by Soraya Naomi
But before I fall asleep, I come to one conclusion – I refuse to go on like this. Something has to change.
CHAPTER 28
Fallon
I JERK AWAKE WHEN I hear a ping coming from the living room. Rolling to my back, I see that I’m in bed alone. I jump out and retie my white robe as I tread down the hall, the morning sunlight brightening the high walls.
When I go into the kitchen, Luca’s sipping a coffee and standing at the black granite island. His angular face that’s unshaven but neatly trimmed is impassive once again, and he’s stylishly dressed in a tailored silver-grey suit and a black dress shirt. There isn’t a dark circle to be found around his vibrant green eyes.
He pins me with an inquisitive gaze, and I tilt my head. He must know I want to finish our conversation now that he’s sober.
“Are you leaving?” Thick disbelief underlines my question.
“We’ll talk later.” Setting down his mug, he strolls across the room to the coffee table and grabs his gun to stash it in the back of his waistband.
“That’s not an answer,” I point out, fixated on his every move as he returns to the island to get his chrome watch from the counter before he slips it on and clasps it firmly shut.
Then he regards me, his jaw set. “I have to get my burner phone at the club.”
“Are you coming right back? I actually wanted to get the kids but not before we talk.”
“Argue, you mean?” he retorts.
“No, b-but we can’t go on like this. Regardless of the message and Tez, I need you to stop drinking. For me and for your children.” I hesitantly add, “I need you to be honest with me about why you seek Simone out. And I need you to come back to me.”
Instead of him lashing out, he watches me without moving and then nods, much to my surprise. “I won’t drink. And she isn’t an issue.”
Relief washes over me, although I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s merely appeasing me so that I’ll obey him. And how are we going to fix this – what will he do with Tez?
Unfortunately, before I can voice my concerns, the buzzer rings, so Luca turns to the elevator and presses the button to connect with the receptionist.
“Yes,” Luca says.
“Mr. DeMiliano, Adriano, Logan, and Henry are here.”
Luca makes a face before replying, “Send them up.”
“Why is Adriano here? Did he bring the twins?” I ask, hoping to see Milana and Noah because my heart misses them too much. A night away from my newborn twins feels like a lifetime.
“Fuck!” Luca grumbles, shifting back to the island and propping his hip against it as I finger my long, messy hair to make myself a bit presentable. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him. Don’t say a word,” he warns right before the elevator opens and Adriano strides inside with Logan and Henry on his tail.
All three of them frown at my ruffled state and then look at Luca, who appears fresh and composed as he buttons his suit jacket and I pull my robe tighter.
Adriano settles his attention on Luca while we stand around the kitchen island. “I heard there was an issue last night with someone from management.” He glances at me and then motions to Logan and Henry. “And I know these two are playing dumb. Who was at the club so late and what the fuck happened? I’m not going to ask some fucking guard!”
Luca and I glimpse at each other, which sets off Adriano, and he scrubs his beard. “What the fuck is going on between you two?”
“Where are the twins?” Luca changes the subject, and Adriano cocks his head ever so slowly in the most frightening manner, but Luca doesn’t stand down.
“They’re perfectly fine with Cam. But I suggest you answer my question, underboss. I’m not in the best mood because I sense something is being hidden from me. You were all acting strange last night.”
When no one speaks, my bitterness and frustration with all of them bursts out, “Oh my god! Can the Syndicate not meddle in my marriage for once?!”
Adriano’s scowl turns to me before it becomes curious as we look at each other. I’m clenching my fists, and when Adriano and Logan see it, a crease forms in each of their brows. I realize how manic I must look, but Luca, whose face flames with fury, incenses me and I’ve reached my limit.
“Everyone get out! I need to talk to my husband,” I yell, and they all stare at me and then at Luca while silence ensues.
Abruptly, Luca addresses Adriano, “We’ll talk at the club.”
