by L. P. Dover
He walked straight over to me and cupped my face. “You sure you’re all right, cara mia?”
“I’m fine. Just worried about Michael,” I said, feeling the tears well back up.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and his hands slid off my face. “So am I, but I might know what’s going on.”
He glanced over at Dominic, and my brother huffed. “She needs the truth. We can’t keep it from her.”
Dread settled into the pit of my stomach. My head darted back and forth between them. “What truth?”
My father took my hand and helped me off the bar stool. “Come. I don’t want you falling out of the chair when you hear it.” He led me over to the plush tan couch, and we sat down while Dominic took the other couch across from us. As always, my father exuded strength and power. When I was a kid, I always felt safe around him, but I had a feeling it was all a facade. “Layla, we think someone might be holding your uncle for ransom.”
It was like I’d stepped into a movie. “What?” I snapped incredulously. “You can’t be serious.”
I looked over at Dominic, and he nodded. “Father’s right. It makes perfect sense.”
“What for? Money?” I asked. My family was worth millions, so it wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case.
They both glanced at each other, their eyes flashing with anger. “No,” my father said, focusing back on me. “I’m afraid it might be for something else. We don’t know for sure just yet, but I’ve seen this happen before many years ago.”
The weight in my stomach grew heavier. I was afraid to hear what he had to say. “Go on,” I said. “Tell me.”
My father took a deep breath and let it out fast. “There aren’t many people who know this, and those who do don’t speak about it.” He reached for my hand. “Thirty years ago, the Cartwrights took Carlo Rossi for ransom. To get him back alive, the Rossis had to give up Penelope to them. You’ve met her a couple of times at the galas over the years.”
I remembered her. She wasn’t much younger than my father, but she had beautiful tanned skin and long dark hair. Every time I saw her sitting with the Cartwrights at the galas, she was very quiet and reserved. Now I understood why. The Cartwrights were known throughout the city, especially for their political affiliations. Cadoc Cartwright, the mafia boss of the family, has butted heads with my father on numerous occasions.
I shook my head in disgust. “That’s horrible. How could anyone do that?” Then it got me thinking … “Wait,” I gasped, “Our family hasn’t done anything like that, have they?” From what I could tell from my aunts and cousins, they all seemed pretty happy. Well, except for Michael’s wife, who left him and took their fifteen-year-old daughter. I hadn’t seen them in years. I doubted they even knew he was missing. When my father shook his head, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God,” I breathed, “but unfortunately, I know you told me this story for a reason, only I don’t think I’m ready to hear the rest.”
“I know, cara mia,” my father murmured, “but you must. I need you to be prepared for the gala. We think the Cartwrights have Michael so they can get to you. We all know that Julian’s had his eye on you for years.”
Julian was Cadoc Cartwright’s oldest son, and my father was right—he’d been trying to get me for years. Even though I didn’t have proof, I was pretty sure he was the one who’d sabotaged my past relationships. I’d had a couple of secret lovers over the years, but they never lasted long. One way or another, they always managed to run away from me.
Julian was the one and only reason why I hated going to the galas. He was three years older than me, and very good looking, but a complete douchebag. I would be a trophy for him, not a wife.
Feeling sick was an understatement. I was scared and angry all at once, but most of all, completely and utterly repulsed. I got up and stormed across the room, keeping my back to both my father and Dominic. I stared at the Picasso painting on the wall, but it made my mind race even faster. I had to be strong, even if I didn’t know what the hell I was going to do.
“You said you think the Cartwrights have Michael. When will you know for sure?” I asked, clenching my teeth.
“The gala,” my father stated. “That’s where they’ll make it public.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “What are you going to do?” I couldn’t let Michael die, but I also wasn’t going to let my father give me up like a piece of property. By the look on his face, he could see my skepticism.
He scoffed, and fisted his hands by his side as he stood. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
I turned around and threw my arms in the air. “Oh, I don’t know. Obviously, you’ve been keeping me in the dark with everything that concerns my life. Since we’re on the subject of my missing uncle, what happened to my bodyguards, Miguel and Thomas? Were they killed so the Cartwrights could get to me too?”
My father closed his eyes and sighed. “I don’t know, Layla.”
The truth finally came out. My knees felt weak so I leaned against the wall. “You lied to me. You said you fired them.”
Holding up his hands, he approached me cautiously. Deep down I knew something bad happened to them. Hearing my father say he fired them sounded better than believing someone killed them. “I’m sorry for lying to you. I didn’t want you worrying about anything.”
Anger radiated through my body. “So you’d rather keep me in the dark, and have me totally blindsided when someone took me? That’s a load of horseshit. Don’t you think I should be prepared?”
“She’s right,” Dominic agreed as he came up behind my father. “Layla’s not a little girl anymore. She might be a pain in the ass sometimes, but she’s strong. Remember when I used to spar with her in the basement?”
My father smiled. “I remember the bloody nose she gave you,” he said, grinning with pride at me. It was true; I used to know how to fight. I hadn’t trained like that since before I went to grad school. With everything going on, it probably wasn’t a bad idea to get back into it.
