If he held those over their heads, they couldn't touch him. But they could certainly take him off the field in other ways.
Even when he had been taken off the map by the Rogues, his son had appeared like a bad penny, eager to prove himself and with no compunction about how these things were done.
Massimo was reckless and bloody. He'd already proven himself deadly. Which meant that innocent people like Daphne would be caught in the crossfire.
For now, my job was to keep her off the board. If Igno wanted something from any of her three suspicious clients, one thing was for sure; he would need Daphne to access the data.
My job was to get to the data before he did. That would certainly force him out into the open. And then I was going to take that motherfucker out and get my goddamn job back.
The problem was that singular focus of mine was now blurred and laced with images of Daphne, of needing to keep her out of this. I had to keep her safe.
This wasn't just about getting back in the game. This wasn't about taking down the Syndicate. This was about keeping her away from Igno. For her safety.
Careful now.
I wanted her. Even now, as Gabe read me the riot act over the phone, my eyes drifted to her and that pull somewhere deep in my chest ached with the need to be near her. To hold her close and use my body to shield hers.
The urge to protect her, to hold her, to cover her body with mine, not just to claim, but to protect. It was more than wanting her. Terrifyingly, it was the urge to give her everything that prevailed. All she had to do was ask.
Gabe's voice was tense. "Running off without any backup. Do you realize how colossally stupid that is?”
"Yeah, I have an idea. After all, I feel like I've given you that advice before."
"This is not about me. This is about you. I told you to lay low. Instead, you're running around stirring up a hornet's nest. You're going after Igno."
I almost had to grin. "Did you really expect anything else? He ruined my life. Not to mention he's dangerous. You and I both know him to be weak and ineffective. But you don't understand. I saw his men kill a young girl for no reason. He had his men gut her like a fish to send a message to her father. There are rules to these games."
Sure, family got kidnapped. Family got murdered sometimes but usually for a reason. Not on a whim. Not because someone was bored.
“Mate, look, I know. But you going after him alone is unwise. I've had Rook check your movements. You've gone off the grid. Where are you?"
There was no way I was going to give him my location. "Somewhere safe."
I could almost see him pursing his lips. “So, you're with Reginald. For an old man who says he's out of the game, he finds a way to stay in and keep his skills fresh. Even my people can't find him."
"And I'm pretty sure that's the way he wants it," I muttered. "I'm not telling you anything, so you might as well let it go."
"Fucking hell. At least tell me if you have a good lead. I can help you."
I could tell him that much. At least he would know that I wasn't doing this for nothing, that this wasn't just about revenge. "I have a lead on the last piece of the Ledger and the secondary cipher. I think I have it."
There was a muttered curse on the phone, and I could almost see him sitting up straighter. Maybe standing up to pace. "Where the hell is it?"
I chuckled at that. “Like I'm going to tell you, so you can sweep in and take it from me before I can actually use it. Don't be daft. When I'm done with it, I'm more than happy to turn it over. After all, I'll be back in the fold by then."
"Don't fuck with me, Drake. We can help each other."
"I don't need your help."
He sighed. "Everybody needs help from time to time. You're not alone, mate."
I looked back at Daphne. "Maybe not, but either way, I'm not letting you touch this until it's over."
"At least tell me what you're doing with the woman. I can't find her either."
My stomach tightened. Gabe knew about Daphne. Had he been that close and I just hadn't noticed?
"Nothing. The woman is none of your business, Gabe. Leave her out of this, or I'm going to get very, very cranky. I'm going to hang up while I still remember that we're mates. But if you get in my way, I'll shoot first and ask questions later.
30
Drake
My days were numbered, and I was counting down. My brain kept trying to go back to Daphne even though I had a mission to complete.
This was the problem when you started to care about people. They started to worm their way under your skin. This mission was a step closer to taking Massimo off the board. I had to focus.
I stood on the pavement outside Whitmore bank. I knew from Gabe and Liam that Whitmore Bank was where Massimo Igno was getting his cash from, so I needed to go inside and have a look-see. Which meant going in as a potential client. I'd get a tour.
As I walked in, I was met by Noah Pratt, the Vice President. "Mr. Foster."
I nodded and smiled. "Yes. Drake Foster. Just call me Drake."
"We are excited to talk to a client of your caliber. We obviously have done our homework on you, and we would love the opportunity to work with you."
"Thank you."
As he prattled on and talked about how long the bank had been in existence, when it was built, and the architect who designed it, I only half listened. I knew everything about this bank. I'd spent days pouring over it already. After all, never walk in somewhere unprepared.
He led me upstairs to the offices that had a beautiful corner view that looked over Westminster. "So, how might I help you?"
I started my story with confidence. "I'm looking for a bank for my new endeavors. Import-export. I have sent my portfolio over already. You're aware of the kind of business that we do. It is, however, selective and private. What I'm looking to have your bank do for me is offer a level of discretion."
Banks like this that had shady-as-fuck clients loved the word discretion, which meant keep my shit in an offshore account where no one could touch it.
"Of course, sir, we specialize in discretion. We have several banks all over the world. Obviously, the Cayman Islands are not nearly as discreet as they used to be, but they do offer a variety of options. Our home office is in Switzerland. Many of our clients choose that route."
He went on and on, and as he talked, I planted a bug. I walked over to the window and installed the compression tape that I would need for later. It would be used to dampen the movement that might set off the alarms when I came back and needed to get onto the computer.
Above his desk was the vent I was going to use for the most dangerous part. I would be in the vent for quite some time, leading all the way down to the vault. The vault room had all kinds of fans, security measures, and lasers I’d have to get around. It was the temperature control that I was going to have a hard time with.
"I’d like to take a tour of the vault if possible."
"Of course."
As he stood, I placed the next device directly under his laptop. It was a cloning device that would work all day copying his files. That's all I’d have to retrieve tonight when I came back. I would get all the information that I needed.