by Bethany-Kris
“You know why,” Walter hissed, his spittle flying. “Or are you too focused on your heart again, DeLuca?”
Theo’s anger flared again, but he tampered it down. It took him all of a few seconds to realize that Joel had gotten one of the strongest Outfit families aligned with him by taking out their head Capo. Dino had been the sacrifice. It wasn’t about the DeLucas being an easy target, after all. It was just about gaining more power by sacrificing one man.
“I told him to kill you instead.”
Theo grinned wickedly. “Because Dino was going to prison, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you knew with him gone and me gone, there would be no one left to fight you for the DeLuca crew.”
Walter didn’t answer.
He didn’t have to.
“Where’s your wife, anyway?” Theo asked.
Walter swallowed audibly. “Gone to Florida to visit her sister.”
Good.
Theo stepped forward, fiddling with the tip of his gun. Walter watched him all the while with a wariness in his agonized gaze. Stepping around the corner of the oak desk, Theo grabbed the heavy bronzed paper weight from the top and slammed it into Walter’s face before the man had a chance to react. Bone crunched under the force, drowning out Walter’s shriek. The old man tried fighting back, but he wasn’t any match for Theo’s younger strength.
Forcing the man to the floor, Theo grabbed Walter’s hand and wrapped it around his gun. He then turned it on Walter as he forcibly wrapped the fool’s finger around the trigger. Bloodied, broken, and looking like he’d had the hell beat out of him, Walter stared into the barrel of the gun with hazy, watery eyes. Blood dripped from his battered mouth and his face was beginning to swell.
“Go to hell, Theo,” Walter spat.
Theo laughed. “I’ve already been there for a while.”
Then he forced Walter to keep the gun steady, pointing it at his already broken face, and made the man pull the trigger. Theo took the paper weight and his gun with him when he left.
Theo tightened his leather jacket around his frame as he walked through the quiet Wicker Park neighborhood. Wicker Park was known for its artistic feel and for being one of the safer parts of Chicago. He kept his head down low as he strolled through the streets, not wanting to draw attention to himself by someone who might recognize his face.
It wouldn’t be unusual for him to be in Wicker Park. The Outfit was everywhere, not just in Melrose. Everyone had business with someone else. Theo’s reasons for being there could be excused if needed.
Coming up to the playground where children, bundled up warm in the early December air, played and squealed happily, Theo leaned against a bright green metal fence and watched. Theo wished he could remember a time when his childhood wasn’t tainted by one thing or another. His parents’ murders were always forefront, but he’d conceded his feelings on that long ago knowing his father had turned on the Outfit.
The death was justified.
Move on.
Theo preferred being in open spaces and the outside usually gave him the freedom he craved. Outside, he could think of Dino and not be bombarded by his unshakeable guilt at never seeing his brother clearly enough. Or for not giving Dino the confirmation that he cared, that Theo knew what it felt like to keep secrets, and that he was sorry his loyalties had been given to the wrong people.
People like Ben DeLuca and Joel Trentini.
Dino worked hard when he was alive to keep his siblings safe. Sometimes, that included sending Lily away so she didn’t have to experience the things her brothers sometimes did growing up in Ben DeLuca’s home. Thinking about that time, when he was on the cusp of being a teenager growing into a man, was hard for Theo.
Ben had been a cold, hard man. He’d favored locking his nephews, no matter their ages, into small, dark places after they were beaten by a few of his favored men. He’d turned the DeLuca brothers into molds of himself and never batted an eye. His uncle had rarely spoke of his past actions, either.
While Theo could push it out of his mind if he wanted, he knew Dino had often suffered aftereffects of the abuse. Like being anxious in small spaces or needing to work himself to death before he could fall asleep at night, because the darkness would creep into his mind and wouldn’t let go.
Never tell Lily.
That was Dino’s only demand. Theo understood why as he felt the same way. Lily had been protected from that, and when Dino had enough control of his own, he’d started fighting back until Ben backed off. Theo was at a point then where he blamed his older brother, but at the same time, he felt like he owed his uncle something.
Wrong.
So, so foul.
Sighing, Theo watched the children. Silently, a familiar woman bundled up in a bright red jacket saddled up beside Theo. She leaned against the fence like he was, keeping her eye on a particular blond-haired, brown-eyed boy trying to crawl over the top of the monkey bars.
“He’s a dare devil,” she said, laughing softly.
Theo watched her from the corner of his eye. In her early thirties at least, she was pretty featured with soft lines and an honest smile. Her eyes lit up when she laughed and a special glimmer seemed to form whenever she watched the little boy.
Maybe he understood then … Maybe Theo got it then how his brother had fallen in love with a woman and wanted to keep her safe from their life and the Outfit.
She wasn’t like them.
“Careful, J!” she shouted as the boy nearly tumbled off the monkey bars.
J.
For Junior. Dino Junior, actually.
Theo hadn’t known about the boy until a few months ago when he’d stumbled on some paperwork in his brother’s office after Lily had come home. Dino tried to brush it off, but Theo wouldn’t relent.
“Oh, my God, he’s going to fall,” Karen grumbled.
