“Adriano, we need to make two stops to pick up money.” James shows Adriano the addresses on his phone.
CHAPTER 31
Fallon
All I can do is lie in this bed and go over last night and the last few months with Luca. If I hadn’t gone through that alley. If I had just stayed at the venue. If I had listened to my instincts from the start, I wouldn’t be in this situation. If I had just called the police with the phone. If, if, if…
Deep down, not even deep down, I knew something was wrong from the start. His vague business trips, the different phones, the priest, his hot and cold demeanor at times. I freaking knew this was not good, but I let my physical attraction to him win over my common sense. Why have I been so reckless? I curl into myself. I couldn’t have ever imagined he would be a part of the Mafia. Does he kill people?
I want to believe he won’t hurt me, but this is a world I don’t know. How does he function as the underboss? What does it mean to work in the underworld? Drugs, human trafficking, murder? Have I been blinded by love for this entire time? He deceived me, but I allowed him to feed me lie after lie and ate it up. His intensity shone through the first time I met him. The darkness shining behind his façade is of a corrupted man, but this corrupted man has a gentle side that I fell in love with. I didn’t fall for the man I thought I knew. I fell in love with a façade.
I need to focus and get out of here. I keep repeating those words when my mind wanders to ‘what if’s.’ Denying my tears for now, I angrily wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, grimacing when I rub the bruise under my eye too roughly. I sit up, alarmed, when I hear a key turning in the door.
A tall, young woman with an auburn bob walks in holding a tray of food. She smiles at me shyly as she sets down the tray on the nightstand, and she flinches slightly when she sees the bruise on my face. “Are you okay?” She makes an effort to close the distance between us before she stops her movement.
Another woman is here? Do I take the risk of asking for her help? The risk being she could tell Luca or someone else in this house and create bigger problems for me. Of course I take the risk. “Who are you?” I get up and stand before her so she can clearly see I’ve been beaten. “You have to help me get out of here.”
Shock is all I’m getting in return. “Did one of them hurt you?”
Who are them? Luca and James? The other men who brought me here? “Yes. A blond guy and one with brown hair kidnapped me yesterday.”
Her perfectly-shaped brows wrinkle in thought while she eyes me. “What’s your name?”
“Fallon.”
“Luca’s girlfriend?”
Who the hell is this? I thought Luca said nobody could find out I’m with him. More lies from Luca, perhaps? “Yes. Who are you?”
“Camilla. You’re here for your own safety.” She waves to the tray. “I brought you drinks, a chicken salad, and a croissant.”
I don’t want any food! “Look at me.” I point to my bruise and battered knees. “I’m not here of my own free will. They took me last night and the blond man tried to rape me.”
Camilla gasps and shoots me a disbelieving look.
What did Luca say this place was? Headquarters? Is she staff or something? She can’t be part of the Syndicate with that reaction. “Are you part of the Syndicate?”
Legitimate confusion marks her reaction. “Syndicate?”
She’s apparently not part of the Syndicate. “Listen to me. What do you do here? They kidnapped me; if you don’t help me, you’ll be an accomplice. I was assaulted last night.”
“Adriano would never allow that,” she refutes.
Adriano? Why would she mention Adriano? “Are you Adriano’s girlfriend?”
A sadness glimmers behind her eyes. There’s evidently some history there. “No,” she resolutely answers. “I work here. I’m told you’re here for your own safety—”
“That’s not true! They took me.”
“But you are Luca’s girlfriend?”
I sigh heavily. “Yes. But look at me. Look at my appearance. You must know something shady is going on here.”
Camilla snorts. Maybe she does know more about this Syndicate. “I see that.” She turns away from me and palms her head. After a stretch of silence that feels like forever to me because Luca can come through that door at any moment and ruin my chances of persuading Camilla to help me, she edges back to me and whispers, “These are dangerous men. Don’t talk too loud; someone’s manning the front the door.”
I nod my head.
