by Ali Parker
"I don't." I balked and leaned back in my chair. "Mom wouldn't let you do anything to hurt him. You need to keep that in mind before you make a decision to turn your back on family and do something you will most certainly regret."
"You're right." He glanced down at his plate and took another bite. "Your mom wouldn't let me do anything to hurt him, but that's because this little bastard was hers."
Every muscle in my body locked tightly into place.
"What? What does that mean?" I whispered as my throat closed up.
He looked up with nothing but death in his eyes. "She had an affair, baby. You and Marco are mine, but Freddy's father has yet to be found. I hid his body real good."
The food was delivered, but I couldn't touch mine for a few minutes while I tried to process my father's confession. No wonder he hated the boy so much. He was a sign of Mom's infidelities. The only question I wanted to ask was one I never would.
Who was Freddy's dad?
Chapter 23
Demetri
"You look like shit, boss." Nathaniel walked into my apartment as I moved back and held the door open for him. I should have gone to meet him at the mansion, but I needed a break for the morning from Joe's to-dos and the high emotion that Izzy left me drowning in.
"You're just jealous like the rest of them." I gave him a genuine smile and patted him on the back as he moved to my kitchen table.
"I'm a little surprised by how small this place is. They don't pay you enough?" He glanced up at me and chuckled.
"They pay me too much, but I'm a minimalist. I don't need a bunch of shit." I shrugged and walked to the fridge to pull out a couple of beers. "Talk to me about the new security system you and Edward have been working on."
"Yeah sure. Is he coming?"
"Nope. I can't stand the prick." I handed Nate a beer and sat down, knowing that I should have held my tongue, but if I had a friend at the house in anyone, it was Nate. He was the type of guy who could shoot straight, protect the assets of the syndicate, and take down any enemy we had. I would be looking to bring him into the syndicate fully over the next few years if Joe was down with it.
He chuckled and took the beer from me. "I find it hard to believe that a man like yourself doesn't like a little bit of competition."
"I don't. I usually take my gun to any fight worth having, but Eddy is a good friend of Izzy's, so there's that." I sat down and tapped the table. "Give me details on the project."
"Of course." He pulled out a roll of papers from the bag he’d had on his shoulder moments earlier. "Here are the blueprints for the various areas of Joe's property."
He laid them down and spent the next hour walking me through what he and Edward had discussed. I was satisfied and borderline impressed by the time he rolled the plans back up.
"What about gun control in the house?" Nate asked as he worked to get the plans into his bag.
"Joe's being a stickler on it. I'm going to keep pushing, but just go with his desires for now. No one needs to be frisked unless they're not a member of the syndicate." I lifted my hand. "Scratch that. Everyone needs to be frisked and their guns taken unless they’re capo or higher. I think we're pretty good on trusting everyone in leadership in the syndicate at this point."
"Everyone except Freddy, right? I swear that fucking kid doesn't know which way is up." Nate stood up and lifted his beer to his lips, draining the rest of it.
"Keep an eye on him with me. I believe Joe is going to ask Izabella to work on getting him into rehab soon, but you never know. She's got a soft spot for him."
"Most of us do where our little brothers are concerned." He shrugged, and I couldn't help but wonder if he were referring to Drake. Did someone beside me and Izzy know that my brother was alive? Did anyone but Joe and I know the truth of Drake's bloodline? Surely not.
"You got a brother?" I stood and finished my beer as well before taking his empty bottle and walking into the kitchen.
"I'm the oldest of six boys. I got lots of little brothers." He chuckled and stopped in the doorway. "You know, it's not any of my business, but my dad used to always tell me that the roughest of storms were always capable of being calmed in the arms of the right woman."
I smiled and shook my head. "You're right. It is none of your business."
He flipped me off and turned to walk to the door. "You better grab a hold of her before someone else does, D."
"That's the hope." I moved up behind him and held the door open as he walked through and turned back to give me an inquisitive look.
"What is? That you get there in time?"
"No. That someone far more worthy of her affection does."
*
I shouldn't have done it, but I needed to hear my brother's voice as I drove back out to the mansion later that day. A vacation was in order, but it wouldn't be happening anytime in the near future. With so many things stacking on top of me, I was hanging on by a thread, which was a horrible thing. I was known for becoming the worst type of asshole when things got bad, and I was headed there fast.
"Hey, you." Drake's voice filled up my Jag.
"Hey, yourself. How's it going?" I turned the air down so I could hear him better.
"Good. Really good. Sicily and I are talking about moving her out to the house soon. She loves staying with her friends in town, but we want more time together. It seems like we're paying for two places but only staying in one most of the time."
I chuckled. "Then it's time to consolidate."
"Agreed. I think she'll move out here. Her friend Lisa is thinking of moving back to New York with her boyfriend, Marc. He's a cool cat. You'd like him. He's cocky like you." Drake chuckled.
"Cocky? You got me confused with someone else." I turned off the freeway and pulled into a convenience store parking lot. I needed more time to bask in the conversation, and Joe's mansion was just a few miles down the road.
"How are you holding up since Mama died?" Drake's voice softened just a little.
"Good. Sort of. Just a lot on my plate."
