A few minutes later and we’re pulling up outside of the store in question. Torino exits and opens the door for me. I step out and head into the store without waiting for the others, Torino walking by my side.
I wait while the owner unlocks the door for us and gives me a smile that tells me he’s more than happy to see me back. My feet stride into the shop, both Cane women now behind me. Millions of pounds worth of diamonds are on display, which I assess as I browse the limited range in the glass counters.
“Is this where you got the pieces you wore last night?” Gabby pipes up. I look over and notice one of the men from outside the hotel standing on sentry duty by the door. “What, you think you’re the only one worthy of your own protection?” Gabby looks down her nose at me as she walks past and takes a closer look at one of the displays. “I’d be interested to see the source of some of these.” She stares down into one of the cases. The owner, a stocky gentleman, hovers in the background, not sure when to interrupt and try to press a sale.
“Hope, Gabby has some of the most exquisite pieces of jewelry. Simply stunning.” I’d forgotten Emily was even with us. She’s looking at Gabby, not really taking any interest in what the store has on offer.
“Not looking for yourself?” I offer, trying to work her out.
“No. Diamonds are more Gabby than me.” She smiles before wandering around the store some more. She has a modest diamond on her ring finger, but apart from her wedding rings, nothing of any value on her.
“Okay, then. Gabby, anything tempt you?”
“Maybe, but I’m a little specific when it comes to jewelry. You say this is where you got your bracelet?”
“Yes, and a few other pieces. All are exclusive to this store. They source from around the world.”
“I believe the piece you wore last night was from a jeweler in Antwerp.” Gabby cocks her head, but she wouldn’t have spoken without being confident.
“You are correct, Miss. Her last purchase was from Antwerp. A very good eye. Like Miss Winters.” The owner nearly trips over himself in his attempt at flattery.
Gabby’s feisty vibe from last night continues. She’s making a show that she won’t be pushed around and would rather be treated with the brains she clearly has over being stereotyped as the dutiful wife. Well, that just shows how little she knows about this world.
“An interesting engagement ring for someone who knows her diamonds,” I offer, looking at the piece on her finger.
“What can I say? I like things to be unique. Everyone has a diamond on their finger,” she says, looking down at her own ring. “Engagement rings are important.” She glances at my own bare ring finger, a wry smile on her face. “Wedding rings, too.” Bitch. Much more of her needling and I’m liable to snap, despite Benjamin’s expectations.
I turn my attention to Emily. Once again, I’m struck by her appearance. She’s married to Quinn Cane, for Christ’s sake. My heart pounds in my chest as I try to put them together—opposites who shouldn’t even be in the same league as one another.
“Anywhere you’d like to go, Emily?” I gush.
“I’m happy for you to show me where you find such stunning dresses. You looked like a model last night.” Her British manners and politeness nearly have me rolling my eyes in detestation.
“Of course.” I usher her through the door, which Gabby’s goon holds open for us, and into the waiting car. Gabby takes her time to come out. She stops to talk with her goon. They seem friendly, nothing like the relationship I have with Torino. I’ve always given him a hard time, felt like I needed to show him I deserved to be at Benjamin’s side. Seeing Gabby now makes me think perhaps there’s a different way.
Silly, really. I shake my head and focus on the next step of our trip.
“Ready,” Gabby announces as she joins us a few minutes later.
“To Lee’s, please.”
The car peels off and back into the traffic. My expression remains blank as I wait to see how Gabby and Emily interact. Emily fiddles with the bands on her finger and seems content watching the outside world. Gabby, on the other hand, just sits back as if she owns the space.
Benjamin wanted me to play nice, but he also wanted me to use their backgrounds. Any advantage. My next move needs to rattle her if I can’t befriend her. I think back to the conversation over dinner. Right before we moved away to the bar, she was intent on staying. She has a vested interest in the Yakuza. As do I.
