Adriano & Cam

by Soraya Naomi

  “Why?”

  “The CIA can’t do it.”

  “Again, why?”

  “We don’t have a hacker intelligent enough to encrypt all the data retrieved from Medlov. You’re not working on the state level anymore, Mr. Wade. We’re talking about the peace between countries.”

  Her story is confusing me. “Why would I get involved in something on that level?”

  “Because no one else can make the charges against Adriano Montesi disappear.”

  “And you can?”

  “Well, I personally can’t. But he”—she jerks her chin to the door, and the fucking president of the United States enters—“can.”

  “Mr. Wade.” He offers me his hand, and I shake it.

  “Mr. President,” I say, utterly caught off guard by his presence.

  “I’ll cut to the chase. I have a human trafficking issue that’s exploded, and it originated in the Loop when Yakiv Medlov’s sex business was dissolved by the FBI. In and of itself, that’s not a problem, but he used predominantly Russian girls as slaves, and I have been denying all reports of this rumor to the Russian president. This is a major disturbance in my peace treaty with Russia. If the Russian president finds out that we did have kidnapped Russian girls here, an international war will be looming. I want Medlov and those girls to vanish without a trace. I can’t ask the FBI because of their dead agent, Santino, and the CIA is filled with clients of the sex club who want to protect Medlov, including Cooper Sanders. So that leaves me with limited choices. However, the Syndicate can help me because I need the most discreet men. It took the Secret Service a long time to learn who you are and what you do, and there still isn’t a trace of information to be found about Adriano Montesi or Luca DeMiliano. This tells me how inconspicuously and intelligently the Syndicate’s organization is run. You’re shadows, powerful in all of Chicago, but no one, yet everyone, knows.” He moves to the desk, and Kaden hands him a stack of photos, which he tosses onto it, one by one. “This is the top boss, Adriano Montesi. Next, Luca DeMiliano. You’re a CIA agent who’s working undercover at the Syndicate. Although I think you’re actually working undercover for the Syndicate.”

  I don’t move a muscle and just take all of this in. This is much bigger than we suspected. Our meddling in the first place by turning Medlov over to the FBI, which ultimately got him sentenced, wasn’t supposed to happen, by orders of the president. But it did happen because of us, which the president doesn’t know, and now, this is Adriano’s ticket out of jail.

  Furthermore, this must be top priority for the president or else he wouldn’t reveal himself and his involvement. He’s taking a huge risk by meeting with me in person, which tells me that he knew we would never believe this is a presidential order unless it came directly from him.

  He continues, “The kidnapped girls are starting to talk in exchange for money. They are enemies of the state right now and are being handled accordingly. However, Medlov is still a loose end, and I don’t like that. And our hackers couldn’t encrypt his entire system, so I need the best hacker, and that’s Henry Nash, who’s also part of the Syndicate. Have Henry destroy any digital data and take care of Medlov, and I’ll ensure all the charges against the Syndicate are dropped. Any future implications will be shut down, and you’ll be protected by the U.S. government, by the most influential people in the country. I can make Montesi’s charges disappear if you make Medlov disappear. And I can’t be tied to Medlov. Break him out of jail, and let the police and the FBI search for him to no avail as not to raise suspicions with law enforcement. And I can take care of the DA right now and get you that tape, which is his only leverage against you.”

  “Why would I trust you?”

  “What would I gain by lying? If we’re partners, then I need the discretion of the Syndicate to be protected as well. Do this, and you’ll have the protection of the Secret Service for your members and their families. You’ll be untouchable.”

  “And we’ll owe you,” I point out, knowing how this works.

  “It’s mutually beneficial. We’ll be in business together, starting with this mission. But you need to decide now. Time is ticking for Adriano.” He checks his watch and walks to the door, forcing me to answer quickly.

  “Fine, but I need someone to take Adriano from the precinct and handle the DA now, before the media gets involved. If Pillon discovers he’s being cornered, he’s going to contact the press instantly.”