“Fine. Now,” Adriano orders and paces to the elevator with Henry as Logan mouths, “You okay?”
I shake my head when Luca commands Logan, “We’re going.”
And Logan glowers at him but follows Adriano.
I rush to Luca to stop him, murmuring, “Don’t do this. I have no idea what you will reveal or do, and I want my kids!”
Gripping my wrists, he jostles me and whisper-shouts, “Calm down. I have to talk to him.” And he lets go of me.
I shrink back as he passes me and while I stand with my back to them, they exit. Loneliness descends upon me, and disappointment toward Luca overpowers my other emotions.
In a despairing stupor, I shower and dress in black wide-leg slacks and a white long-sleeve top. After combing my brown hair into a high bun, keeping my bangs side-swept, I sit in front of the mirror of my vanity and put on my Swarovski ruby red earrings I got from Luca on my birthday.
At that moment, I hear a phone chime and follow the sound to the living room where my gold clutch from last evening lies on the couch. Opening it, I see a notification of a birthday in my calendar, and then I recall that I took a photo of Tez’s phone screen last night.
“Oh, my god, I must be crazy!” I berate myself out loud, tapping on photos and clicking the last picture.
The image is a bit blurry, but I did manage to take a pretty good shot of his most recent calls, which are local numbers. I recognize Carmine’s number and notice he was called by one number three times yesterday. Hurrying back to the kitchen, I open the top drawer to take out a pen and yellow notepad, and I squint to make out the digits as I write them. Then I ensure my phone is set to private so that caller ID is blocked and call the number, bringing my device to my ear.
“Rudd,” a gruff male voice answers, and I end the call instantly in a panic, dropping my phone on the counter.
“Rudd?” That name sounds familiar.
Grabbing the mobile, I tap it against my chin as I rack my brain until it dawns on me that bar owner from the attempted raid on New Year’s Eve was named Rudd. He was killed by the Syndicate.
Shit. I needed this man’s first name!
Without hesitating, I open the internet browser on my phone and type in Rudd. But I get too many results of actors, singers, politicians, and authors with that surname – it’s a very common name. Yet this is much too coincidental.
I must update Luca! No, he’s not in my corner anymore. I’ll call Michael!
When I start to tap on contacts to talk to Michael, the elevator suddenly opens. I hop off the bar stool as a medium-built man strolls inside, looking rough in a wrinkled coat and with stubble on his jaw as he scratches his brown crew cut furiously.
Then I freeze, extreme panic rendering me motionless.
CHAPTER 29
Luca
SINCE WE’RE ALL IN separate cars after we leave my penthouse, the Syndicate reconvenes at Club 7.
Inside Adriano’s office with the black curtains drawn, Adriano stops in front of his desk as Logan, Henry, and I stand opposite him. “Someone better speak. I happened to overhear one of the guards telling another one that there was an argument upstairs with management last night. Who was that?”
None of us move or reply.
Adriano grinds his teeth as his gaze ends on Henry. “I don’t have to remind you that you can forget becoming boss one day if you lie to me now.”
Henry looks at me, and I say, “It was me.”
To which Adriano’s lips thin into a hard line and he flicks his wrist, order
ing me to continue.
“I stayed after I sent Fallon home because she argued with Tez.”
A frown creases his forehead. “Elaborate.” Then he motions to Henry and Logan. “And what do these two have to do with that?”
“Logan and Henry saw the altercation between Tez and Fallon. And there has also been an incident between Henry and Fallon.”
“What kind of incident?” he demands from Henry.
“She held me at gunpoint,” Henry replies.
“What?!” Adriano roars, coming at me and directing his finger into my chest. “I thought you had everything under control!”
“I don’t,” I finally admit aloud, and he steps back, his scowl darkening.
“Why didn’t anyone bother to tell me?!” Adriano thunders. “So what’s going on between Fallon, Tez, and Henry?”
“She suspects Tez because he made her suspect Henry, but she has apologized to Henry,” I assure him, and he merely stares at me.