Standing up straight, I fought through the emotions so I could think clearly. “I’m not going to let anything happen to Michael.”
Eyes blazing, my father shook his head. “You’re not giving in to the Cartwrights either. I won’t allow it. You’re my daughter. If they kill my brother, I’ll take out two of theirs.” And there it was…the one thing my father always kept hidden from me. The second those words left his lips, he realized his mistake. I could see the truth in his eyes.
“How many people have you killed, daddy?”
Don’t get me wrong, it was relief knowing he wouldn’t give me up, but at what cost? He opened his mouth to speak, but then turned his back to me. “That’s none of your concern,” he answered quickly. “I’ve done what I had to do to keep our family safe.”
A part of me always knew, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself. I wanted to imagine my father was just like any normal man, a man who used to take my brother and I fishing when we were little, and a man who gave us everything we wanted. He loved me and my brother. I just couldn’t picture him holding a gun to someone’s head and pulling the trigger. Then again, if I had to protect someone I loved, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Guess my father and I weren’t that different after all.
I looked over at Dominic, and he lowered his head. “What about you, Dom? You’re in the business now. Have you killed anyone?”
His jaw clenched, and he threw his hands in the air when he met my gaze. “So what if I have, Layla? You have no idea what it’s like. We’ve protected you, and kept you in the dark for a reason.”
My father held up his hand. “That’s enough, son.”
Anger flooded through me. “I’m not helpless,” I snapped. “I’m a part of this family too. I may not be a stone-cold killer like you guys, but I need to be able to defend myself. You can’t keep trying to protect me.”
Closing the distance, my father placed his hands on my face, almost as if he was afraid I’d flinch away. When I di
dn’t, he breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re still my little girl. I never wanted you to see me as a monster.”
Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I had to be strong. “I don’t, daddy. I love you, but we have to figure out what we’re going to do about Michael. I refuse to sit back and do nothing when this is clearly about me.” I stepped away from him and huffed. “The thought of having to be around the Cartwrights at the gala makes me sick.”
My father nodded. “I know. I’m hoping we can find Michael before then.”
“How are you going to do that?”
He smiled over at Dominic and then back to me. “Bryce Collman, my dear.”
Dominic snorted. “It’s about time you had him brought in,” he said to my father. Then he turned to me. “The Collmans were the most feared family in the city a long time ago. Having them on our side is a huge advantage for us.” I knew what my family was all about, and I knew we had the upper hand as far as business dealings and money in the city. I wasn’t naive enough to think my father did it the honest way, either.
“I’m assuming that was the guy in the study?” I said, averting my attention to my father. I’d never seen or heard of Bryce Collman until now. From the looks of him, he fit in perfectly, with his expensive suit and arrogant demeanor. His eyes were what left me frozen in my tracks, though. They were icy blue, dangerous. I shivered the second I’d met his gaze.
My father beamed as if he’d just won a prize. “Having Collman on our side changes things drastically.”
“How’s that?” No doubt he was a killer, just like the rest of my family. The thought sent chills through my body.
“He has skills,” my father explained, “skills that none of us have. He was able to find two men from my casino who stole money from us.”
“And let me guess…he killed them?” I blurted.
My father shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “It had to be done. Anyway, Bryce is going to help us find Michael before any negotiations can be made.”
“What if you don’t find him before the gala?”
His face hardened. “We just have to hope we do. And if we do, it’s going to be an all-out war when I find out who took him. Whether it’s the Cartwrights or one of the other families. The gala won’t be an issue for you in that case. You won’t have to deal with anyone.”
What terrified me was that everything going on was most likely because of me. I didn’t want to be the cause of people getting killed. There was a chance it could be my family on the other end of that gun.
I walked over and wrapped my arms around my father. “Just be careful. Both of you,” I said, turning to hug my brother.
Dominic let me go. “We will. And once everything’s taken care of, we’ll leave the city, and I’ll start training you again once we get home.”
I nodded. “Deal.”
He walked out the door, but my father stopped and faced me. “Until the gala, I’m asking that you please sit tight. Don’t go anywhere that puts you at risk. If my brother was able to be taken, then that means whoever has him is damn good at what they do.”
Basically, I was in prison, but I understood his reasoning. “Fine,” I said, giving in. “I’ll stay here for the time being.”
That seemed to appease him. “Thank you, cara mia. I’ll have Isaiah keep watch over you for now. And tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to Bryce. It might be a good idea for you two to get to know each other.”
“Why is that?” There was a glimmer in his eyes I didn’t like.
He shrugged. “If everything goes according to plan, he’ll be coming with us to our estate.”
My eyes widened in shock. Only those closest to our family has been to our home. “You just met the guy,” I gasped. “How can you even trust him? You don’t even know him.”
His grin had an evil tilt to it. “He’s exactly what we need, and so far, he’s proven to be on our side. After a few days with him, I’ll know for sure.”
Isaiah appeared in the door, and my father patted his arm. “Keep her safe.” Then he focused on me. “I’ll be right down the hall if you need me.”