  “The senator will go with you. She’s mandated to overrule the DA by me. Get Adriano, and I’ll ensure everything is dropped and the DA disappears. Then you plan this very carefully. You have six months.”

  The Syndicate is on the verge of making history.

  CHAPTER 51

  Adriano

  I’m left alone in the office for almost an hour before Pillon returns with a camera and a stack of files. He systematically sets everything up while I’m forced to wait patiently since I’m out of ideas. Once he starts his interrogation, I’ll need to delay talking about the Syndicate as long as I can while Carmine tries to get me out of here. But that doesn’t prove to be necessary when Carmine barges inside without knocking, accompanied by Luca, Logan, and Senator Tara Kaden.

  I feel a slow smile pulling at my lips when Logan nods once, indicating that he has a back-up plan, so I let them do the talking.

  “Tara, what are you doing here?” Pillon snarls, crowding her, but she stands her ground as Luca and Logan flank her, sending a warning to Pillon, who then retreats. “What the fuck do you want? You’re interfering with an interrogation.”

  “No, she’s not,” Carmine replies as he fishes my pack of cigs and my gold lighter from his inside jacket pocket, tossing them to me, and I catch them in the air.

  My brother realizes that I could use a smoke right about now. Flicking open the lighter, I take a draw and chuck the lighter onto the desk.

  “There’s no need for the interrogation because there won’t be an investigation,” Kaden states as Luca’s hand moves to the back waistband of his pants and he closes the door.

  I frown and look at Logan as he addresses me, “Montesi, you’re such a lucky bastard that you brought me in.” And he turns off the camera Pillon set up.

  I take the cig between my thumb and forefinger. “It’s about fucking time luck is back in my corner.”

  “You might be able to stop me from looking into Medlov’s case, but you can’t stop me from investigating the mafia in Chicago.” Pillon’s conceited performance is wavering.

  “It’s not your jurisdiction, and you have the wrong men,” Kaden says in a controlled voice.

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” He strides to her, but Luca pushes him back with a hard shove before he gets too close to her.

  Kaden opens her black briefcase and places some papers onto the table. “Pillon, you’re ordered by the Senate to back off and sign these papers as your statement.”

  Pillon snatches the papers and reads them quickly. Then he crumples them in his hands. “T-This is from the president...No! If I sign this, you’ll kill me. Because whatever happens, you can always exonerate him and his wife with my signed confession that I was conducting a wrongful investigation into innocent entrepreneurs.”

  Oh, Logan got the president involved? What the fuck?

  I roll my neck and let the smoke billow up from my nostrils as I decide it’s time to end this charade. I’m anxious to learn what exactly our plan B is, and I want to go home. As I stand up, Luca flips off the safety of his gun and aims it at Pillon, who startles at the rising tension and cranes his neck at me. Then he flings the papers onto the floor and lunges at me, but I sidestep him, place my cigarette between my teeth, and grab his neck, swiveling him around and banging his forehead on the desk. And I grip his hair, pulling his head back as he shouts profanities at me.

  “Tara, you’re selling out your own government!” he yells at her.

  “You can call it a deal with the devil if you like,” I remark, my smoke hang
ing off my lip as Kaden witnesses the scene with detachment. “This is what’s going to happen. You’re going to let me go because you made a horrific mistake. See, I always get what I want. I’m the Syndicate; therefore, I’m untouchable. I also have a variety of plan B’s. All I want is justice for having to live in hell for four months. I’ve warned everyone, over and over, not to touch what’s mine.” I smash his face against the desk twice more, causing blood to spray from his nose. “That’s for arresting Cam. I will gladly go to the electric chair to protect my wife!” Lightning fast, I seize Pillon’s left wrist and slam it onto the desk as he sags to his knees. And I take my cig and press the burning end into his palm.

  “Noo!” he sobs as I blister a hole into his skin, and the stench of singed flesh infuses the air.

  “Sign the fucking papers,” I order through clenched teeth and release his wrist, flinging the butt aside.

  “I’m sure you have an extra copy?” Logan asks Kaden, who sets a new copy and a pen on the desk.