Then he speaks mockingly, “Oh, she apologized. So it’s fine,” before he rebukes, “What the fuck’s wrong with you?! I’m the boss of this organization and my most important men are keeping secrets from me! Now I have to get involved in this fucking mess.” He settles a lethal glare on each of us before commanding me, “Get Fallon.”
“What?”
“I want to interrogate Fallon. Get. Her.” He raises both brows, but I meet his glower before calmly turning around and exiting the office.
Though, once outside, I angrily grip my hair. “Fuck!”
This is what I’ve fought so hard to avoid. Now I have no idea what the consequences will be for me and my wife, who I’ve tried to protect at all costs.
CHAPTER 30
Fallon
STANDING STOCK-STILL as Tez exits the elevator wearing a rumpled brown trench coat, I’m stunned silent for a millisecond before barking, “How did you get up here?” And I glance at the counter where my cherry-red purse that holds my gun lies.
His narrowing gaze directs to the phone in my hand.
Scared, I blurt out, “I just pushed the panic button”—I signal toward the corner of the counter that he can’t see—“and someone will be up here within a minute.”
Unfortunately, he advances on me, so I shift backward when he grips the counter and checks the edge, seeing nothing but black granite.
He reveals his slightly yellow teeth. “No, you didn’t.” And he skulks forward, forcing me around the couch to pass the long oak dinner table.
“What do you want?” I demand, voice shaking as I edge backward around the other end of the U-shaped couch to make a circle, needing to end at my purse that’s sitting on the kitchen island.
“I thought you wanted to know how I got up here? Stop moving!” he bellows, and I freeze beside the floor-to-ceiling windows where the clouds furiously lumber by with him five steps away from me. “Your receptionist was dumb enough to leave the desk unattended for a few seconds, and that’s all I needed. Although I did have to stake out the area for hours. I need to talk to you. Give me your phone.”
“No. Why?”
A ghost of a devious scowl curves his mouth. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Give. Me. Your. Phone.”
Hesitating, I grip the device, my heartbeat drumming in my ears.
“Slide it over to me,” he says angrily, so I bend low to set my phone on the floor and rise again before kicking it forward.
He picks it up when it reaches him and swipes the screen, watching me the entire time. Then I see him clicking on the screen as he reveals, “Did you think I didn’t feel you take my phone, Fallon? That wasn’t smart. Though you are smarter than I thought. But you’ve interfered with the plan and that’s speeded things up. I deleted the shot you took of my phone, but I see you called Mr. Rudd and hung up, I suppose, because the length of the call is only two seconds. Thank god, because your interference will get me killed!”
Oh, Mr. Rudd. It’s someone in power.
Then he holds up my screen, calling himself and hanging up. “This is just insurance.”
“For what?”
“So that it seems like you called me for a meet,” he explains.
“What are you talking about?”
“Let’s not play games anymore. You did figure most of it out. Well, more than the Syndicate did anyway.”
A feeling of triumph rears up inside me, trailed by confusion. “What?”
“I can help you, but you need to help me in return.” He leans down and slides my phone backward to skid across the floor and hit the other end of the window, far away from us. “I need the footage of John Rudd that was made at the underground sex club – where does the Syndicate stash that?”
I open my mouth, then close it, and then I spit, “Why do you need that and how the hell should I know? You’re blackmailing me?”
“Yes,” he retorts, rolling his eyes as if I’m an idiot.
“Oh, my god.” The truth burns into me. “You set up the attack in the alley and spoofed that message just to blackmail me for John Rudd?” My stomach turns in a nauseating flop.
He acts more spiteful with every passing second. “I had no choice! I was forced to do this to save my own life!”
“Who is John Rudd?”
“The guy up for Supreme Court associate justice.”
“What’s on the footage?” I buy time and inch backward bit by bit as he paces back and forth, evidently nervous himself.
“Does it matter? Can you get it?”
