For Cam (Chicago Syndicate Book 4) (13 page)

“I see your point. In that regard, I
have
been putting business before her, but I’m done dealing with this situation now. I can’t function when she shuts me out like this. I need to reel her back in.”

“Start tonight,” James counsels. “We have a Halloween party at the club, and everyone is going to be there. We’re working separately too much at the moment and need a night with our families as well. Cam loved the first few months when we had Sunday dinners and everyone was getting to know each other. You, as boss, need to make us a team again, and Cam is part of that team. Accept that, like she needs to accept you.”

I can tell he’s speaking from experience, and I decide right then and there to start transforming into the true
Capo crimine
, leading from the top and releasing the day-to-day business handlings.

I nod while agreeing with them, and clearly, relief washes over Luca.

“Today, I’ll inform Serena that you’ll be her first point of contact, James. Luca and Tez can start drawing up the papers for the girls and discreetly analyzing which ones they think will go ahead and sign with us. Most of them like working with Tez because he has soft people skills – unlike us.”

“Tez is indeed good,” Luca comments. “I’m glad we appointed him. Now, you and I must take care of Santino. We’ve been putting that off for far too long.”

“After I delegate some tasks, I’ll call you,” I say to Luca, right before he and James stand up.

“I’ll send Serena to you,” Luca adds. “Then we need to decide on a course of action regarding Santino. Wade will be here with an update at noon. I’ll be back then.”

Resolved to mend this rift and lead my team, including Cam, by entrusting them with more tasks, a sense of optimism fills me.

***

T
hirty minutes later, Serena appears in my doorway. “Luca said you wanted to talk.” She sweeps inside.

“Yes, regarding the sex club. James will oversee all business in the club from now on, so you can discuss any problems or concerns with him. He has full mandate to make any executive decision.”

A crease forms between her brows. “Why? Is something wrong?”

I staple my fingers together and lean back in my desk chair.

She rounds the desk and rests her hip against the edge. “It’s fine. You just seem different lately.”

“I am different.”

Inconspicuously, she inches closer, but I catch the minute movement. Her body language has changed. All of a sudden, she reaches forward and touches a strand of my hair, brushing it away from my forehead.

Apparently, James working with her isn’t as appealing as working with me. And I wonder why? Why is she suddenly acting this interested in me? Now, warning bells do ring in my head.

“What are you doing?” I demand as realization dawns on me that Cam was right all along.

“What we both want.” Serena bends forward, pressing her lips to mine.

But I grip her shoulders and shove her away. “Get off me. When have I ever given you the impression that I wanted something like that to happen?”

She doesn’t seem startled. Instead, a vindictive smile crosses her face. “Why can’t you work with me? Is it because of Cam? I didn’t mean to come between you and her.”

I lunge up and crowd her back against the desk. “Yes, you did.”

“Adriano,” Cam’s voice interrupts us as she scrutinizes Serena.

I snare Serena’s wrist. “Did you arrange this? If you did, you’ll be very sorry.” And I look at Cam, the only woman who means anything to me.

I should’ve listened to her.

Camilla

––––––––

T
hankfully, Adriano’s already gone from our loft when I head downstairs for the first time after our fight last night, because I’m meeting Wade, who’s already waiting for me at the front entrance of the building, to drive to Chinatown.

In the passenger seat of Wade’s car, I fasten the belt of my camel-colored trench coat as he parks on a narrow street. Wade had Serena followed last night to a restaurant here, and she’s there again now.

“You only go to Chinatown this early if you have a shady business appointment,” Wade states ominously as we get out of the vehicle and enter the alleyway next to the place Serena’s in.

The brick wall of the building has rectangular windows that are too high for us to look through, and without finding anything we can climb on besides a filthy dumpster, I expectantly glance at Wade.

“Lift me up so I can see through the window,” I mutter.

His face falls.

“Unless you want to climb on
that
”—I point to the disgusting container—“because I’m not touching it.”

“Fine.” He bends his knees slightly and interlocks his fingers, offering his palms for me to step on.

“No. Lift me up by my legs or let me sit on your shoulders.”