“By the way, who’s Andreas?” I turn my glare to her and watch for her reaction. She frowns a little. “You mentioned him at dinner,” I offer.
Her frown turns harder, but she can’t hide the look of hurt and pain that rolls over her features before she turns away. Whoever he is, he means something to Gabby, and he’s involved in why the Canes are here. I tuck that little piece of information away for now, but I’m certain it will prove useful.
At Lee’s, I make Emily feel like the centre of the world. The assistants help to screen off an area of the store. We have champagne delivered to us, and I hand pick several outfits I’d consider for myself but hand them to Emily.
“Oh, no. These are too much.”
“Nonsense. You’ll be dynamite in them. At least try.” I focus all my attention on her. Not only are there several dresses, there’s also underwear, shoes and accessories.
After I sit and sip half a glass of champagne, Emily finally emerges from the changing room. Her appearance has completely changed. Under the simple, yet colourful attire she wore today, she has a knockout figure, one that reminds me of a 1940s pin-up.
“Emily, wow. Look at you.”
“You know, the dress is lovely, but I’d rather something simpler that covers my top half more.” She fiddles with the neckline uncomfortably and doesn’t meet her own reflection in the mirror.
“Nonsense. If I had a chest like yours, I certainly wouldn’t be hiding it behind sweaters. You look fantastic, sweetie. She’ll take everything,” I cheer towards the assistant.
“Wait, no. I’m not here to indulge, really.”
I stare at her and force her to look me in the eye. This little mouse is scared of her own reflection, yet she can keep a man like Cane? I tilt my head, unconcerned that I look like I’m figuring out a puzzle.
“I insist. My treat if money is the problem.”
“Oh, it’s not,” Gabby interrupts. “She can buy whatever she likes, which is more than I can probably say for you.” My eyes swing to hers, ready to give as good as she's giving. “If she doesn’t feel comfortable, don’t force her into buying something simply to be polite.”
“Gabby, it’s fine. The dress is gorgeous.”
I cross my arms as if Emily just proved my point. Gabby shrugs her shoulders and heads back to the front of the store.
“Emily, it’s up to you. I’m sure Quinn will approve.”
Pink blushes her cheeks at my comment, and I know I have her. Next, I’ll have to work on her softer side, appeal to her shy nature. She looks at me and smiles, the colour of her cheeks returning to normal, and she heads back to change.
Today hasn’t shed any further light on the Cane women than I’d already deduced from last night, but at least it's cemented that opinion. If I’m going to make further headway with Emily, I’ll have to do it without Gabby. Her motives are unclear, but I don’t trust her. Is she hiding something? Are the brothers? Vico relies on my intuition, and I can’t fail him simply because of the circumstances. I just need to find out what Gabby’s unhappy about.
“I’m not sure what further plans you both have while in New York?” I strike up the conversation on the ride back to the hotel.
Neither takes the bait, so I turn to Emily and wait.
“Oh, I’m sure Quinn will let us know. I’m not sure if we’re heading back to Chicago. I have some things I would like to do before that.”
“Anything fun?”
“Well, it is for me. I’m a photographer, so I’ve planned some time capturing some of the sights. I’ve n
ot visited New York before.” Sweet, I suppose.
“Sounds like a perfect idea. If you’d like some help with places off the main tourist lists, just let me know. Here.” I hand her my card with my cell number on.
“Thank you, but Quinn will be with me. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Her beaming smile, followed by a contented look that falls over her features, tell me this is special to her. It's intriguing to me given the man she's married to. Strange.
“Well, maybe we can fit in a drink if your plans allow? I think our paths will be crossing more regularly in the future, don't you?” She turns to me, her hands reaching for mine. I watch them covering my skin, kindness coming with them, and force the frown that wants to emerge off my features.
“I’d like that. Sometimes it can be hard to meet new friends with Quinn’s profession,” she replies, a genuine gaze hoping for more from me. “I guess with Benjamin’s, too?”