“I work here. There’s a small bar downstairs. I’ve never discovered anyone being held captive here and was only asked to give you your food. This…I don’t know what to do. Do Adriano and Luca know what happened last night?”
“Yes, they know,” I retort hurriedly.
She steps back and just stares me down. Suddenly, she spins around and is out the door.
When I try to open the door, it’s already locked. I slam my hand against it in frustration because I don’t think I’ve gotten through to her. Marching to the night stand, I grab the food tray and fling it against the door in defeat.
All I want is to go back to the safety of my own home. Too many confusing thoughts are crowding my mind. Do I trust Luca? I can’t take that risk again, but - for now - he might be my only option for getting out.
CHAPTER 32
Luca
As soon as we arrive back at the house that evening, I sprint to the second floor with Adriano to find Camilla behind the bar. She’s visibly upset. Not bothering to sit, I immediately ask, “How did it go with Fallon?”
Camilla cuts her eyes from me to Adriano and back. “She’s hurt.”
“What did she say to you? Did she ask for help?” I’m almost positive that Fallon must’ve asked for help. Camilla’s answer will let me know if Fallon has gotten to her. Camilla knows insignificant matters of our business. She’s never been involved in any activity until today, which will reveal a great deal of our Mafia business once Camilla starts connecting the dots.
“No,” she counters resolutely.
I signal to Adriano to walk me out, and as he falls into step beside me, I share my thoughts. “There’s a very small chance that Fallon did not ask for help, but I can’t imagine Fallon not acting on her first instinct to escape. Talk to Camilla.”
I continue on to my private room where Damian’s outside my room sitting in a chair.
“Did she eat?” I ask.
“No. She had a tantrum, threw all the food around the room. At least it was all wrapped in paper and plastic,” he jokes.
I scowl at him.
“I didn’t do anything. Camilla asked her if she wanted a drink or anything to eat.”
“You can go.”
He hands me my room key. Unlocking the door, I see Fallon lying on her stomach on the bed. Her favorite position to sleep is lying on her stomach. I take the chair into the room and place it at the window, facing the bed.
After I check her face, I let my fingertips trail over the slant of her neck and back. The swelling has subsided and seeing that she’s lying with her knees touching the bed, the scrapes must hurt her less too. Dancing my fingers over the soft skin down the small of her back, I can’t contain myself and bend forward to place a kiss above her behind and rest my forehead on her lush body. Tightly shutting my eyes, I whisper her name in the dark to nobody, “Fallon.” And I palm her ass softly. Having her this close and yet so far is conflicting. I’m too fucking conflicted most of the time when it comes to her. Her association with me has changed her life and will affect her future. She offered me love, and I gave her hurt and danger in return.
When she suddenly stirs lightly under my hand and I hear the tiniest, gentlest moan from her lips, all the blood rushes from my brain. As much as I want to fuck her, I know chances she’ll slap me are higher. “Fuck,” I mutter harshly.
I can’t take her home now. She’s in more danger at home because Leggia’s started the war.
&nb
sp; I strip out of my clothes quietly and slide into the chair. My hands rake through my hair to temper my outrage over Leggia’s proposal. My new plan with Fallon is full disclosure. I’ll fill her in on everything tomorrow. Everything. She has to know how much danger she’s in, or else she’ll never agree to stay here, but I won’t pose it as a question. If she knows she can leave, she will take that option. Leggia’s a great threat to us, and I don’t know what James will decide regarding the trade.
Fallon’s eyes slowly open and they land directly on me while she sits up. I see that she looks much better than this morning - the swelling under her eyes has lessened, but she has a faraway look. “I read once that the first twenty-four hours of being kidnapped are crucial. Most people who aren’t found in those first twenty-four hours are never found.” She lies back down. “My twenty-four hours are up.” Her head falls to the side on the pillow, glaring at me with bleak eyes.
“I’m trying my best to protect you.”
“Then explain it to me, Luca. I think you owe me that. All you’re doing now is scaring me by leaving me in the dark.”