“Maybe,” I lie, trying to school my expression in the same manner Luca does and hide my fear. “But I’ll need to know what I’m looking for.”
He’s silent for so long it worries me that he sees right through me, but eventually, he answers, “It’s him in a threesome with a woman and another man.”
“And he doesn’t want a scandal?” I put in.
“Of course he doesn’t.”
“So how do you know him?”
He starts to reply yet stops himself. “What’s with all the questions?”
“I’d like to know what I’m getting myself into. I could just tell Luca.”
“You think he’ll believe you? I erased the message and every trace of it,” he brags, divulging his scheme. “Rudd was targeting one of the members to execute his precisely mapped-out plan, and I was the unlucky one he selected. After I sent the spoof message, I hacked your phone and deleted it. Rudd hired the attacker to scare you and me as well since he told me at first that no one would get hurt. And when we ran into each other on the tenth of January, I changed the settings so that Henry couldn’t tell your phone had been hacked. Then, when you came to the club, I had to fuck with you again and told you it had been messed with and everything had been erased. And I did all of this because Rudd is on my back and says he needs the footage ASAP! He even let his own brother get killed by the mafia and did nothing about it in order to ensure there wasn’t a scandal!”
So the bar owner was Rudd’s sibling. Jesus, screwed up family.
Look who’s talking.
“Rudd is now after me and will kill me if I don’t get what he wants, and you’re my best option. Only Henry, Luca, and Adriano know where the footage of the sex club is stored and I can’t find it, so you need to grill Luca and inform me so that I can hand the only copy over to Rudd and he’ll leave me alone.”
“Did he contact you after the failed raid?”
He throws up his hands in frustration and unintentionally discloses, “No! I was part of the stakeout at the raid where we first tried to find the footage, but you caught me before we even started, so I had to save you or else the Syndicate would’ve thrown me out and I would’ve been a dead man anyway. If Rudd doesn’t get his footage, he’ll execute me and just find another man to threaten into doing his dirty work. The Syndicate will never be rid of him.”
“Why are you so scared of him?”
“Because, like the Syndicate, he can make people disappear too. And I’ve worked too damn hard t
o secure this position within the team to let some judge who needs some footage ruin it! If Rudd has the recording, he’ll stay away from the Syndicate.”
What a coward. He’d deceive anyone to save his own ass.
“But how can you help me then?”
“If you get me the recording, I’ll give you proof that your phone was hacked, and we’ll pin it on another soldier. Then we can move on from this fucking mess, both alive.”
Are you kidding me? My son was harmed due to his stunt, and he’s made me question everything and everyone. He’s pushed Luca away from me with his thorough strategy. Venomous thoughts invade my brain.
“How does Rudd even know there is footage?” I ask.
“He overheard one of the girls talk about it right before the sex club closed, so he’s afraid it will come back to haunt him, of course. Neither of us has a choice anymore. It’s our only way to get out of this shit.”
As my mind hazes with all the new pieces of information, I move left but he mirrors my action, ordering, “Don’t move! Just think about it. How are you ever going to get Luca’s trust back? You seem like the crazy one because I kept fucking with your phone.”
My palms become sweaty as I bite through my rage and say, “How do I go about it?”
His brows rise in astonishment. “You have to probe Luca for the info.”
God, he underestimates Luca. That’ll never work. Nonetheless, I inhale an encouraging breath.
“Okay, I’ll talk to Luca,” I say to get him out of my home as he holds my stare.
I palm my forehead, pretending to be flustered and spin around, walking toward the island, and as I reach the corner, I turn back to him. “When do we meet? Or do I call you if I know more?”
Frowning, he strides closer and sees me moving my hand to reach for my purse, so I stop before he glances at it. Then, all of a sudden, he lunges forward, and I dash to the side to grab my bag. He collapses on my back, pushing the air out of my lungs and sliding the purse toward the edge of the counter where it lingers.