“But, you’ve got more than me. Don’t you? Ten dead bodies and nothing to tell their families?” Akiko asked.
That shut Ghost up quickly.
“Let’s say we do team up. A trio of old players, pooling resources to defend their turf against infiltration. What then?” Russo asked.
“I have to keep some things secret. Can’t go divulging a safety plan without your consent to help. After all, I might just be executing the plan for my side of things as we speak. No use in spoiling my efforts if you two aren’t on board,” Akiko said.
“So, what do we get outta this situation with you?” Ghost asked.
“You mean, other than your territory secured and money streaming into your pockets?” Akiko asked.
“Yes. Other than that,” Russo said.
Akiko sighed. “A truce. The Yellow Dragons will no longer attempt to encroach upon your territory within the city. We’ll branch out. Make our way south.”
“Can I get that in writing?” Ghost asked.
“I’ll sign it in my own blood if it’ll make you feel better,” Akiko said.
And when he said that, Mr. Russo grinned. Because it confirmed just how afraid this patriarch of the Akiko Clan had become.
“Done,” Russo said.
“Fuck it. I’m in,” Ghost said.
“Wonderful. Now, shall we get to work?” Akiko asked.
16
Luca
The logistics of how this would work were hashed out as I stood there, guarding the door. And the entire time, I kept my focus on Mr. Russo. Making sure no one made a wrong move in his general direction. However, I was worried about Alianna. She’d been sitting in the SUV now for well over an hour. And I knew if she somehow came storming into this place, her father would put a bullet in my head before asking questions.
Please stay in the car. Please stay in the car. Please stay in the car.
“Well, now that we have those details ironed out, it is suggested you check in with your physicians. After all, I made quite a fuss dragging you two here. If you don’t check in with your doctors, our cover might not be kept,” Akiko said.
“Don’t worry. The gash in my head will suffice. Rumor will have it that I fought my way out anyway,” Mr. Russo said, grinning.
“Nope. I’m goin’ to my doc. I need a fuckin’ Xanax after this meeting,” Ghost said.
I buried my grin as the man stood up, accompanied by the armed women around him. He glared at me before he pushed by, seeing himself out of the room. I looked over at Akiko and watched the small, lean man stand. He buttoned the coat of his suit, cleared this throat, then turned to look at my boss.
“I guess that concludes our meeting. I’ll be in touch,” Akiko said.
“A phone call next time will suffice,” my boss said.
Akiko chuckled politely. “Duly noted.”
The man slipped by me side, taking with him the numerous guards he had with him. Then, it was just the four of us. Myself, Mario, Ciro, and our boss. He stood from the chair with a grunt, and that was when I knew he was hurt more than we could see.
“You sure you don’t need a doctor?” I asked.
He held up his hand before sighing.
“Let’s get out of here. I didn’t even get a chance to eat before they snagged me.”
I walked in front of everyone while Mario and Ciro brought up the rear. Mr. Russo stayed behind us as we made our way toward a side exit. Thank fuck. Because had we gone out the back, he would’ve been face to face with his fucking daughter. I waited for the questions. For the ‘where the hell were you’’s and the ‘what the fuck happened to my daughter last night’’s. But, those questions didn’t come. All that happened was Mario trotted off, pulling his own SUV around before I opened the door and ushered Mr. Russo in.
Then, his eyes met mine.
“You stay with my daughter twenty-four-seven, you hear me?” he asked.
I paused. “Yes, sir.”
“You don’t leave her side. You pack a bag, and you put it in your car. If she’s at Giana’s, you sleep there. If she’s at the estate, you park your ass on the couch. You don’t leave her side until this is all settled. Are we clear?”
I nodded slowly. “Crystal.”
“Good. Now, get me the hell out of here. I’m starving,” he said.
Ciro climbed into the passenger seat as I closed Mr. Russo’s door. I watched the SUV drive off, making sure they weren’t turning back for anything. Then, I started sprinting. I ran around the building, darting down the alleyways until my own SUV finally came into view. And there she sat, staring out the window. With her face pale and her eyes dead and her body defeated.
She looked like she’d seen a ghost.
I walked up to the car and slipped in, expecting her to ask me what happened. But, she didn’t. And I didn’t offer up any information. Something in the pit of my gut told me I couldn't tell her what just happened anyway, especially for her safety. Which meant the less she knew, the better. I backed the SUV down the alleyway, pulling out onto a back road before navigating to the main road that sliced through the part of the city we were in.
Then, Alianna spoke.
“Well, Dad must’ve not had questions if you’re still alive,” she said.
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“He wasn’t abducted or being held captive, was he?”
I shook my head again. “Not at all.”
She snickered. “Let me guess. Some super-secret private meeting?”
“One I can’t talk about.”
“Figures,” she murmured.
“But, it’s serious. He tasked me with watching you twenty-four-seven. He actually wants me to pack a bag and keep it in my SUV so I can be wherever you are.”
I saw her grinning out of the corner of my eye as the deadpan look on her face slowly lifted.
“Well, I suppose there are worse things,” Alianna said.