She’s desperately trying to find a way out of here. She was lethargic this morning and was angry later this afternoon. Silence is all I can give her now because I have no plan at this moment. The emotional turmoil in her lithe frame is shining through her eyes.
Fallon gets up and removes her shirt and boxer briefs in front of me.
My hand shoots out to touch her soft skin.
She crawls onto my lap and straddles me. Is she going to seduce me in the hopes that I will release her?
I place my hands on the armrests and clutch them tightly because I want to touch her instead.
“You love me, Luca.” Not a question but a statement. She rubs herself over my boxers while streaming her nails up my chest, over my shoulders, and down my arms as she rotates her hips and moans quietly.
I’m hardening underneath her and hold in a deep growl while our eyes are steadfastly fixed on each other.
Which one of us will end this game first?
Fallon pries my fingers loose from the chair and places my hands over her rounded breasts. I grip their softness and leave a wet trail with my tongue over one without losing eye contact.
She exposes my already raging hard-on and grinds her wetness all over me.
Fuck. I want to lose myself in her warmth.
I squeeze her breasts hard as I watch her sliding over me. But when I look up, I’m confronted with our situation and bitterly thrown out of my need to fuck her. Her eyes aren’t filled with lust; she’s staring at me with a calculated look.
What was her intention? Did she even have a plan?
I cup her ass and rise quickly while her arms drape around my neck and fall back on the bed as I push us into the mattress. I widen my legs, forcing her knees apart further and growl while pushing against her. With my elbow on the bed, my left hand rests next to her head, I skim my right hand over her knee, slowly up the inside of her thigh until the tip of my thumb flicks her core. I take her chin between my fingers and thumb, and I tug her head to have her eyes on me. She wants me to fuck her so she can hate me. I capture her lips with mine, prodding my tongue between her parted lips while panting furiously.
Fallon’s calculating look has been replaced by anxiety.
I pull back an inch, keeping us face-to-face. “I do love you. I’m risking everything to keep you safe. You just want to validate that all I want is to hurt you. You want a good reason to end this relationship when all is said and done. I’m not like that guy who forced himself on you yesterday.”
“You’re not? What is he? Isn’t he one of your men?” she spits.
“He was,” I explain.
Her eyes turn to slits.
“Did you think I would allow someone like that in our Syndicate? You know nothing of us. And you don’t know me at all if you think I would accept someone coercing himself on a woman, let alone you.” I pause. “He’s been taking care of.”
“What does that mean?”
“He isn’t among us anymore,” I confess. Appalled and stupefied, she goes still underneath me. I swear I saw a flicker of satisfaction cross her face. She understands that I mean we killed him. “You don’t look saddened by that. As long as we only kill bad men, it’s fine?”
“He tried to rape me,” she cries and stops sharply after her reaction sets in. Fallon didn’t deny my question. Softly, she adds, “You killed him?”
Point made. “You are the one who will regret it in the morning if we fuck, and I won’t do that to you.”
I get off of Fallon to lie beside her and adjust my boxers. After a few minutes, she turns on her side with her back to me. I move in behind her and let my hand rest on her stomach, pulling her to me - my favorite position. She makes an effort to push me away, but I hold on to her firmly.
I barely sleep for the second night in a row.
CHAPTER 33
Fallon
A ray of sunlight illuminates the room. I’ve been awake for hours. So has Luca. Tomorrow is Monday. If I’m not at work, people will start to ask questions.
He’s right. I wanted him to be forceful so I could hate him. My mind is angry, but my heart still loves him. My body still wants him. I don’t hate him. I hate that I felt relieved after hearing that blond guy has been taken care of. I hate that in my confused state I mistakenly thought I could seduce him into letting me go. The sheer fear I felt that first night has been quelled by Luca’s presence. There’s something much bigger going on. I’ve known it for weeks, but I didn’t listen to my gut instinct.
