I narrow my eyes, twisting my head left and right to see if I can get a glimpse of that fat fuck, but before I can do a full sweep of the room, a hand slides down my back and a quick whiff of a familiar perfume makes me grit my teeth.
“Xander,” Melina purrs from behind me, her hand now traveling below my belt and over the front of my pants. “I’d have hoped you would be a little happier to see me.”
My back straightens, hard as a rod, but I refuse to look at her.
“Aw, come on, babe. If you’re gonna stiffen up for me, at least give me something a little more fun to play with.” She rubs her hand harder until I grab it and peel it off of me.
“Stay the fuck away from me, Melina.” I take a gulp of my soda, still staring in every direction but hers.
“Why are you being so difficult?” she whines, pressing her body against my back. “And why won’t you look at me?”
“Because I don’t want anyone to think I give a flying fuck about you,” I say.
She grabs my arm, yanking it backward to get me to turn around. But she’s got nothing on me and my feet stay rooted to the spot.
That pisses her off enough to make her stomp around and slap the glass right out of my damn hand. It shatters on the floor around my feet and a vein in my neck throbs, anger coursing through me. She may not have been the target, but that’s what happens when you show up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Crazy bitch.
Does she really want to risk everything? Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if she continues to piss me off with her clingy psycho bitch bullshit.
I grasp her wrists and slam her backward against the bar. Her eyes actually light up, sicko that she is. “This isn’t foreplay,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “You need to get the hell out of here now.”
“What if I don’t want to leave?” she says in a low, sultry voice. “What if I say you have me exactly where I want you to?”
“There’s nothing left for us, Melina. And if you walk away now, I’ll make sure your family’s little scandals will be kept quiet. If you stay, you know what’ll happen.”
“I don’t believe you, Xander,” she says, swaying a bit as she stands on her tiptoes to speak to me. It’s then that the scent of booze hits me.
Great, crazy and drunk.
Something in my periphery catches my attention, and I see Lorenzo walk into the main lounge with some big guy behind him. I squint, the flashing strobe lights making my vision blur.
The man turns away, and that’s when I see it.
The scar.
Motherfucker!
They shake hands, Lorenzo gives him a slap on the back, and he disappears to the back of the club.
The vein throbs harder and faster and I push Melina aside. She stumbles, caught off-guard, and falls against my chest. She throws her arms around me and spins around so her back is to me. She flashes a big bright smile and pulls out her phone. “S-say cheese!” Her finger clicks about a thousand pictures of her plastered against me before I can shove her out of my way.
I need to get to Rossi.
I didn’t think I’d get lucky enough to actually find him, but now that I have, fuck me if I let him get away.
I push her away and ignore the expletives flying out of her mouth as she nearly trips over herself trying to stop me. I rush through the crowd — people dancing and drinking and basically fucking while standing up. Scarface headed toward the back of this place. That must be where he’s parked.
I need to get out there before he has a chance to leave!
I push and shove, crashing through groups of partiers and navigating a path across the dance floor. My feet hit the polished floor hard as I break into a run and collide against the back door, forcing it open.
My breaths are short and sharp as I pant, trying to catch my breath from that impromptu sprint.
Goddammit! I’m too late!
The parking lot is empty. No cars, but plenty of broken bottles, blunt wrappers, and assorted drug paraphernalia.
And no Scarface.
I lean against the brick-faced building, pressing my fingers to my temples. A deep sigh shudders through me. I could have had him! I could have had Moretti! I bring my fist into the air to lash out at the wall and then remember what I’d be hitting.
I decide I’d much rather kick in Lorenzo’s teeth. It’s his fault that this is even happening.
He defied my father.
It’s because of my dad that he was able to get this club off the ground in the first place. He was given permission to do it in my father’s territory because of loyalty he’d shown in the past and work he’d done in support of my dad when he took over the organization. I’d heard grumblings as time passed, about what’s going to happen to my father’s territories. My dad wasn’t making big, strong moves to show power, and people were worried about other families taking over.
Well, another family sensed opportunity.
And Lorenzo just fucked us all by aligning himself with Moretti, the head of that family.
I shove open the door to the club and head for Lorenzo’s table.
I’m sure he’s there, flanked on both sides with half-naked women.
He thinks my father is weak.
He may be right.
But I’m not.
I cross the dance floor and stop in front of Lorenzo’s booth, fists clenched.
He’s not here.
And I’m not gonna stand around with my thumb up my ass waiting for him.
I dart into the darkness, with only those blinding lights as my guide. I wander around the outskirts of the lounge, nodding at a security guy who recognizes me. He nods back.
He’s smart.
Maybe he knows his boss is a two-faced sonofabitch.
Lorenzo’s private office is down a long hallway and tucked into a corner. Close enough so that he can make a fast getaway, but hidden enough where he can fuck a couple of cocktail waitresses without being interrupted.
I stand outside of the office, listening to moans drift through the crack at the bottom. A smirk lifts my lips and I slam open the door, standing there with my arms folded.
He looks at me, completely unsurprised to see me. He doesn’t even have the nerve to look caught off-guard since his pants are around his ankles. The two girls who had been crawling all over him jump away with loud squeals, trying to cover themselves.
“Girls, get back to work. We’ll finish up later,” he bellows, still sitting on the couch, legs spread.
They scramble out, not making eye contact with me, and I kick the door closed behind me. Then I lock it.
“Xander,” he starts to stand and pull up his pants, and I cock an eyebrow.
“Last time I was here, you said you’d keep an ear to the ground for me, to let me know who I need to watch out for.”
Lorenzo nods. “Yes, I did.”
“And what’d you come up with?”
He looks around, avoiding my gaze. “Why don’t you sit down?”
“I’d prefer to stand. That way I can react quicker if someone tries to stab me in the back.” I narrow my eyes. “Oh yeah, you already did that, didn’t you?”
He holds up his hands. “Xander, you know I don’t work for anyone but myself.”
“Oh yeah, I know that damn well. You work to line your pockets and you don’t give a fuck about anyone you crush in the process.” I step closer to him. “You owe my father everything for what he did,” I growl.