Friends. Odd concept, but… “It would be lovely to stay in touch. And if you’re ever in Chicago?”
“Of course.” My hand squeezes hers, an attempt at friendly. It’s the first information I can use—the lonely wife pushed into a world she knows nothing about. It's also the first part of the Emily Cane puzzle that makes any sense.
We say our goodbyes, and I allow myself a small exhale before thinking of my next move.
Emily’s honest reactions today and seemingly genuine pleasure at the simple connection of a friendship compounds her innocence. Perhaps her opinion of me might change when she learns of my intentions towards her family.
Something tells me it will be Quinn and Nathan who will have the greatest shock, though, learning that there’s another Cane sibling.
A sister set on vengeance.
Five
Cane is in my space, has been for two days. This one’s damn near taken over the entire tech department, all the time snorting in derision about their inadequacies—my fucking inadequacies. I’ve watched him from my corner office all morning, as I did yesterday while Quinn and I talked through the basics. I watched the way he moved, using his intellect to challenge any of my team who tried to outmanoeuvre him with excuses. He’s sharp, aggressive in demeanour, and, at least in this guise, on fucking point.
“You often let people you don’t know in your systems?” Quinn quips, amusement in his tone.
My head whips back to him, eyes focused on the threat that just left his mouth. He sits at the other end of the room, lounging in the leather chair, having only got here a few minutes ago, and smiles out towards the window. It’s genuine as far as I can tell, his brow raised as if warning me he’s only being congenial. Fuck him. At the moment I’m cautious of both of them, regardless of this plan of theirs and his cool attitude.
“The hell’s he been doing for so long out there?” I mutter, annoyed. “Two damn days?”
“Making your systems safe. He’s good at it.” He spins his dice, looking out at the skyline beyond him without a care in the world. I snarl and look back to Nathan, part wanting him gone and part interested in what he’s actually doing to make my systems safe.
“Columbians,” I grate out. I’ll distract myself with that for a while longer. Perhaps talk of money will make this interference seem acceptable.
“Yeah. We’re going out for that,” Quinn replies, standing and crossing for his coat. He shrugs into it without another word, his feet heading for the door. “This high-end world of yours is in the wrong location for discussions with them.”
“And you expect me to just leave your brother here with access to all my systems?”
He laughs.
“I expect you to know your limits, Vico. If we wanted anything from you, he’d have taken it already. Remotely. Without you even knowing.” My body rises at yet another small nudge close to threatening. He flips his collar straight, head turned back towards me. “Besides, what makes you think my balance sheets aren’t healthier than yours lately? An alliance,” he says, walking over and halting in front of my desk, “is just that. You want him to sign a fucking NDA?”
My fingers drum the table. Fucking alliances. I don’t align with anything, and yet here I am letting geek boy strip my security apart, all the time putting up with this cunt and his damn attitude in my face.
“Careful, Cane. We’re not there yet.” Another snort of amusement, one that has him turning to the door and opening it for me.
“Yes, we are. Put the damn coat on and relax. You wouldn’t have let me this far in if it weren’t beneficial to you.” He holds his hand out at the door, the ruckus of noise from the office filtering back in to me. “Try a little trust. See where it gets you.”
I bet that damn smile of his has every goddamn woman on the floor begging for a taste. I snarl at it, unfazed by its charm.
“We might even be friends if you employed some of that rather than your usual paranoia.”
My teeth chew the inside of my cheek, eyes flipping between him and Nathan outside. I’m not paranoid, but I am suspicious. Of everything. Him included. It was enough reason for me to bring my gun out today for the first time in months. I don't know why, but I don't like change, and all this shit is change. Friends? Unlikely, but he is the closest I’ve got to someone at my level on the east coast now. Has been for years since he increased his spread. Something inside me calms enough to hear the sense in what he’s saying. He’s right. They could have taken a lot already, could have stolen information to use against me, but not even he would be so brazen as to waltz in here while it’s being done.