"What can I do to help you?" It was the same question he always asked.
"Nothing. Live your life to the fullest?" I smiled sadly as I sat alone in my car.
"You could do that for yourself too." He cleared his throat. "Have you told Izabella how you feel?"
"No, and I'm not going to. We're dealing with Freddy having hooked up with the Kallup boys right now. They threatened his life, and he gave them far more than any of the rest of us would be alive to tell about." I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. "You remember the Kallup boys?"
"Fuck, don't I. Biggest pain in the ass ever. Don't underestimate them, D. You know old Thomas Kallup is looking for a reason to get you guys back for killing his brother."
"Naw. He's not that stupid. They played with fire and got burned. They're grown men. They know that what they did was wrong by turning on Joe when he offered them a place to play for free. You fuck up, and someone has to pay. That's what happened to Zach, plain and simple."
"Sounds like it's straightforward until it's your brother, D. You know you wouldn't take that shit lying down if it was me."
"True." I ran my hand down my face and sat back up. "I need to get out to the mansion. I just wanted to check on you."
"I'm glad you did. Don't underestimate those fuckers, okay? They're not a small time as you believe. All they need is the right force behind them to direct them, and they could tear you apart from the inside out. Watch your back, Bro."
"I will. Thanks, Drake." I dropped the call and headed toward Joe's. Drake was right, and scary enough, the Kallups already had someone backing them. I just needed more information to find out who.
The problem was that I was torn between trying to clean up Freddy's shit and searching for Vivian's killer. I couldn't shake the idea that maybe the two events were far more connected than I was giving them credit for.
I parked in front of the house and spoke to the guards who stood by the front door before walk
ing in. The smell of chocolate chip cookies wrapped around me, and my stomach growled. I hadn't eaten all day, and it was well past lunchtime.
"Hey, Sylvia." I smiled at the pretty older woman who moved around the kitchen as I walked in. She was Vivian's favorite maid and had been with the family for a long time. "Did you bake these?"
"I did, young man. Have as many as you want." She rubbed my back as I moved over to hover above the baking sheet that sat on the stove. "You want a glass of milk?"
"Yes," I mumbled and shoved a whole cookie into my mouth. My own mother would bake all damned weekend, leaving poor Drake fat, and me sick to my stomach for eating too much sugar. Nostalgia left me needy for love and attention.
I took the glass from her and thanked her before plating up a few more cookies and walking toward the backyard.
I could see Izabella swimming laps from the large glass patio doors at the far end of the hallway, and my stomach contracted tightly. Beautiful.
She glanced up as I opened the door and walked out onto the patio, taking a seat near the pool and lifting the plate up.
"Cookie? Sylvia just made them." I needed a truce, thought it would only last a day or so. One day at a time.
"Yeah. That sounds great, actually." She lifted herself out of the pool, and much to my surprise was wearing a one-piece black swimsuit. It covered far too much of her sexy, caramel-colored skin but left enough on display to cause my body to react with need. How badly I wanted to grab her and lick the water droplets from every inch of her.
"What have you been up to today?" I grabbed another cookie and shifted to lay my legs out on the beach chair I sat on.
"Had lunch with my father, then I decided I needed to get some aggression out. You weren’t here to fight or fuck, so I thought a long swim would help." She sat down beside me and forced me to move over.
I scoffed as she got the left side of me wet, snuggling against me and stealing the cookie from my hand.
"And tonight?" I picked up another one and angled my face to see her better.
She glanced up at me and stole the heart from my chest. "I'm going out with Jonathan. He's cooking me dinner at his place."
I stiffened. "Wow. Sounds like that's moving along well."
"I guess. I think I've got him where we want him. I'll lock in the deal tonight." She sat up and took another cookie off the plate.
"Why not just go to a restaurant like normal people?" I reached up and dragged my finger down her back, following a long drop of water. I stopped before I reached the top of her ass, though I didn't want to.
She glanced over her shoulder, ignoring my question entirely. "Did you know that Freddy isn't my dad's?"
"I've had my suspicions but never questioned him on it." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Your father is a very different man around me than he is around you, Marco and Freddy."
"Then who is Freddy's father?"
"Interesting question. I wish I knew the answer." I reached out and brushed the chocolate off her bottom lip. "Interesting indeed."
Chapter 24
Izabella
I wore a pair of jeans and a low-cut blouse over to Jonathan's place. If I was going to have to play the part much longer, he needed to get used to seeing me in something other than dresses. As much as I wanted to ride my bike, I went for the Porsche instead. I wasn't sure how he would feel seeing me straddling a hog. If I wasn't working for my father on the job, I would have told the cop three dates ago to sit on a dick and fuck off. He was too opinionated and far too goodie-goodie for me.
Parking the car in front of his townhouse, I walked up to the door as several of his neighbors glanced my way. I wanted to respond to their prying eyes but decided to stay in character. No reason to give the poor boy a reason to doubt me just yet.
"Hey." He opened the door as his eyes ran down the front of me. The gentleman from our first date was slowly slipping into oblivion. We'd yet to do much more than share a quick kiss, but I figured tonight would change all of that.
