by Jen Davis
My head tipped to the side. The bottle went back between my lips. Vodka swished in my mouth.
“There’s a war going on at home. Our rivals have put a bounty on your head to get to the boss. If they capture you, they’ll force Vladimir to surrender—his life in exchange for yours. In order to protect the pakhan, I have to protect you.”
My body went limp. The last thing I remember before everything went black was Boris’s taunting words.
“Living in our world is not so bad.”
The goons bound my wrists and ankles.
“Our family is anxious to meet you.”
A blindfold covered my eyes.
“Forever is a long time, lapsha.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kat Shehata’s first career involved caring for exotic, dangerous, and adorable animals as a zookeeper. As an author, Kat weaves her love of animals into her work. She is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling children’s book Animals on the Other Side written with Sylvia Browne.
She is also an avid tennis player and spends her free time playing matches in a recreational league in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Wilmington College, a professional writing certificate from the University of Cincinnati, and a master’s degree in creative writing from Spalding University.
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The Boss’s
Daughter
The Black Rose Series
Book One
BY Jennifer Bates
Prologue
An hour away from walking down the aisle, Renee was dressed in her gown—hair done and makeup applied—listening to her bridal party get ready because they apparently believed you could improve on perfection. Renee smiled as she looked out the window overlooking the Isle of Lilies where Christopher and she had shared their first kiss.
“This bridal suite is enormous,” Alice said. “I could totally be happier living here than at the hotel.”
Michelle was holding a pair of stockings in each hand, trying to decide which to wear for the day. “Don’t let him hear you say that. Any hint he thinks we don’t appreciate him is just trouble.”
“He’ll find a way to make your life worse than hell.” As the words were coming out of Saffron’s mouth, her friends turned to Renee, waiting for a disappointed reaction, but there was none. Renee couldn’t blame her friends for thinking the way they did. Matthew Parnell was one of the most powerful and wealthy men in New England who bathed in the admiration and respect he had earned over the years, while at the same time would not hesitate to have a bullet dispatched if he felt disrespected or threatened. Renee didn’t consider Alice’s statement as disrespectful, but the others were right. It was best if he didn’t hear it.
Renee gave a reassuring smile. “He won’t ever know it was said.”
Renee watched as Saffron started digging through her bag containing her wedding day essentials and smiled as she spotted the familiar packaging she knew contained at least a pound of marijuana. Drugs were one of her father’s main sources of income, and just because she was getting married didn’t mean organized crime in New England came to a halt.
Saffron scanned the bride for any imperfections and found a flaw. “Where are your mother’s earrings?”
Renee grabbed her ears to verify the missing jewels. “They’re in my bag. And before any of you say anything, the shoes wait until the last minute. I’ll be standing for at least an hour during the ceremony and I would like to be comfortable before I have to put them on.”
Her four friends turned back to their own primping as Renee dug through her bag to fish out her mother’s emerald tear drop earrings to complete her wedding day ensemble. Then she glanced down to the side of the vanity to make sure her shoes were, in fact, still there. As she was pulling the bobbles from her bag, there was the sound like a cannon being shot into something metal coming from outside. Renee, Michelle, and Saffron froze in place as Charlotte and Alice ran to the window to see if they could find out what was going on.
“There are people running down the driveway. I don’t—”
Before Alice could finish her sentence, Renee hiked up the hem of her dress and ran out of the bridal suite as fast as she could until she reached the end of the driveway, ignoring everyone and everything around her. She couldn’t see through the crowd of guests encircling some kind of dilemma. All she could see was smoke, all she could smell was copper, and all she could hear were muffled voices. Renee ran toward the swarm of people and briefly noticed her father, his captain, Mr. Crescent, and three of his associates standing away from the crowd like they didn’t care to get involved.
“Renee!” Charlotte yelled out as she was trying to catch up.
Hearing Charlotte’s call, a few of the wedding guests and reporters turned, half-heartedly trying to reach out and stop her. Renee pushed them aside and broke through the crowd, coming to a halt as disbelief washed over her. Christopher’s metallic blue truck was crushed by another truck on the passenger side. The only thing of note about the second truck that Renee could distinguish was the bloodied body folded over the steering wheel and the skull halfway through the windshield. There were men at both vehicles working desperately at what appeared to be a rescue. Renee watched as they succeeded in removing Tucker Wilson, Christopher’s best man, from the truck and laying him on the ground as Dr. Seaver and Dr. Michaelson ran from the crowd to examine him.
Renee could feel her father’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t look in his direction. Matthew Parnell may have been one of the most loved by everyone he rubbed elbows with, but he was also the person she fiercely loved more than anyone else in the world, and looking at him would only cause her to break down. He promised her the perfect wedding. He promised her that this would be the day she had always dreamed of. He promised.