Once he was gone, I collapsed onto the couch. Things were never going to be the same—I could feel it.
Chapter Four
Bryce
It was pushing three in the morning by the time I got back to my apartment. The adrenaline rush I had from killing Brock, and then being taken to Anthony, had long since worn off. I took off my suit jacket and button down, and tossed them onto the bed. So much had happened, and I had a lot to do.
I made Anthony believe I could find his brother, and dammit to hell, I was going to do it. It was going to be the way to ultimately prove myself. I could tell he didn’t fully trust me…yet. Unfortunately, I was going to need help.
Since Wyoming was three hours behind New York, I hoped Ian and my youngest brother, Reed, would be awake, with it only being midnight there. Reed was the true mastermind in computer knowledge. Sitting at my desk, I opened my laptop and waited on Ian to pick up the phone while I typed in the password.
Ian answered the phone on the second ring. “Damn, brother, you had me worried. What happened?”
Sighing, I ran a hand over my face. “A fuck ton. There’s so much shit going on here that I don’t know where to start.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, first off, Corsino wants me to work for him. He was impressed by my ability to find his two cronies from the casino and kill them.”
Ian chuckled. “That was easy. Think you’ll be able to knock him off the list soon?”
“No,” I replied, closing my eyes. The whole ride back to my apartment, I tried figuring out a way to get Corsino alone. It wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. “Corsino might’ve asked me to work with him, but that doesn’t mean he trusts me. That’s going to take time.”
“So what, you’re going to join the mafia for a few months in the meantime?” Ian asked incredulously.
“I have no choice. I’m already in. I’ll do what I have to do to make him trust me. Until then, I’ll hunt the people on our list that overlap his enemies. The more Corsino sees me kill, the better.”
By the sound of Ian’s grumble, it was obvious he didn’t like the plan. Hell, I didn’t like it. “What do you need from me?”
“It turns out that there’s more to all of this shit than I realized. Corsino’s brother Michael went missing tonight. He’s the one who bodyguards for Corsino’s daughter, Layla. Corsino asked for my help in finding him. Layla said he went out to the parking lot to get the car and never came back. She found the driver’s side door open with his cell phone on the ground.”
“What the fuck? Who does Corsino think took him?” he asked.
“He speculates the Cartwrights, but it could be any of the others. He thinks they took Michael in exchange for his daughter. Apparently, it’s happened before. He doesn’t know for sure, so that’s where I come in.”
“Uh…that’s fucked up.”
I scoffed. “No shit. What we really need is Reed. He’s not away is he?”
“Nope. He’s here. What do you need us to do?”
“I need you guys to search every camera you can find based around the Blue Diamond restaurant. That’s where Michael was when he was taken. If you see the car he disappears in, track it as far as you can. I’m going to research the Cartwrights and the other families. I need to know what I’m dealing with.”
“On it. We’ll work through the night.”
“Thanks, brother. I owe you.”
Ian chuckled. “Hell yeah, you do. The sooner you get this shit handled, the sooner you can get home.”
I had a feeling it was going to be a long time before I made it back to Wyoming.
*
I’d worked through the night, researching everything I could about the Cartwrights and the other local mafia families until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. It didn’t surprise me when I woke up with my head on the desk, and my neck hur
ting like a bitch. Judging by the time on my phone, I’d only gotten three hours of sleep. There were even a few missed text messages and calls from Ian that didn’t even wake me up. I scrolled through the messages and saw exactly what I needed.
Ian: Answer your damn phone! We found the video feeds you needed.
Ian: Sending them your way. Call me back motherfucker!
That was what I needed to hear. My laptop had shut itself off, so I booted it back up and typed in my code to get the secret government software to activate. If anyone were to steal my computer, the programs would look normal. No one would be able to access my government files.
Once logged in, I found the video files Ian had sent me. I clicked on the first one, and there Michael was. It was taken from a camera across the street, but I could see it all happen as clear as day. Two men had come up behind him and clocked him over the head with a gun. There was a black SUV parked beside Michael’s car, and that was what they loaded him in to. The only problem was that I didn’t recognize the two men as being part of the Cartwright family.
Grabbing my phone, I called Ian and wasn’t surprised when he answered sounding groggy and irritated. “It’s about time,” he grumbled.
“Thank you for the videos.”
“It was all Reed. He hacked into all the different businesses around the block to steal their footage. I spent my time looking into who the fuckers are.”
I played one of the other videos of the black SUV speeding away, and there was a clear view of the license plate. “Did you run the plates?”
“Yep. Came up fucking empty. It’s a fake plate. I even uploaded their photos to our database to see if we got any matches. Nothing.”
“Fuck,” I hissed. “I was hoping to have something for Corsino.”
“Sorry, brother. Reed’s going to continue searching. He stopped when the SUV left the city. There weren’t any other cameras we could hack at that point, but I’m sure we’ll find something. They were headed toward Interstate 87. Do you want me to text you when we find something more?”
I rubbed my eyes and sighed. They felt dry and heavy. “No. I’ll call you. I don’t want Corsino getting suspicious.”