as the drivers swung into the area. “You did good.”
“Get going, Mike,” Brick grumbled even as the plane made the final turn onto the runway. “Shit.”
“What now?” A single glance out the window brought another round of rage. There were at least four law enforcement vehicles on the runway, determined to stop us from taking off. I stormed toward the cockpit. “Whatever happens. Do. Not. Stop.”
While both pilots glanced at each other, the lead pilot pushed down on the controls. We were getting the fuck out of here one way or the other. I moved quickly toward Genevieve, sitting down next to her and immediately reaching over. “You need to wear your seatbelt.”
“What does it matter? They’re going to kill us, aren’t they?”
“Not a chance, sweetheart. You need to learn to trust me. You also need to learn to obey me without hesitation.” I snapped her belt in place, securing mine, watching as the plane lifted into the air. I remained furious that she’d left the suite, but I was angrier with myself for taking the chance of bringing her here. “We’ll deal with your infraction once we get out of this goddamn country.”
“Infractions. I’m always reminded that I’m nothing but a possession to you. How wonderful,” she hissed.
My God, the woman was infuriating as fuck.
She was also far too tempting. Every moment spent with her the day before had been entirely different than I’d expected. Sharing her gift of artistry unraveled some of the darkness.
Now, this.
Seconds later, seeing the muzzle flashes as rounds of gunfire were popped off, none of them hitting the hull, I realized Morales had just issued his final warning. I took Genevieve’s jaw into my hand, rubbing my thumb across her lips.
Then I did two things.
One: I made a secondary plan.
And two: I made a promise that not a single other enemy would ever be able to get this close to Genevieve again.
No matter what that necessitated I do.
* * *
“You’re lucky you weren’t arrested and tossed into a South American prison,” Vincenzo taunted. He continued to lean against the back of the house, a drink in his hand.
“Leave him alone, brother. He’s been through one hell of an ordeal,” Michael snarked.
I chuckled under my breath. It was always the same with any family meeting. There was far too much testosterone in the room, each man vying to be top dog. While my actions were up for scrutiny, I would only take their ribbing but for so long. All five brothers were in attendance, meeting at my father’s house within an hour after my plane had landed. Several of our soldiers stood watch outside and at this point, a determination had been made to keep the discussion private. I was surprised my father hadn’t invited the Consigliere; however, we would need to be very
particular about the choices we made during the next few weeks. The fewer people who knew our intention the better.
“I think we need to get down to business.” My father sat like a Godfather in one of the fluffed lounge chairs, a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. Even with his questionable health, he refused to give up what he called his last vices. However, I knew there were others. While his appearance gave credence to the fact that he was no longer as dangerous, the entire family knew better. He’d invested years making required connections, owning a significant portion of the city’s law enforcement and government officials, local businesses kowtowing to his demands. Often, I felt as if his sons were nothing more than caretakers for his structured regime.
“Pops has a good point,” Cristiano said. He’d been quiet since my arrival, which wasn’t like him in the least. While we’d never been that close, with his advancement to Boss given our father’s semi-retirement, we’d butted heads on several occasions.
“Did you talk with Giancarlo?” I finally asked, pushing away the beer bottle on the table. I was in no mood for planning over a domestic brew.
Cristiano sighed while my father bristled. A man like Sylvester King would never have considered forming an alliance with another crime syndicate. While I had my doubts that the Azzurris would continue to pledge their cease fire, their help would be a necessity, especially if the Vitalis had forged an alliance of their own with Morales, even in the short term.
“It would appear that Giancarlo will need more evidence before he’ll consider committing his soldiers. As you might imagine, brother, no one wants blood spilled in our hometown.”
I snorted, jerking up from my chair and for the outdoor bar. While I needed a clear head while introducing Genevieve to her new home as well as explaining the necessary rules, my blood pressure was already rising.
“What about the detective who’s been snooping around?” Dante asked, turning his head in my direction.
“Someone new on the scene?” I asked, pouring a single malt.
“Detective Travis Myers is newly promoted and from what I can gather, trying to make a name for himself. Sadly, he’s been taking his notes from Mr. Williams.” Cristiano laughed, swirling the liquid in his glass. “I should have dealt with the prosecutor after I left prison.”
I’d actually been surprised Cristiano hadn’t dealt with the asshole.
“And you were forbidden to do so,” my father snapped. “We don’t need the damn police breathing down our necks.”
I snorted as I moved closer to the group. “Let the detective ask questions. He’ll burn himself out just like the others.”
“I’ll have that buddy of ours keep an eye on him.” Vincenzo grinned as he noticed the looks that we all were giving him. “What? The amount we pay our good buddy, Detective Adams has proven to be money well spent.”
“Enough. With a single phone call to the police chief, I could eliminate the problem if necessary,” my father stated defiantly. “At this point, that is of little concern to us. We need to determine what we’re going to do with the information Lucian provided. We cannot allow our coastline to be compromised or any of our shipments. The damn bastards almost succeeded with their last warning attack. I refuse to lose any additional money to those South American bastards. And if the Vitalis think they’re going to get a handle on our diamonds or our drugs, they have another think coming.”
I hadn’t seen my father this agitated in one hell of a long time.
“Father is correct. We need to get a handle on this right away. I refuse to allow the traction we just gained in New York to be squelched by the Vitalis’ greed.” I wasn’t certain whether my statement made a damn difference, but I could see Cristiano and my father silently communicating through the single glance they gave each other.