Cameras flashed from all directions and chaos encircled her as Renee watched Christopher being pulled from the truck and set down for Dr. Michaelson to examine. Christopher’s hair was damp and red with blood, explaining the smell of copper in her nose. His bright green emerald eyes were closed as blood ran down his face. She saw the beginnings of bruises, swelling, and the rise and fall of his chest—she knew she did—and that was all the hope she needed.
Renee ran to Christopher’s side and sat next to him, staring at Dr. Michaelson, who could only look at Renee with heartbreak. “I can’t promise you anything. I’m going to do what I can until the ambulance gets here.”
Choking on tears that refused to fall, Renee nodded in understanding. She would not cry, because crying meant two things: weakness and finality. Renee watched Christopher’s chest rise and fall like he was begging for air as she cradled his head in her lap, trying to stay out of Dr. Michaelson’s way, but with a firm look, letting the doctor know she wasn’t going anywhere.
“I’m here, baby. Please stay with me.”
Christopher opened his eyes and looked at her with no confusion on his face; he knew it was her. All Christopher could do was gaze into her eyes and try to breathe as Renee faked a smile as best she could. “Dr. Michaelson is here and he’s going to make you better.”
Renee leaned down and gently kissed him. When he weakly returned her kiss, he looked in her eyes, deep and true, and the hope began to drain from her. Christopher let out a breath and a trickle of blood started from the corner of his mouth. Renee focused all of her attention on his face, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare.
Christopher reached for her hand and cupped it in his. In painful breaths he said, “Since the first time I
saw you, I loved you. I always will.”
Christopher’s chest ceased to rise and fall. The understanding was immediately there and Renee began to shake as shock took her over. She didn’t know how long she had been holding onto Christopher before she was being involuntarily lifted to her feet to look into the eyes of her father. He gave her a sorrowful look as Renee fell into the safety of his arms. She made no sound, had no emotion, and just wanted to wake up from this nightmare. After a few minutes, her father kissed her gently on the forehead and spoke softly. Seeing Charlotte and Michelle approaching, Renee turned her head back in the direction of the accident to validate what she couldn’t believe to be true. Charlotte wrapped an arm around Renee, pulling her in the opposite direction, but Renee couldn’t move.
“She needs to leave,” Matthew said sternly.
Michelle and Charlotte helped Renee through the crowd of people, Alice and Saffron silently following behind. Heartbroken, Renee just wanted her father to hold her and tell her everything was just a bad dream. When she turned her head, everything suddenly changed when she saw it—and there was nothing subtle about it. Renee stopped walking to make sure she wasn’t seeing things as she watched the expression on her father’s face change. Matthew was no longer the man who had held her just minutes before; he was the man his business friends and enemies had gotten to know. He had turned away from the crowd to try to hide his expression from the cameras, the beginnings of a smile on his face. She could see the satisfaction appear on his face as he spoke, and then he did something that made Renee’s heart stop once more. He laughed and turned to light a cigar.
Renee’s thoughts immediately went from sorrow to complete disbelief. Matthew Parnell only smoked cigars for two reasons: to rub elbows with people in high places or when he was celebrating a job well done. Renee looked to her friends and knew they saw it too. She also knew they were smart enough to avert their eyes so they wouldn’t have to speak. Renee picked up the hem of her dress and walked back to the mansion to pack her bags and go home.
Chapter 1
Twenty Years Ago
Renee had a short childhood. Her mother died bringing her into the world, leaving Matthew to raise her alone in the only manner he knew how, to the best of his abilities. For the most part, Renee was a typical, happy child who laughed and played as she began to learn how her world would work. She spent more time with nannies and women who worked for Matthew, but spent as much time as possible with her father. Always a curious and diligent child, she was loved and praised by many, either because she actually was a well-behaved child or because she was Matthew’s daughter, and it was clearly obvious that she was fiercely loyal to her father.
By the time Renee was ten, she had seen and heard things that no child should ever know. She never questioned her father and was never fazed by what she witnessed; she grew stronger because of it. Renee devoted herself to her father and the Family, the only exception being Evan Crescent. He was cold and contemptuous to her and she would return the feeling every chance she got. Out of respect for her father, they treated each other with polite indifference, usually shooting daggers out of their eyes when they had to speak to each other. If she never saw him again, she wouldn’t care.
When she wasn’t in school, she spent most of her time with Sasha Wheeler, the madam for the New England Family. Sasha was young and beautiful, generous and patient, and helped Renee grow from child to young woman. Renee would often imagine her mother when Sasha talked to her about the plethora of choices life would have to offer instead of fully committing herself to the Family. But just like her father, Renee was stubborn and dedicated to getting what she wanted. What Renee wanted most in the world was to make her father proud.