Luca sits on the edge of the bed, his head resting in his hands. “I’m going to tell you everything. You need to listen and understand what I’ve been doing and why it’s important for you to stay here with me.”
I sit up too and clutch the sheet over my naked body.
Luca sighs. “You have to listen to me, okay?”
I don’t think I have a choice. “Okay.”
Luca swirls his body to me. I’m in the middle of the bed and he’s on the edge opposite me. “Danny used to work for me.”
My ex-boyfriend? “Danny Mancuso?”
“Yes.” Luca swallows heavily.
“For the Syndicate or your company?”
“The Syndicate.”
“Danny was our hacker. He betrayed us and has been hiding for months. I have been looking for him ever since. I found out he was hiding in The Loop. A quick search showed me his only connection there was his ex-girlfriend: you.”
This revelation has me gaping at him in bewilderment. I know Danny’s a hacker. “Wait, you planned to meet me?”
“No, let me finish, then you can ask all your questions,” Luca says as he holds up one hand. “I was following you that night into the club. I was not supposed make contact, but you literally made contact with me. I wanted you from the moment I saw you in the club, Fallon.” He scoots a little closer.
I’m too shaken to move. He has been lying from the start about everything. A horrible feeling of being punched in the stomach overwhelms me.
“On our first date, I saw that he tried to call you. Your phone rang when we were talking.”
I’m searching my mind about our first date. “When did he call? When we were at the restaurant?” My brows furrow in thought.
“No, our first date was the first time I met you in the coffee shop,” he explains.
He sees that as our first date? Danny did call me. I never called him back. “So you followed me to the coffee shop as well? It wasn’t a coincidence when we met there?”
“Yes, I followed you. I knew your routine. I knew I could find you there in the mornings. After that first time, I knew you would be of no help in finding Danny, but I was attracted to you. I didn’t want to walk away when I met you. I fell in love with you, Fallon. However, a hacker betraying us is a serious crime in my world. I needed to keep you safe, and you being linked to me would put you in danger. One of the other bosses has been o
ut to get James and me. He had a guard following me when you were with me. Sometimes I’ve had someone watching over you to make sure you were safe when I wasn’t with you. This other boss, Leggia, has been waiting for the opportunity to use you against me.”
I’m silent as my gaze bores into him. As if my life is ending, every piece of information flies through my mind. Because he was looking for Danny, he met me. He’s an underboss of a powerful and influential Syndicate - they must be powerful because they’re functioning completely under the radar. He sells drugs, kills people, and deliberately kept his criminal life a secret by stacking lie upon lie while letting us grow closer.
What have I gotten myself into by getting involved with this guy?
“At Lake Forest…” He pauses to meet my eyes. “There was a guy following you. It was Leggia’s man. He has also been taken care of. The priest - I know you saw me with him. The priest is Leggia’s priest. I’ve been gathering information on him to make Leggia back off.”
I was followed and didn’t even realize how much danger I was in. And he knew all along I spotted him at the church? All the pieces are starting to fall perfectly into place. “That’s why you called that day and showed up at my apartment.”
“Yes, I was expecting you to start questioning me about the priest. You didn’t ask, though. And I didn’t know how to react in that moment. You have been slipping away from me for weeks, Fallon. I’ve felt the disconnect between us.”
“I felt like you were slipping away from me.” My accusing glare targeted on him. “But I never had you to begin with.”
“That’s not true.” He waves his hands around. “This doesn’t define me. I’m still the Luca you fell in love with.”
“How can you say that? Of course this all defines you. Do you even realize how differently you think from other, mundane people? No. Yesterday you just pragmatically confessed you killed another person. All you know is Syndicate life. I’m not used to being around people who kill, for god’s sake! I’ve never been subjected to criminals or any criminal activity. I’m a simple girl who never thought she would become mixed up in this…this mess. You have no idea how it all affects me. You live in a completely different world than I do. People are dispensable in your world of violence. A world outside the law.”
For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate) Page 19