  “Sign it,” she repeats to Pillon, who’s crying pitifully.

  He unsteadily writes with his right hand, and Kaden slides the document off the table and into her briefcase.

  “I assume you’re going to get all copies of that tape and take care of him,” I say to her.

  “I am. Every trace of his investigation will be deleted from all records. No one will know. And you’re taking care of Medlov for me in return. Logan will fill you in. I’ll contact you tomorrow.”

  I simply shake her hand and move out hurriedly, coming across Secret Service men who are entering the precinct.

  Logan falls into step next to me.

  “What deal did you make, Logan?”

  “Our interfering is your salvation. This was bigger than we thought. Wallace had an order from the White House and screwed up due to us, but they don’t know that. We have a common enemy.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “The president himself has offered us a partnership. I believe Kaden urged him to work with us because we funded her campaign. She likes us since she’s just as ruthless as we are. We now have an ally in the most powerful man in the free world. This means that while we always said we were untouchable, we actually are untouchable now. Our mission is to break Medlov out of jail, terminate him, and erase any traces of his sex empire because the Russians, apparently, can’t find out about the girls he had working for him. We’re in the big leagues now.”

  “Are you sure this is a presidential order?” A skeptical tone lingers in my voice.

  “Yes,” he replies. “He was present at the meeting.”

  “Seriously?” I blurt, surprised, and he nods slowly. “So, luck is indeed back in my corner. While I do prefer for Medlov to rot in prison, if it will ensure my freedom and a life with Cam, I’ll gladly kill him. Well done, Logan.”

  “It won’t be easy, but this new partnership can help us in the long run,” he says around a smirk.

  “Yes, it can, and we have much planning to do, but first, I’m going home. We’ll discuss all of this tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER 52

  Camilla

  I stand under the hot stream of water in my shower. Luca left hurriedly about two hours ago, so I have no idea what the status of everything is or if a plan has been set in motion to help Adriano. Scenarios of doom attack my thoughts, but I keep methodically fighting them off like I swore I would to my husband.

  Nevertheless, for a split-second, I break down and rest my palm against the brown marble tiles on the wall as a sob leaves my lips. Then I force myself to inhale a deep breath and shake my head.

  I will stay strong and not let fear rule me. We’ve been through so much. I won’t lose faith.

  Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice calling me, and I wipe the condensation off the glass wall of the shower stall. Our master suite has an open floor plan with another glass wall that separates the bedroom from the bathroom, so I can look out into the room, and when I do, I witness Adriano wandering through the flowers with a huge smile on his face.

  I throw open the shower door, and as the hot steam vapors out, an icy rush of air sends a tremor down my spine. But I ignore it when Adriano wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest and pressing his lips to mine with an exhilarating, punishing pressure.

  “What happened?” I ask between his desperate kisses.

  “Kiss me back,” he demands, low and fierce.

  I comply because I need it as well, to feel connected to him again, even though we were only apart for a couple of hours. Though I also want answers.

  “Adriano, are we in the clear?” I place my palms flat on his dress shirt that’s now wet from my body.

  “Yes, it’s over, Cam,” he says, staring down at me. His voice is steady, his breathing harsh.

  “How?” I shiver from the cold, so he walks me backward into the stall until the water flows down my back, warming my skin. I start unbuttoning his shirt, which is now soaked, as he kicks off his shoes. “Wait, where’s Fallon?” I all of a sudden remember that she was downstairs.

  “She went home with Luca. We’re alone.” He smirks as I fumble with his pants, and he tears off his shirt.

  All his clothes fall into a puddle, and he kicks them aside. The stall has a huge, round showerhead hanging from the ceiling, and we both stand under the stream.

  “What happened?” I repeat as he secures his arms around me once again, one palm groping my ass.

  “Remember I told you about the senator whom I donated money to? The one who was Wallace’s rival?’

  “I think so.”

  “Well, I sponsored her because Logan advised me it would be wise to try to make new allies, and he was right. Because she contacted the Oval Office when a certain problem arose, and now the president has enlisted the help of the Syndicate.”