I eventually nod and round my desk, hand snatching my own coat from the hook as I walk out the room and head for the exit.
“Trust, huh?”
“Gotta try it sometimes, Vico.”
No, I don’t.
I glance at Danelo as we enter the elevator, hard eyes nodding towards Nathan. He knows what that means. Sit. Stay. And don’t let him out of the fucking building until I get back. I want everything he’s done in front of me when I return—facts, documents, all of it. He’s not leaving this place until I’m secure again. He nods in return. That’s it. It’s enough for me.
If there’s one person, other than Hope, that I do trust, it’s my second in command. Tony Danelo is everywhere in my business, has been since we were kids running street errands for my father. I smile a little as I look at the doors closing around us, remembering snippets of a youth long before all this. Times were amusing then, if not brutal under Father’s hands.
“Thinking of that woman of yours?” Quinn asks from beside me. I frown at the door, remembering them at the bar together, and then let my smile broaden at her cunning. Wet lips. Hungry eyes. My slice of equal in this unequal world of mine.
“No,” I reply, cricking my neck. “Youth.”
That’s it for conversation as far as I’m concerned. We’re not buddies, nor are we anywhere near friendly. We’re forming an alliance, as he says, one I will be on top of by the time this is over. Screw both of them and their attitudes.
The car pulls up the moment we exit the building, Luca already rounding it to get to the door to open it for me. I don’t care for it, but that’s what is expected of people in my position these days. Everyone in this town has them, drivers who open doors and fawn over their employers. I smirk at him as we get in, knowing that none of that shit applies here. It’s his weapons I care about, the ones he uses on the rare occasion some dick thinks stupidly. He’s another one who’s come with me through the time I’ve been at the head of this business, his father employed by my father years ago.
“Where to, boss?” he asks.
I look at Quinn, brows raised.
“Just drive south.”
South takes us through midtown and down through lower Manhattan, the car finally passing over the Brooklyn Bridge into the heights. I gaze at the towering brownstones as we pass places I remember so well—the grocery store, the cafés and bars. Mama Angelo’s Bakery. The alleys down to the river where Danelo, Angelo, and I used to pretend we migh
t get out of this shit one day and be astronauts. The naivety amuses me. This was a part of my childhood. We lived here before Mother died and Father up scaled into central Manhattan. This was the place I learned what my life would be. I ran these streets with coke in my pockets and a knife in my boot.
“Never on your own, boy,” he’d say to me back then. “You keep Sergio and Tony with you. Stay tight to each other.”
We did. Still do.
Apart from Sergio.
I chuckle a little at the thought of staying tight, remembering Hope after her outing with the Cane women. She seemed tight, wound up by something. Snappy. She was interesting to play with last night, reminding her about manners in the same fuck session. My tongue licks over my lips. I don’t know if it’s the thought of her or the smell down here. Sweet.
“Stop the car,” I say, rolling the window down to get a lungful of it.
“Boss?”
“Pull over on Sackett.”
“It’s not far to the …” Quinn starts.
“Good. We’ll walk then.” Not that we’re going to whatever meeting he’s organised, not at his location of choice anyway.
The car pulls over on the corner of Sackett and Henry, and I look along the street at the familiar buildings. A smile tugs my lips again, one laced with memories of dirt and grime. It’s wasn’t like this back then. It’s cleaner now, fewer mobsters and gangland shit running the neighborhoods. It helps that I sold a lot of it off to developers, let them upscale the old brownstones and remove the past to some degree. Not all of it, though. This is still as rough as I need it to be if called on.
“Why?” Why what? I look at Quinn as he steps into line beside me, his eyes all over the damn place, searching for potential threats. I chuckle and keep moving, knowing nothing will happen to either of us here. There’s more chance of that happening midtown. This is true home turf to me, real old school, regardless of the money now occupying most of these houses. What’s left of my old life still knows me well, still respects the name and face. “Walking?”
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