Reluctantly, he stoops low, so I swing my legs around his neck. When he rises, I grab his hair for support.

“Ow! Don’t rip out my hair,” he whisper-shouts.

“Sorry, lost my balance.” I hold on to the window frame and peek over the edge. “It’s the kitchen. I can see Serena through the round window in the door that leads to the restaurant. She’s talking to a man, but his back is to me. He’s tall, short hair. I can’t see anything distinctive because the lighting’s too dim and they’re too far away.”

“My guy said that whomever it is, he ensures no one sees him entering or leaving before her, so he’s being cautious.” Wade sways a bit and grips my thighs.

Someone enters the kitchen, and in response, I duck and let go of the window frame, causing Wade to lose his footing. He kneels down quickly, but I still fall forward, and my palms scrape down the wall while I’m trying to get my balance. Hissing from the burn, I climb over his neck and accidentally bump his nose with my ass.

“Fuck, Cam!” His hand flies to his nose.

“Sorry,” I offer softly.

Fortunately, he managed to catch our fall well enough that we didn’t make any excessive noise.

“Let’s go before someone sees us,” Wade insists.

***

W
ade has another appointment, so he drops me off at Club 7 where decorators are busy putting the final touches on the extravagant décor for the Halloween party tonight. Disappointed that I still don’t have any evidence against Serena, I go to Adriano’s office because I do miss him, and I don’t like arguing with him continuously.

His door is slightly ajar, so I peek inside to see Serena speaking with Adriano as she leans against his desk. He has a guarded look on his face, and sure as hell, she suddenly kisses him. Jealousy battles with anger, but instead of bursting inside, I wait for his reaction.

“Get off me. When have I ever given you the impression that I wanted something like that to happen?” Adriano leaps to his feet and spits fire at her.

She answers, but I can’t decipher her words.

“Adriano...” I reveal my presence, and he notices me.

His hand shoots out to grab Serena’s wrist while his stare is unrelenting, waiting for me to act.

I’ve waited so long to be with him, and I’m not letting some pimp ruin that for us. So I draw in a deep breath and wander inside the room, taking my gun from my pocket and setting it on the seat of the black chair. Then I unbuckle my belt and throw my jacket on it too.

“Well, finally showing your claws, Serena?” It would be the greatest pleasure of my life to strangle her.

She sneers at me as she tries to tug free from Adriano’s grip, but he whirls her around with a flick of his wrist and holds her immobile with both of her hands secured to her back. Angling his body to the side, he slides open the drawer to take out some metal handcuffs to restrain her.

“Adriano—” Serena begins.

“Don’t say a word.” He shunts her into his chair, and then he approaches me in a few fluid paces. “She—”

“I know. I saw. Do you believe me now?”

“Yes.”

I let out a sigh, releasing the harsh bitterness I’ve been harboring deep inside. “What exactly happened?”

“I’m not even sure. She kissed me, completely out of the blue.” And he mouths, “I’m sorry.”

His eyes evaluate me wistfully, and I touch his cheek when he rests his forehead against mine, sheltering us in our own realm, rebuilding the walls of our broken bubble.

“It’s okay. Now we can move forward again. I’m actually glad she finally made a move. She was in Chinatown yesterday and this morning.”

He pulls back and regards me inquisitively.

“I was with Wade,” I add in a rush. “Serena had a meeting with someone who obviously wanted to stay a secret. I don’t know who it was. And I do wonder why she suddenly kissed you now? After being purely professional for so long.”

Adriano gives Serena a stony stare. “That
is
peculiar.”

“You’re setting a plan in motion.” I advance on her, but her expression remains indifferent.

“You two are seeing conspiracies everywhere. Yes, I’m attracted to Adriano. And I thought he was acting differently the last few days; that’s why I kissed him. I didn’t mean to cause problems.” She acts suspiciously conceited.

“You didn’t cause problems.” I rest my palm on the tall back of the chair that she’s sitting in with her wrists tied to her back. “You’re nothing but a small hiccup in my love story with Adriano. And I believe you’ve thought this scenario through, because you’re too composed.”

“Jesus Christ. I won’t do it again, okay? You’re seriously overreacting.”