“I suppose there are,” I said, smiling.
“Is my father safe?”
I paused. “Depends on how you define ‘safe’. But, he’s alive. And relatively unharmed.”
“Relatively?”
“He’s got a gash in his forehead. Don’t worry, it’s been cleaned up. No stitches, but I have a feeling he’s bruised in his ribs, too. He’s walking pretty gingerly.”
“Anything else?” she asked.
“Not that I could assess. He’s headed back to the restaurant. Says they snagged him before he got a chance to eat.”
She giggled softly. “Of course, thinking with his stomach at a time like this.”
“I need to go back to my place and pack a bag. Then, I’ll take you back to the estate.”
“Actually, I’m heading to Giana’s. If you don’t mind.”
I paused. “Are you sure about that? You’d be safer at the estate. And I’m sure your mother’s worried sick about you at this point.”
“I already talked with my mother. She wasn’t the least bit concerned about where I was. Mostly, because Giana already covered for me.”
“Wait, what?”
“Mhm. Mom called her up to ask if I was with her, and Giana said ‘yes’.”
“Does she do this a lot with your parents?” I asked.
“It’s a habit of hers, yes. We’ve done it a few times whenever I’ve been out at parties or generally doing things on campus I shouldn't have been doing at the time. It doesn’t happen much now, but every once in a while Giana’s my cover when I need her to be.”
“Well, I suppose we got lucky this time, then.”
“Mhm. And honestly? I don’t feel like being around my mother right now. She’s relentless whenever my father isn’t around to defend my side. On anything, really. I’ve already cleared it with Giana, too. I’m going to spend the night there tonight and I’ll see her in the morning,” she said.
“In the morning?” I asked.
“She’s working at the hospital tonight. She’s a nurse, and she got called in.”
“I take it you have a key for this place.”
“I do,” she added seductively.
I shrugged. “Then, to Giana’s, it is.”
I made my way back to my apartment and brought Alianna up with me long enough to throw some things into a bag. A few changes of clothing, all of them professional. One of my suits, just in case anything formal came up. Some pajama pants. A couple pairs of jeans. Some button-downs. Then, my toiletries. I stuffed them all into the suitcase before zipping it up, then hauled it back down to the car.
And after tossing it in the trunk, the two of us climbed back into the car.
“All right. Do you need a change of clothes from--?”
“I’ve got some clothes at Giana’s already,” she said.
“I don’t know why that shocks me. Where to?” I asked.
Alianna snickered as she handed out directions to Giana’s place. Furiously texting on her phone, her fingers flew at lightning speed. And I knew she had some sort of plan rushing through her head. Part of me hoped she wanted to capitalize on the alone time. However, part of me wanted to play it safe. Keep things at a distance between us before Mr. Russo did start suspecting something.
Something told me I wouldn't be able to do that, though.
After a certain point, the place came back to me. Where it was situated. Which apartment complex it was. Alianna stopped handing out directions and started texting more. Faster. And I found myself peeking over to see who she was talking with. We pulled into the parking garage and pulled into one of the guest spaces, shutting the SUV down so we could get out.
Then, and only then, did she stop texting.
After a short elevator ride and a walk down a long hallway, Alianna stopped in front of a door. She pulled out her keys from her purse and flipped to a bright pink one, then slid it into the lock. With a flip, the door was open, and I wondered how much security this place actually had.
But, the view from Giana’s condo soon took my attention.
“It’s gorgeous, right?” Alianna asked.
I walked into the large condominium and started out through the buildings of Manhattan. Watching the cars rush up and down the road as the sun beamed proudly through the buildings. It was something from a picture. Or a painting. Or a movie.
I set my suitcase down before I turned to face Alianna, taking in the rest of this place.
“This is one of the small ones, too. The one I looked at is two floors above us, and it’s twice the size of this one,” she said.
“It’s nice,” I said.
And ‘nice’ was an understatement.
The place had waxed hardwood floors. White-washed walls. Floor-to-ceiling tinted windows with a gorgeous view of the city. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a massive living room, and a full kitchen with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. Both bathrooms were outfitted with a jetted tub and a massive shower, with a small area off the third room for a small washer and dryer set.
“This place is great,” I said.
“I love staying here. It’s why I’m glad Giana never minds when I crash,” Alianna said.
“And you’re sure you don’t want to go home right now?”
“Trust me, home with nothing but my mother after something like this is worse than the bowels of Hell.”
“I’ll take your word for it, then.”
“So, is this the part where I ask about how the meeting went and you tell me you can’t talk about it?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yep. I suppose that’s this part.”
“And there’s nothing I can do to convince you to tell me even the slightest bit of it?”
“Nope. Not at all.”
She paused. “Are you sure?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Now, I’m curious as to what that means.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, everyone has their currency.”
“There isn’t anything that could make me put you in jeopardy. At all.”
“That bad, huh?” she asked.
“Worse than you realize,” I said.
She sighed. “Is Dad okay?”
“He’s got a lot to take care of. But, he's fine,” I said.
