“I’ll give you all of Italy. Completely your terrain. No competitors. No taxes.” I offered something no one ever had, and I would pay dearly for it. I would have to shut down all my other clients, and there would definitely be backlash for it, possibly my resignation, but I had to put out this fire.
He cocked his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he slowly took in the offer. He took a few steps toward me.
It was working. “It’s yours—for a truce.”
His expression didn’t change, his shoulders squared. He was a strong man but on the leaner side, missing the thirty pounds of muscle that I had. He came closer to me again, his eyes cold. “No.”
All my hope died.
“I can’t be bought, Heath. My family is more important than all the money in the world, and I would much rather be dead than shake your hand in the form of a truce. You’ll pay for what you’ve done to us—with your life.”
Fourteen
Catalina
I stared at the board and considered my next move. Now that I never threw a game, I almost always won. My father was a great player, but since he taught me everything he knew, he really stood no chance against me. I grabbed my piece and moved it.
“Something wrong, sweetheart?” He already knew what move he was going to make, so he quickly grabbed his pawn and relocated it.
“No.” I stared at the board again. “Why?”
“You seem lifeless.”
“Lifeless…that’s a bit harsh.” I examined the board as I considered how to beat him in the least number of moves.
“I’ve known you since you were born, sweetheart. I know when something’s off.”
I made my move then looked at him. “Damien told me about your kidnapping…”
“You’re upset about that?” he asked incredulously. “That was like a year ago.”
“Still upsets me.”
“Well, everything turned out fine. My only grievance was missing my favorite show.”
He was just like Damien, making a joke out of the most serious situations. “You weren’t hurt?”
“No.” He examined the board. “When the men came to my apartment and told me to cooperate, I listened. I know my son will move mountains for me. I never lost my faith.” He made his move.
I must have been too distracted by the conversation because I moved my piece and set myself up for failure.
And he demolished me. “Checkmate.”
“Damn…you got me.”
“And that’s how I know something is wrong.” He grabbed the pieces and returned them to the start.
A slow smile spread across my lips.
Damien stepped into the dining room. “Who won?”
I nodded to my dad.
“She was distracted,” Dad explained. “Hopefully, she learned her lesson.”
Damien stood with his hands in his pockets, watching our father for a moment before he turned to me. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”
“Sure.”
After Dad finished setting up the board, he rose from his chair. “It’s time for my nap anyway…” He grabbed a few snacks off the table and took them to his room.
Damien fell into the chair across from me.
“Yes?” I propped my chin on my closed hand, resting it right on the knuckles.
He relaxed in the chair, his hands somewhere under the table. He stared at the board for a while before he looked at me. “I want your help with something.”
“I’m all yours.” I grabbed the first pawn and moved it.
He raised an eyebrow. “We’re playing?”
“Unless you don’t want your sister to kick your ass…”
He gave me a slight glare before he grabbed his piece and moved it. “It’s a lot to ask, and I understand if your answer is no.”
“This doesn’t sound good…” I eyed the board and considered my next move. “What is it?”
“I’m gonna take down Heath, and I think you’re the best way to do that.”
Now, I ignored the game altogether and met his look.
“He’s never alone. And when he is alone, his house is impenetrable. I need to lure him out—alone.”
I didn’t know how I felt about the request because I didn’t feel anything at all.
“It’s your chance to get retribution for what he did—and show me your loyalty.”
I hadn’t shown my own family loyalty at all. “What do you want me to do?”
“Is that a yes?” he asked quietly.
“Yes.” I turned back to the board and moved my piece.
He was quiet for a while. “I thought you might be hesitant.”
“Not at all.” I raised my head and met his look. “He lied to me from the beginning. He chose to hurt me instead of doing the right thing. He chose himself over me. He’s selfish…and worthless. I don’t owe him anything.”
Damien gave me a look of approval. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“So, what do you want me to do?”
He grabbed a piece and moved it. “I want you to ask him to come to your apartment to talk. I’ll be there—and take him out.”
“You’re going to kill him?” I asked, my voice changing slightly.
“No.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“He put you in a cage. I’m going to do the same to him.”
I saw the rage in his eyes as I stared at him. “He didn’t mistreat me while I was in there—”
“But he mistreated you the second he fucked you.”
My eyes dropped to the board. “He may not come.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” he asked. “He offered to outlaw every other drug dealer in the country and give me an undisputed monopoly if I declared a truce. Trust me, if you call, he’ll come.”
“But he might be suspicious.”
“That’s fine. Won’t change anything.”
I considered my next move while thinking about the plan Damien had just laid out.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
I looked at him again, thinking about my father, my brother, and myself. Heath was poison, poison that would kill us all if he wasn’t dealt with. “Yes.”
I stood at my kitchen counter and stared at the screen of my phone. Heath’s name stared back at me. When’d he originally put it into my phone, I didn’t know his name, so he listed it under Skull King. I’d changed it later.
I hit the button and held it to my ear.
It rang only once.
He picked up instantly, just as he’d promised. But he didn’t say anything.
I was quiet, listening to the subtle sounds of movement in the background, like he was doing something in his kitchen. “Are you there?”
His deep voice came back to me instantly. “Wasn’t sure if you meant to call me.”
“I don’t do anything unless I mean to do it.” It was hard just to hear his voice, to imagine that voice ordering his men to slaughter my father while my brother had to listen over the line.
“Then how can I help you?” His voice quieted, turning restrained, like there was much more he wanted to say, but he forced himself to keep his mouth shut.