Serena’s a damn good actress, because I’m inclined to believe her – almost.

“What were you doing in Chinatown?” I ask.

“Business for my own club,” she replies.

“With whom?”

She carefully considers her answer. “That, I cannot say.”

After three weeks of being forced to accept this woman in our lives, I’m unable to control my primal reaction to her arrogance. With the back of my hand, I slap her cheek hard enough that her heads shoots to the side. She grimaces and loosens her jaw.

“I will fuck up your face, I swear to god, if you don’t start answering my questions.”

Adriano’s standing off to the side, viewing me with pride.

“With whom?” I repeat.

“A guy who I’m buying BDSM equipment from, if you must know.”

Fed up, I hold out my arms in defeat.

A frown crosses Adriano’s face, and for a second, I’m afraid he believes her.

“What’s your plan now, Adriano? My girls only work here because I allow them to.” Serena downright disregards me.

“Are you pressuring me, Serena?” He looks sideways at her, but then we’re interrupted by Luca.

“What’s going on?” Luca closes the door behind him.

“Serena kissed Adriano,” I explain.

Surprised, Luca asks, “What are you going to do with her?”

“I don’t know.” Adriano strokes his chin thoughtfully. “But Cam’s correct; something’s off. First, I need to think of a way to get rid of Serena without losing my employees in the process. If Serena just disappears, those girls are going to ask too many questions.”

“Then we speed up the plans we made this morning,” Luca recommends.

I don’t know what they discussed this morning, but I suggest, “Have Serena tell her girls that she’s leaving and instruct them to sign with you two.”

“I told you she had good suggestions. She’s a good
Capo
.” Luca’s tone is filled with admiration.

The corner of Adriano’s mouth slowly rises. “That, she is.”

“I’ll never do that now that I know you’re planning to eliminate me,” Serena protests and jumps up.

I dig my fingers into her neck and propel her into the adjacent security room.

“It’s too late anyway, Camilla,” she remarks to me, whisper-soft, but now it’s my turn to ignore her. She jostles against the equipment, trying to find her balance. “Adriano, Luca, you can’t let her do this!”

Then I shut the door and lock her inside, commenting, “She was really annoying me.”

“She just kissed you out of nowhere after I sent her up here?” Luca asks Adriano.

“Yes. It was as if she was backed into a corner and suddenly changed her tactic of the last few weeks,” Adriano replies. “Anyway, let’s keep her locked in there overnight, then she’ll cooperate if she wants to live.”

“Okay,” Luca agrees. “By the way, I came back to tell you that Wade called, informing me he’ll talk to us tonight. An urgent matter came up.”

“That’s fine.” Adriano’s fully concentrated on me, and Luca takes his cue and slips out. “Lock the door, Luca.” Adriano edges closer and folds his hands around my neck, angling my head up. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve trusted you.”

“Yes, you should have.” I cover his hands with mine.

“
Ti amo
, Cam. I can’t believe I’ve been so blind. But no more. I talked to Luca this morning about delegating more tasks, and we were already planning to push Serena out. We just have to figure out what her plan is, or was, before I take any definite action.”

“I agree. You have no idea how relieved I am that you finally see her for what she is. I told you it wasn’t pure jealousy on my part.”

“You did, and I should’ve listened to you. I promise this will never happen again.”

“I believe you. God, I felt disconnected from you. It made me feel hollow.”

His dark head dips down. “I felt it too. In these last few days, I’ve realized how this new job’s affecting me. You and Luca are right. I do need to put more faith in the people around me, act like a leader and stop micromanaging, because it obstructs my judgment. Everything stemmed from my dread of losing you, and while I’ve been so busy, I couldn’t be with you and protect you as much as I wanted to. But I do know that you’re strong, Cam. Never, ever think that I doubted your strength. I fucking missed your strength. It ate me up when you distanced yourself from me.”

I run my hands through his hair as he lifts the barrier that’s been between us with his words.

“I’m happy that you’re saying this. I’m sorry too.”

My heart quickens when he skims his lips over mine, and then his voice drops to a whisper, “
Mi sei mancato tanto.
” I missed you so much. “Tell me that we’ll never sleep apart again.”