I saw Alianna’s disappointment wash over her face and it ached my gut. I wanted to tell her what was going on. I knew I needed to, if I wanted us to become stronger as a… well, whatever it was we were. Plus, we’d need to be stronger once people found out about our little tryst. Because things like that always bubbled to the surface eventually. But, I also didn’t want to put her in unnecessary danger.
I’d take a bullet to the head from Mr. Russo any day if it meant protecting her.
“So, what do you want for dinner?” Alianna asked.
I grinned. “You a fan of Indian?”
“As long as it isn’t too spicy.”
“Fair enough. I’ve got a great place that I’m pretty sure will deliver here. You up for a lazy night in?”
“So long as you’re here with me, I’m up for anything,” she said, smiling.
And her words warmed my heart as it leapt against my chest.
17
Alianna
While Luca put the order in for food, I decided to make myself comfortable. I walked into Giana’s bedroom, pulling out the bottom dresser drawer she kept empty for me to put some things in. I pulled out one of my nightgowns. The burnt orange one with the matching silken robe. I stripped myself down, then folded up my outfit and sat it in a chair in the corner. The fabric felt like cool water against my skin. It was soft, delicate, and it trickled over my skin all the way down to my toes. I wrapped the robe around me and took down my hair, fluffing it out over my shoulders.
I even washed my face, removing all the makeup from it before I emerged.
Usually, I didn’t let a man I was with see me without a full face of makeup. But, there was something about Luca that made me feel comfortable with it. I walked over and sat on the couch, watching the sun slowly crest in the sky. It was nearing dinner time. Even though it only felt like the morning still. The day had flown by, and before I’d know it night would settle on top of us and beckon us to sleep.
“The food’s going to take a while. Probably an hour and a half. We hit them right at the early dinner rush, so if you’re hungry you might want to snag a snack. I’m gonna go change,” Luca said.
“All right,” I said softly.
As he retreated into the room on the opposite end of the condo, I stood from the couch. With my arms tucked over my chest, I walked up to the window. I gazed out over the city. I envied Giana. The life she got to live. She got to do what she loved, live on her own in a place that was centrally-located to all the good things in town, and she got to make her own rules for her own life. She didn’t understand how good she had it. She always looked at my life and thought it was the most amazing thing, never having to worry about money. Or working. Or bills.
She had no idea the type of prison I was living in.
My eyes danced along the skyline. I closed my eyes, dreaming of what my life would be like if I could convince my father to let me buy that condo a couple floors up. Waking up to this view. Taking my coffee out on that private balcony. Setting up my studio in that lofted portion, using the backdrop of New York City to create music and build my following. The idea made me smile, but the fact that I’d never have it ached my heart.
My eyes fluttered open and tears worked their way down my cheeks.
Then, my eyes fell onto Luca’s reflection.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
I quickly wiped at my tears. “I’m fine. Just worried about Dad.”
“You sure that’s what’s going on?”
“No, but I also don’t want to talk about it.”
“Fair enough,” he said.
My eyes scanned his body as he stood there, clad in nothing but pajama pants. His shirtless form called to me, his body heat unimpeded by the cloth of his clothing. He took a step toward me, his hands reaching out.
And when they fell against my hips, I instinctively leaned into him.
Resting my head against his strong chest as his heat took over my attention.
“Can I say something?” he asked.
“Of course, you can,” I whispered.
“Fuck your father.”
My eyes bulged. “What?”
“I’ve worked with him for years, and I’ll always be loyal to him. But, keeping you on the leash he’s got for you is wrong. Even I know that. You’re a grown woman with a passion, and you should have the ability to explore that passion. So, fuck your father.”
I giggled out of sheer shock. “Well, thank you. Just don’t let him hear you say that. I’m not ready for a new bodyguard yet.”
He smiled as he wrapped his arms around me. I slid my hands up and down his forearms before our fingers intertwined. He felt so good. So chiseled. So solid against my back. I closed my eyes, sighing with relief as my mind conjured yet another memory. For a split second, this place was ours. A shared space where we spent our time in between work and my recordings. He loved me, and I loved him. And together, we were carving out a life for ourselves. A life we could both be proud of that was free of my father’s expectations and chains.
The idea made me want to cry harder, though. So, I quickly opened my eyes and flipped switches.
“You feel nice,” I said softly.
“Not as nice as you do,” Luca murmured.
His nose fell to my ear, nuzzling it as I giggled softly. His hands splayed out across my stomach, dwarfing it as his lips fell to my neck. I hummed softly, feeling the warmth of the setting sun caressing my skin. He gripped my nightgown softly. He undid the bow around my waist. Soon, my robe slipped from my shoulders, and I felt his lips fall to my skin. Kissing all the way down my arm as he held my hand up, allowing me to cup his cheek once he got to the end.
I brought his cheek back to my lips and kissed his ever-growing stubble. Something he hadn’t been able to take care of in the aftermath of our whirlwind.
“You’re beautiful,” Luca murmured.
Luca: Sinful Shadows Mafia #1 Page 11