"Hi." I moved into his arms and kissed his cheek. "You shaved."
"I did. Just for you." He pressed a kiss to the side of my neck as he breathed in deeply. "You look good."
"Thanks. Move and let me get in the house so your neighbors don't start to gossip about my upbringing." I moved out of his grasp and walked into his sterile-looking home. White. Everything was white and completely spotless.
"I like the idea of them seeing you. Gives me serious bragging rights." He laughed and pulled my purse off my shoulder. "Take off your shoes, and I'll get you a glass of wine."
"Sounds great." I slipped off my shoes and walked around the room, taking note of the pictures on the walls. There were lots of him with friends and his family, enjoying normal moments that I couldn't remember experiencing. Boating adventures and mountain climbing and camping trips. No death or darkness or fear to be found in any of them.
"Here you go, Izzy."
I jolted as he touched me and gave him an apologetic smile before taking the glass. "I love these pictures. Is this your mom?" I pointed to the picture of him at a graduation, his father on one side and a pretty older woman on the other.
"Yeah. You're going to love her. She and my father divorced years ago, but they’ve remained friends." He slid his hand over my lower back and gripped my side as he glanced up to look at the pictures.
"Does she live here?" I hated the way my pulse spiked. He wasn't at all my type, and yet in moments of wanting something normal, I could see myself settling into a life beside him. It would never happen, as I would wake up and likely kill us both one day, but playing Cinderella seemed fun for a night.
"She's in New York. I'll take you there the next time I go if you're up for it." He leaned in and brushed his lips by my jawline. "Are you thinking just dinner or do you want to stay for a movie too?"
Chill bumps broke out on my exposed arms and legs. How long had it been since I'd felt nervous around a man? Did I now? No. Wishful thinking left me wanting a new experience, one that might feel almost normal.
"Let's have dinner, and we'll see where it leads." I pulled out of his embrace and walked to the kitchen. "Can I help with dinner?"
"You sure can. I was just about to put the roast in the over, but you can slice the potatoes for us if you want." He handed me a knife as I moved to stand in front of a pot of pealed potatoes and a cutting board. "You know how to handle a blade?"
"I'm a woman that enjoys cooking and killing. Of course I do." I gave him a cheeky grin over my shoulder, and he laughed loudly before shaking his head and turning back to the stove.
"I'm not sure the guys at the station believe me when I tell them we're dating. They think you're pulling one over on me." He glanced over his shoulder as I turned to face him, holding the knife carefully.
"Pulling one over on you how?"
"That you're just using me to get a rat into the station." He shrugged and reached for the roast before putting it into the oven.
I laid the knife down and moved across the kitchen to slide my hands around his taunt waist before pressing my lips to the back of his shoulder and breathing in deeply. My fingers pressed in as I slid them down his stomach and cupped the thick bulge between his thighs.
"And what if I do need you to help me? What if part of the deal was that I would be yours alone if you would cover my family in times of need?" I squeezed, and his breathing hitched. "If I could promise pleasure like you've never felt it... lust that consumes you... love that burns so badly that you become a slave to it. Would it all be worth it?"
He nodded and reached back to grip the side of my thigh. "Is that what you're asking?"
"I'm not sure yet." I moved around him and slid my hands up his thick chest as he leaned down and cupped my ass tightly.
"Figure it out so we can move forward. I know you're hesitating. I don't want you to." He lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around him, pressing on his chest to stop him from kissing me as I searched his face.
"If I
asked — "
"I would say yes." He backed me up and pressed me tightly to the fridge as he leaned down and brushed his nose by mine.
I whimpered as he ground against me. When was the last time I'd... Oh yeah. Eddy.
"I need you." I brushed my lips by his as he growled low in his chest.
"For?" He nipped at my lips, reminding me far more of an aggressive alpha than I'd seen up to that point. Maybe I wasn't the only one hiding things.
"For the night." I tightened my grip on him. "Just tonight for now. I need to think through how much I can give you."
"I want all of you." He licked at my mouth. "You can have the night, but tomorrow you decide if you want more, and if you do... I'm in. Whatever my father used to do for Joe, I'll do for you, but not for anyone else in your family. You're my only contact. You're my girl."
I nodded and pressed my lips to his as he moved us to the bedroom and laid me down on the bed before pressing himself to the top of me.
"What about dinner?" I tugged at his T-shirt, earnestly wanting to see what he looked like under his clothes. He wasn't my type, but maybe I needed to change that. It hadn't worked out for me thus far.
"It'll take about an hour. That'll let us get started at least." He pulled his shirt off and made love to my mouth as I clung to him and slipped my hands down into the back of his pants, squeezing his ass and massaging it as he worked his way down the front of my body.
"Damn, you're fine, woman. Why in the world would you let an ugly fucker like me touch you?" He worked on my jeans and left me panting as he tore them from me.
His thick arms and swollen chest and abs were everything most women might find attractive. I reached up to paw at him and gripped the side of his neck tightly.
"You're an all-American type of sexy, and you know it. Shut up, and take care of me." I pulled him down and opened my thighs, making room for his broad shoulders as he gripped my thighs and lifted me off the bed.