With slight reluctance from Sasha, before and after school for almost a year, Renee would meet with Sasha to discuss work and life. Renee always focused on work—whether it was preparing contracts, scheduling clients, or arranging deliveries—and was quickly accepted by the girls servicing Matthew’s clientele by being understanding and direct. Just like everything else she touched, Renee took to the job she was given with focus and determination. Nobody, especially her father, would be let down.
“You seem to be enjoying your work,” Sasha said over a private dinner with Renee one night. “I’m surprised. I thought with your excellence for numbers you would want to go straight to bookkeeping.”
“I can do that too,” Renee replied after swallowing her food. Talking with food in her mouth was the number one rule she would never break. “I already do.”
“I meant for more than just what we do.”
“What, you mean like for the hotel?”
“I think your father would be pleasantly surprised with the work you could do downstairs.”
Renee slightly narrowed her eyes at Sasha. “Why would you want me downstairs? Am I doing something wrong?”
“No,” Sasha said with a defeated sigh. “No, you’re not.”
“Then why would you want me downstairs?”
“Renee, you’re fourteen years old. Girls your age are thinking about proms and shopping, hoping the captain of the football team wants to take them out for pizza.” Sasha put her hand up before Renee could interrupt. “I am fully aware that you are not like other girls your age and I absolutely love you for who you are. But I have to wonder, do you really want to work in this hotel, upstairs, for the rest of your life?”
“I know my father has other jobs that I would be good at, but I want to be with you and the girls. I’m good at my job. You said so yourself.”
“I did,” Sasha agreed. “What I don’t understand is why.”
“Because I love you and the girls are my friends. I can’t leave you guys.”
There was no emotion in Renee’s features or tone when she spoke. After all, she was right. All she knew was the life she had. She had no friends her own age outside of the hotel and had become closer to the girls than Sasha ever thought she would. On top of that, Renee knew Sasha loved her as much as she loved Sasha.
Sasha smiled at Renee with a mother’s love and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “It’s getting late and we have to get back upstairs. We have a client in less than an hour.”
“Why haven’t I been marked yet?”
All of the girls who worked for Matthew had a mark—a black rose tattoo that adorned the back of their right shoulder with a blood red P dangling from the green stem.
Curious, Sasha asked, “Why do you want one?”
Renee looked at Sasha like it was the most obvious question she had ever asked. “I’m a member of this Family and I should have my mark.”
Sasha couldn’t argue the logic. “Ask your father. If he says yes, I’ll make the arrangements.”
***
“You’re a little young to get marked, Renee,” Matthew said without taking his eyes off the newspaper.
“Don’t you think I have earned my mark, Father?”
“The responsibility that comes with the mark is heavy, Renee. Are you sure you’re ready for it?”
“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t feel I was ready for it.”
Matthew cocked an eyebrow at her over his newspaper. “I don’t care. Do what you want.”
The next day, Renee’s back was adorned with the black rose tattoo that she wore as a symbol of pride and loyalty to her Family. Her tattoo differed from the others only in that she was marked with the letter D for daughter. Once the ink was done there was no question that she would now and forever be a permanent fixture in every aspect of the business.
Chapter 2
Renee was in a bad mood—pouty, whiny, and all around simply put out.
Sasha was going to Chicago with David, leaving Renee heartbroken and with a massive responsibility in front of her. Tonight, she would be Sasha’s successor in the Family. It didn’t matter that she was only sixteen years old, what mattered was proving she could do the job both publicly and privately.
Renee sat in front of the vanity with a scowl an
d a look of utter disdain on her face as Sasha stood behind her, smiling while she curled Renee’s hair and not saying a word.
“What are you smiling at?” Renee snapped at Sasha.
Sasha continued to smile, replying innocently, “Oh, nothing.”
“Ow!” Renee exclaimed, and then growled under her breath as Sasha brushed out a curl she had just put in.
“Sorry,” she said. “Hold still.”
“I am holding still.” Renee crossed her arms in front of her, huffing like a three-year-old who didn’t get their way, and it just made Sasha smile more as she hummed along with the radio.
“It’s my birthday and I don’t even want a party.”
“I know,” Sasha said with empathy, “but it’s going to be a wonderful night and a fabulous party. You’ll see.”
“Fat chance,” Renee scoffed, then let out a resigned sigh when Sasha raised an eyebrow in the mirror. “I love my father, but he’s the one who wants this party.”
Sasha rested her hands on Renee’s shoulders. “You know you must do things like this from time to time. It’s important that your father maintain his societal status, and you are part of it. It’s not the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last. Besides, whether or not you want this party, I know you would do anything to make your father happy, and this will make him happy.”
Two of Renee’s companions, Saffron and Michelle, entered the room dressed and ready for the party. Renee had become close with them, but wondered if that would change now that she was in charge.
“We just wanted to let you know the girls are ready,” Saffron said, then added, “Wow. You are a knockout.”
Renee giggled then stiffened up, completely surprised by the sound that came out of her mouth. “What the hell was that?”