“He’ll be okay,” Theo said, as his nephew scrambled even faster across the bars.
“Oh, you think?”
“Sure. He’s a DeLuca. We’re tough as steel inside and out.”
Karen smiled. “Maybe.”
“The accounts are all signed over for him,” Theo said.
“Yeah?”
“Sure. Just go have a chat with the lawyer we talked about and he’ll give you access to the banks and accounts. I sold out a few of the business, too, because I don’t need them. It was all liquidated and added to the pool. You can do whatever you want with it for him. Get out of this fucking city, even. That’s what I’d do.”
Karen scoffed. “I don’t want to leave, Theo. This is my home, too. Even if he’s not here anymore.”
“Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked.
“Everyday.”
“Do you feel like his secret?”
“Like a dirty one?” she asked quietly.
Theo shrugged. “I guess. You said it, not me.”
“No, I didn’t feel like his secret.”
“That’s it?”
Karen sighed. “That’s it, Theo.”
The paperweight in his pocket drew his attention for a moment. Tugging the heavy bronzed piece out, he set it on the edge of the fence. He’d cleaned the blood off it the night before after he arrived home. It took Theo a while to settle everything he now knew.
He needed a new plan.
Something else.
Riley wasn’t necessarily all at fault, but he wasn’t innocent in a lot of things, either. As far as Joel went, Theo had to be careful. He’d get out of killing Walter easily, but the new underboss of the family wasn’t going to be the same.
That could cost Theo his life.
His nephew had already lost one man.
“What is that?” Karen asked, looking over the paperweight.
Theo smirked. “A gift.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Keep it.”
Theo thought it appropriate his brother’s lover have some sort of souvenir for the deaths of at least one of the bastards who’d taken Dino. Walter
Artino might not have set or ordered the bomb on Dino’s car, but he knew about it. That was enough.
Morbid? Maybe. Karen didn’t know the difference, but it made Theo feel better.
Karen shook her head. “You’re so strange sometimes, Theo.”
“I’m aware.”
“Say hello to J before you go. He asked about you this week.”
An ache started in Theo’s chest. He was still trying to settle his feelings. He didn’t think he could sit with his nephew and talk. The coldness felt better than hurting.
“Not today,” Theo said, backing away from the fence.
Karen didn’t push him for more.
“Next week same time?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Without a goodbye, Theo started his stroll back down the quiet streets until he was far from the park and lost in the people beginning to flood the streets. Wanting coffee before he walked another twenty minutes to where he’d parked his Stingray, Theo slipped inside the first coffee shop he came to.
And walked straight into Evelina Conti.
CHAPTER FOUR
Evelina cursed under her breath when she rammed into the hard body of a man. Her chai latte went flying from her hand, splashing all over his leather jacket and up his neck and cheek. Embarrassment filled Evelina to the brim.
“Oh, my God. I’m so sorry,” Evelina said, refusing to look the frozen stranger in the eye. She used the napkins she’d taken to wrap her hot drink in to wipe at the mess on his jacket. “Sorry, so—”
“Stop.”
The familiar voice sent a shiver running down Evelina’s spine. She glanced up only to find Theo DeLuca’s brown eyes staring right back into hers.
“Theo.”
“Eve.”
“I made a mess of your jacket.”
Hello, Captain Obvious.
Theo cleared his throat and wiped at his cheek. “There’s frothy shit on my face.”
“It’s a latte, so there’s supposed to be froth on the top.”
“Mmhmm.” Theo’s posture was rigid, like someone had shoved a metal rod up his spine. Even his stare seemed disinterested and detached. Evelina couldn’t remember this man ever being so distant and cold. “Well, I don’t think it’s supposed to end up on someone’s coat and face, Eve.”
“Sorry,” she muttered, her cheeks turning red all over again. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“So you’re clumsy.”
“No, I just—”
“Clumsy,” Theo repeated, his tone darkening as he cocked a brow.
Evelina felt her hackles rise to the occasion. What was it about this man that got her defensive, edgy and willing to battle it out every time he opened his sexy mouth?
“I am not. I have a lot on my mind and was checking my phone in case Alessa needed something,” Evelina said heatedly.
“Alessa has a sister.”
“And a useless prick for a brother. What is your point?”
Theo’s expression didn’t waver, but something unknown flashed in his eyes. “That we can both agree on.”
Glancing around, she noticed that people were standing behind them, waiting to get out of the café as they were blocking the door. Two more people stood outside the door behind Theo, wanting to get in.
“We should move.”
Theo didn’t budge. “Why?”
“We’re in the way.”
“You know, this would be the perfect time to make up for never calling me back, princess.”
Evelina pursed her lips and forced back the irritation. “Are you ever going to stop calling me that?”
“If the title fits …”
“And what is yours? Asshole?”
Theo frowned. “Ouch. My ego.”
“I doubt it even felt a thing.”
“You don’t know that. Maybe I’ll go home and cry my damn eyes out tonight because you called me names.”
Evelina didn’t like that Theo almost seemed to be joking with her, never mind the impatient people who were beginning to make noise behind them.
“If that were the case, I’d think you’re a terribly sensitive man in the wrong kind of business,” Evelina said.