  “What?!” The word ricochets around the bathroom loudly. “The president? Of the United States?”

  “Yes, the president of the United States. He showed up at the CIA office to speak to Logan. Seems that he and I have a common enemy in Medlov, and he needs Medlov and every trace of his empire to vanish. Apparently, the CIA can’t fix that, but I, along with Henry, can. So, I guess I did twist fate in our favor without even knowing it. We’re now collaborating with the president, and I’ve gotten full immunity for both of us. We’ll never be charged, and our organization has the protection of the Secret Service, Cam. This time of chaos is finally over for us.”

  A sound rises in my chest that’s something like a sob of relief mixed with gratitude, both flooding me at once.

  Gripping the sides of his face, I ask, “Are you sure it’s over? Where’s the tape?”

  “The senator is getting that copy and all other copies, if there are any, as we speak. Meanwhile, I’ll have to think of a way to break Medlov out of jail, but that’s a concern for later that I’ll have Luca and Logan handle.”

  His eyes burn with an emotion I recognize immediately, and it sends a thrill through me.

  “Now, I need to bury my cock in your ass,” he growls around a cocky grin.

  I start to speak, but he lowers his head and silently demands that I kiss him again. At last, we embrace without any impending threats awaiting us. It’s intoxicating. It makes me tremble with desire, an almost savage feeling of wanting more of him. I press against Adriano and feel my breasts flatten against his chest, and he makes that sound deep in his throat again, a groan so heady that I tremble all over, a direct response to his tight grip and the sensual touch of his tongue. Then he bites my lip as he slides his fingers between my ass and down to my center.

  It’s time I relieve him like only I can, so I graze my nails over his compass rose tattoo and abs, stroking his hardening erection.

  We shift backward until his back hits the glass with a loud clatter, and the moment I start pumping him, our slow seduction alters into a firestorm of passion. As I drop to my knees, Adriano fists my hair, and I take him into my mouth. My fingers curl arou
nd the base as he swells inside me, and I rotate my tongue, making him hiss and yank my hair while he leans back against the glass wall. It’s wild and feral – it’s us. I lift my lashes and am met with his hungry gaze, which is focused on me while he hits the back of my throat. Whimpering, I scratch my nails up his stomach, rejoicing under his lusty stare. By simply looking at me, he can spark a flare of heat in my lower belly.

  With a rough tug, he guides me up and we switch positions so that my back hits the wall. My fingers weave into his wet hair as the steam rises up between us, and all I hear is our heavy breathing. Adriano nips his way down my body and lifts one leg, slicing his tongue over my center. And then he draws me into his mouth roughly while holding me steady. He groans as if he’s eating his favorite meal, and I grind my hips against his face, wanting more.

  “Harder,” I pant.

  And he fucks me with his tongue, alternately licking and sucking while I fist his thick hair. I’m probably ripping out some of it, but in reaction, he only groans and sucks me harder as I sag against the wet wall.

  When I glance down, he’s studying me with a naughty glow in his darkened eyes. Watching him being completely fixated on me, causes my climax to rush over me in a wave of boundless desire.

  “A-Adriano...” I whimper and thrash my head from side to side while grating against his mouth as entrancing shudders titillate every nerve ending until I collapse from my high.

  Adriano rises gracefully, all sinewed muscles and virile strength, and holds me up in his strong embrace. “I love it when you scream my name,” he mutters against my lips, letting me taste myself, and then he hooks his arm under my knee and drives inside my core.

  When I gasp, he smothers it with a firm kiss as he thrusts into me brutally, yet his occasional touch on my stomach is so gentle. The glass panel shakes as he takes me against it, kissing me while my fingers trace a symphony down his back and grasp the strong muscles of his behind. Then he pulls out, turns me around, and bends me forward, so I plant my palms against the glass. He fingers me roughly from behind before I feel him dripping something onto my ass, and I peek back at him and smile at the realization that he’s readying me. When he catches my eyes, he leans forward and drops kisses on my shoulder and lips as his hand tangles in my hair.