Hell, I even considered changing my name to avert any disaster that might come along with keeping my given one.
It makes my heart ache when I remember the time I realized exactly who my father was.
For my whole life, I’d blindly adored him.
I never questioned, I never challenged, I only accepted.
And then one night he blew it all open, shattering the pedestal I’d put him on.
“I think it would be better if you heard it from him. He’s waiting for you now.” Her expression darkens. “A lot has happened since you left this last time.”
A million thoughts race through my mind, popping between my ears like bullets.
He’s finally gotten caught.
The authorities are coming.
He’s going to jail.
My throat tightens when I think about my sisters.
They have no idea what really goes on behind closed doors.
They have no idea who our father is and what he does.
They have no idea about the dangers that are constantly lurking in the shadows.
I never breathed a word of what I saw to either of them because I couldn’t bear to destroy their image of our father the way my discovery did mine.
Better that they live in ignorant bliss.
Their bubble will eventually pop.
I just pray what they don’t know won’t ever hurt them.
“I’m going to see the girls first,” I say, backing away.
Mom nods. “Just please, go and talk to him before any of the guests arrive. It’s important, malyshka. I know you haven’t talked much lately, but that has to change immediately. You need to fix things with him.”
“Okay, I’ll go see him.” I square my shoulders and head for the center staircase, taking the steps two at a time in pursuit of my sisters. I can’t even fathom what my father wants to talk to me about, and it kills me that over the past months we’ve become so estranged because of what happened that night.
I never even told my mother.
It’s part of the reason why I haven’t been back to my childhood home.
My boatloads of work are only a lame excuse.
“What’s up, Doc?”
My head pops up to see my Uncle Frank’s wide grin. “It’s great to see you, kid. You save any lives yet?” He brings me in for a tight bear hug, squeezing me so hard, I can barely give him an answer.
I manage a tight smile, my eyes darting behind my uncle for a glimpse of the delicious hunk of man who strolled in here only minutes earlier. “Not yet. Just working on cadavers right now,” I wheeze as he releases me. “I kind of feel like more of a mortician than a doctor these days.”
He chuckles. “Learn the lay of the land first. That’s key. You’re gonna be an amazing surgeon.”
“Thanks.”
Uncle Frank peers around me into the kitchen. “Is your dad in there?”
“No, Mom said he’s in his office. I was going to head there after I say hi to the girls.”
He claps me on the back, his eyes narrowing in the direction of my father’s private office. “You go see your sisters. I don’t need much time with my brother.”
His voice is no longer jovial, and spots of red color his cheeks as he stalks down the hallway in the direction of my father’s office at the back of the house.
Something is definitely going on here today, and I have a sneaking suspicion it is not just a birthday party.
Chapter Four
MASSIMO
“Don’t you understand what’s happening here, Savio? The leader of the Juarez Cartel knows about our plans. Jasper Colon knows what we did! We are completely fucked!”
Savio DeMarco steeples his fingers, staring at Anton Ivankov, his long-standing business partner. “We have a lot of power between us. The cartel’s threats are bullshit. You’re panicking for no reason.”
Anton purses his lips, his hardened gaze flickering toward me. “The reason why we ended up on their radar in the first place is because one of our own guys leaked everything to them.” He nods toward me. “I don’t know this guy. What makes you so sure you can trust him? What makes you believe that he won’t turn out to be a rat, too?”
Savio turns to look at me with a knowing grin on his face. “The only people you can ever really trust are the ones who have something to lose if they fuck you over. Isn’t that right, Massimo?”
I clench and unclench my fingers, my lips twisting into a grimace every time Savio opens his mouth.
I’d really like to saw off his fucking tongue with a butter knife right now.
The office door slams open with a loud bang. Photographs on the walls shake and shudder from the force.
“Frank, what the hell are you doing?” Anton fumes, standing up suddenly from his chair. His eyes shoot daggers at the guy. “This is a private meeting.”
The intruder, Frank, ignores the question and storms into the office, fixing a glare on Savio.
“We have business to discuss,” Frank growls.
“You don’t come into my office and give me orders,” Anton hisses. “The only reason why you have a pot to piss in right now is because of me. Don’t you dare disrespect me in front of my associates.”
“You thought you could just pull the rug out from under me and get away with it?” Frank yells. “You thought I wasn’t gonna find out what’s really going on here, Anton?”
Anton’s nostrils flare and he pounds his fists on the top of his desk. “This is not the time.”
“Well, I think it is.” Frank turns suddenly, flipping over a table and the pile of books that sat on top of it. It crashes to the floor, books littering the area rug. His face turns a deep shade of purple. He creeps toward Anton, venom lacing his words. “If you try to fuck me over, you’re gonna pay, Anton. And it will be a very fucking steep price, I promise you that. Blood or not!”
He turns on his heel and stalks out the door, leaving a whiff of cheap cologne in his wake.
Savio looks at me, his eyebrows knitted. “Leave us,” he mutters, nodding toward the still-open door.
With fucking pleasure.
I walk out, slamming the door shut behind me and heading for the front of the house to keep an eye on Frank. Something about him rubs me the wrong way, and my instincts are usually dead on balls right. I’ve spent a lot of years on my own, and I’ve learned how to size people up pretty damn quick because my survival depended on it.
There are people everywhere, prepping for this birthday party, and nobody blinks an eye when Frank stomps through the foyer.
A tall, gorgeous, put-together blonde whom I take to be Kira, Anton’s wife, runs out of the kitchen and grabs him by the arm just before he can pull open the front door. I hang back by the stairs, watching their terse exchange.
“Don’t do this today, Frank,” she pleads. “Whatever happened, you’ll work it out. But don’t ruin today for Sofia.”
I’m guessing Sofia is the birthday girl.
So many fucking pieces to this puzzle.
And the real reason why Savio wants me here has yet to be revealed.
He went to some serious lengths to get my attention when he arranged for Joey’s kidnapping and beat-down, another thing that adds fuel to my hate fire.