Theo chuckled. “And what kind of business is that?”
“Uh …”
Public, she reminded herself silently. We don’t talk about family business in public.
“Eve?”
“The different kind.”
Theo hummed under his breath. “Good save.”
“I try.”
“Let me buy you a coffee,” Theo said.
“I don’t drink regular coffee.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I can handle watching you lick froth off the rim of a cup while I’m still wearing the last bit you spilled.”
What was that supposed to mean?
Oh.
Oh.
Like maybe he wanted to see her licking froth off him.
Sweet Jesus.
This man was such a mind fuck. One minute, he seemed like he didn’t give a damn if she was alive or dead. The next, he was doing a complete one-eighty. Strangely, the distant attitude he sported was still firmly in place. If it wasn’t for his suggestive words, she wouldn’t know if he wanted her to disappear or get on her knees and open her mouth.
The visual of her on her knees, sucking Theo off, was dark and heady. It followed right behind her thoughts, making an ache start up between her thighs. She needed to get as far away from those thoughts as fast as she possibly could.
Trouble.
Theo screamed it all over.
Evelina’s throat constricted heavily with a sudden rush of desire as Theo looked her black wool dress and high boots over.
“Your father still out of town?” he asked.
“Yes, thankfully.”
Theo nodded. “Are you still staying with Adriano?”
“Yep.”
“There, the small talk thing is done. I was polite, appropriate—”
“What is your definition of appropriate?”
“—and I didn’t try to kill you,” Theo finished with a smirk.
Evelina sighed. “You don’t frighten me, Theo.”
Not in the way he might think he did, anyway.
“It’s not me you have to worry about. No frothy drink, Eve.”
Somehow, she managed to say, “Coffee it is.”
Evelina held onto her hot mug of coffee as Theo slid into the small booth across the table. He’d taken off his jacket and cleaned what mess he could from his face and neck. At least her chai latte hadn’t ruined his silk dress shirt.
Without the jacket, Evelina had the perfect view of Theo’s muscular chest moving under his shirt. The fabric stretched across his pecs with every movement, and she was positive there was a ring in his right nipple. The top of whatever tattoo he had inked on his lower neck peeked out as he adjusted his frame on the bench seat and picked up his coffee to take a drink.
With a dry mouth, Evelina glanced away. She took a drink of her own black coffee, wanting to get away from those thoughts. The coffee was terrible and she cringed.
Theo chuckled. “That bad, huh?”
“It’s not bad,” she tried to lie.
Theo arched a brow high and took a sip of his own coffee. With just that single look alone, Evelina caved.
“Yeah, it’s terrible.”
“Thought so.”
Theo grinned and just like that, his hardened features softened in his amusement. The grin on his face faded fast, but it had been there nonetheless. She saw it. It reminded Evelina of a time when the DeLuca principe hadn’t always been so serious and stoic.
It wasn’t all that long ago, Evelina thought.
But it felt like decades.
“I see you’re still wearing that tiara,” Theo said quietly.
“You just had to go and ruin it, didn’t you?”
Theo didn’t even blink. “Ruin what?”
“You smiled. You were being nice. And then you ha
d to go and ruin it with all that princess nonsense again.”
“Wrong,” Theo said.
“I am not.”
“Boy, you really like to argue, don’t you? I’m not one for the combative types, but it’s pretty interesting whenever your hackles get rattled and you get all huffy.”
Evelina stiffened in the booth. “Actually, no. I don’t like to argue.”
“Funny, you turn into a pretty little cactus whenever I come around.”
She heard pretty and cactus.
But mostly, she heard pretty.
Goddamn him.
“Maybe that’s because you like to tease me, Theo. I’m not a little kid and neither are you. Stop with the teasing.”
Theo shrugged and set his cup to the table. “It’s not teasing, Eve. I was just saying that any normal person would tell someone they didn’t like the drink. They wouldn’t try to lie or hide it for the other person’s benefit. They’d just politely say it wasn’t their kind of thing. You get what I’m saying?”
“You told me no froth, Theo.”
“You’re missing the point, Eve.”
Evelina crossed her arms, going on the defensive again. “So enlighten me.”
“That princess crap, it’s like a habit you can’t break. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with some of it, but most times, it’s not to your benefit. What were you always told growing up? Be quiet, stay in the corner, look pretty, and never offend or bring shame to the family. It’s a goddamn cup of coffee, Evelina.”
She liked the way her full name rolled off his tongue.
Not Eve.
Not Conti.
Not princess.
Evelina.
“It is just a coffee,” Evelina agreed, feeling warier than ever.
“Tell me you don’t like it.”
“I did.”
“Tell me again,” Theo demanded.
What game was he trying to play with her?
“I don’t like the coffee, Theo.”
Without a word, he grabbed her steaming mug and pulled it across the table. Theo then picked out a couple of packs of sugar from the glass dish in the middle and three creamers in the small bowl. Evelina watched him curiously as he ripped the packets of sugar open one by one and poured them in slowly, followed by the three creamers. All the while, Theo kept his stare firmly leveled on her under his hooded lids.