“From what I’ve heard, you’ve already placed a stake in the sand by marrying the woman intended to join the Vitali family.”
I was surprised at Dante’s terse words. He’d certainly made inroads into becoming a larger part of our family empire than I’d originally suspected would happen. His years spent in the Marines had changed him.
“It was a good business decision,” I challenged.
“Yes, it was,” Cristiano confirmed. “However, with what just occurred in Cartagena, it would appear that even if Morales is working with the Vitalis, that particular slight doesn’t matter in the least.”
“I would suggest we send another message to Ciro Vitali followed by tracking any shipment coming in from South America.” While Vincenzo had a solid point, he didn’t seem to understand that Morales was likely to bypass the southern borders, shifting to the East Coast. If that happened, we would have zero control.
Michael chuckled. “And what if Morales is simply attempting to keep us on edge, concentrating our manpower in the wrong ways?”
“That’s exactly what I think he’s doing,” I stated after giving the dictator’s actions some thought. “He could have easily taken out the plane, but he chose not to. What’s happening in Key West?”
Sighing, Michael shook his head. “All is quiet, which as you might imagine, makes me nervous. Even the rats aren’t talking.”
That wasn’t good. That could mean they were lying low, terrified of an upcoming occurrence. “They’re terrified.”
“Likely,” Michael said quietly. “If I need to make a trip, I will.”
“If that’s true,” my father said with a deep growl, “then we need to cut the bastard off at the knees. Anything short of that and he’ll keep playing games.”
“What about the shipment that came in while I was gone?” I asked, tossing the question Cristiano’s way.
He smiled. “Came in without a hitch. It’s stored at the main warehouse, which is being monitored twenty-four/seven. Plus, I’ve installed an even more secure system on the building. No one gets in or out without authorization. The distribution begins in a couple days. Everything is in order.”
“We also have a diamond delivery next week. I worry that will be the main target.” I’d thought about postponing the order, but we had an anniversary for the business coming up, one I’d like to keep. The potential for bringing in significant dollars during jazz week was substantial.
“Already accounted for,” my father said. “Keep the business going. I don’t want a single hiccup. Understood?”
We all nodded in agreement.
“As far as issuing another blow to the Vitalis. What would you suggest?” I asked Vincenzo directly.
He shrugged. “You could eliminate the son.”
“No,” my father snapped. “I am not prepared for an all-out war. Leave it.”
“What about the great reception planned for tomorrow night?” Dante gave me a knowing look. “It’s a perfect storm for a hit.”
“That’s not going to happen because we won’t allow it,” Cristiano insisted. “Besides, anyone who attempted would know that was an act of war. But the Throne Room will be heavily guarded.”
“We need to live our lives,” Father added. “The reception will go on. I don’t need to tell you that your methods of obtaining your bride will be questionable to some. You need to act accordingly and make certain Ms. Rossi plays a part. Angelique has been instructed to treat the festivities as if the two of you are madly in love. Got it?”
Another mandate.
It would seem my father wasn’t ready to give up his own personal throne just yet.
“She’s now Mrs. King, Pops. I suggest you remember that.” I could tell my terse words pissed my father off, but regardless of how and why I married Genevieve, she was now a member of the family.
“You heard what I said, son. Pretend. Your sister has invited several prominent guests.” He gave me a look, remaining unblinking.
I shook my head. Not only did I not give a shit about the damn party, I wasn’t prepared for whatever pushback Genevieve might offer. However, the family events were considered sacred. “Fine. We go through with the pomp and ci
rcumstance.”
Dante laughed. “Our beloved sister has worked hard on the party. You might even enjoy yourself.”
“Which is of no consequence, Dante. I realize you still believe the best in people, I’m here to tell you that other than family, you can’t trust a damn soul. Business always comes first.” My words were much harsher than the man deserved, but I was finished with tiptoeing around his beloved good deeds in serving his country. He was here to serve our kingdom.
“Wow. I’d hoped the edge would be taken off you after you were married,” Michael snarked. “I can see I was wrong.”
A quiet tension settled in the room.
“One thing is certain. We need to work together and keep watch. We’re not going to do that if we’re not on the same page.” Dante refused to retort in the same nasty manner.
Good for him.
Cristiano walked closer in my direction, giving me a hard look. “It’s quite possible that Morales is hoping we’ll send our resources to New York, weakening the Vitalis enough for him to take over their turf.”
“Also a distinct possibility,” I mused. “We must protect our home court advantage above all. We’ve yet to open our doors in the Diamond District, although I doubt either organization will attempt something that brazen.”
“However, they will stop at nothing to keep you off your game, forcing you to make decisions you wouldn’t ordinarily carry out.” Dante lifted his eyebrows. “I realize that’s just an outsider’s observation, but that’s the way it works. Isn’t it, dear brother?”
His barb was issued perfectly, and he was right.
And I knew what my brother was getting at. They were already using a weakness. “Understood, little brother, but that’s not going to happen. Not now. Not ever,” I stated with far too much venom. Genevieve’s presence in my life had altered my perspective in a few days. That needed to change. I had to shut down my feelings for the most part in order for the entire family to be able to get a handle on the situation.
“Your brother isn’t that stupid, Dante.” My father seemed to relish making the statement.