Men of Mayhem (33 page)

Nico

My phone vibrated in my back pocket as I strolled through my family’s estate towards my wing. When I was seventeen I persuaded my father to give me my own entrance and exit points so I could come and go as I pleased. It had taken a year of convincing, but finally he relented over the fact I needed it for work. If I was going to inherit the business one day then I needed to make my own decisions. Now it came in handy when sneaking out to meet Bri.

Reaching for the mobile, I slid it from my pocket and glanced down at the screen. When Bri’s name lit up on it, I couldn’t stop the tug on my heart or my lips quirking. It was pathetic that only the sight of her name made me forget all of the bad around me. It had the ability to stop my heart and then send it into an erratic tailspin. I’d never felt so drawn to anyone. The second I saw her in the club eight months ago I knew I had to have her. The sultry, confident smile behind her Venetian mask lured me. It had been impossible to resist, and by the time I’d found out her true identity I was too far gone to care. Instead of killing her right there in my bed, I’d fucked her, hoping to get her out of my system.

Hearing her cry out my name without care that night only intensified the desire, though. Even eight months later I still couldn’t get enough of her, and the ridiculous thing was I didn’t regret a second of it. I should have. But I couldn’t.

She had somehow weaselled her way into my heart and she was worth giving up everything for. I felt more tied to her than the people I shared blood with.

I was about to open the message when a shadow separated itself from the wall. Stepping forward, he triggered the security light, drawing my attention to him. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and glowered, waiting for him to speak. My mind was instantly alert, already searching for potential threats.

When it became clear the guy wasn’t going to speak, I growled, “Are you going to explain why you’re here, or are you going to continue to gawp at me like a demented fan girl at a One Direction concert?”

He hooked his thumbs loosely in his pockets. “If you don’t want your secret coming out, I’d try to use a nicer tone with me.”

The guy had balls, I had to give him that. Unfortunately, it meant little unless he had the IQ to scrutinize a situation and every possible outcome. This guy—who I recognized as Sergio, one of the lower enforcers—obviously hadn’t done that. If he had, he’d have come to the conclusion that confronting a superior, let alone a member of the blood, wasn’t a smart move.

“And what secret would that be?”

“I saw you earlier on my way over to start my shift. I’m sure the boss would have something to say about his son betraying the family by fucking an Aletti.” The corners of his mouth turned up and he watched me eagerly. No doubt he was expecting me to explode, but I remained impassive. Not even my heart increased in speed.

“Are you threatening me, Sergio?” I took a challenging step towards him, my voice devoid of all emotion; I almost sounded bored. Over the years, I’d learned it unnerved people when they expected one reaction and I gave them the opposite. It threw them off balance, and if they were off balance it meant I was in control. I could see from his nervous glances to the side that Sergio wasn’t beyond being affected by me, even if he tried to cover it.

“It doesn’t have to be. If you do something for me then no one has to know.”

Fucking idiot.

I took a step closer, imposing on his personal space. I had at least four inches on him and matched him in muscle size. A bead of sweat broke out on his forehead and his throat bobbed at my proximity. The smug mask he’d been wearing cracked.

“Really? And what would it take to make this go away? Money, a promotion, a house? You name it. What do you want?” I kept my voice low…threatening.

“All of that. If you give me all of that, then I’ll keep your secret.”

I stepped back abruptly, walking past him without acknowledging his offer. Unlocking my front door, I entered the house, flicking on lights as I went. I moved over to my wall safe, inputting the combination swiftly. When the lock clicked open, I reached in to grab my Glock and hid it in the waistband of my jeans under my shirt. Despite what people thought of the families, the higher-ups weren’t armed everywhere we went. Even if we had a handful of cops on our payroll, it didn’t make carrying a weapon a smart move. That was why we had enforcers. They protected us and they took the fall if caught.

When I’d closed the safe, Sergio still hadn’t followed me in.

“Sergio!” I barked, gaining a small thrill from watching him scuttle in. He didn’t know the first thing about commanding a situation.

“Are you going to take the deal?”

I jerked my head further into the house towards a door leading down to the garage. It wasn’t a garage in the sense we parked our cars there. It was more of a soundproofed room used for…let’s call it rectifying business disputes, with easy access for disposal. “Follow me.”

“Why? Either you take the deal this second or I’m going to your father.”

“I don’t think so.” I laughed, the sound cruel even to my own ears. “You’re not going to tell anyone. Instead I’m going to show you what happens to people who try to blackmail me.”

Sergio’s eyes widened, his forehead covered in a more noticeable sheen now. When his gaze darted to the door, I was between him and the exit before he could move. For a second I considered hauling him down the steps, but I wasn’t in the mood for difficult. Instead I reached for my gun and pressed the hard metal into his spine.

“I said. Follow. Me.”

I pushed the barrel deeper to get him moving. He lifted his feet hesitantly, glancing around the room for something or someone to help him. When it became clear which door we were heading for, he leaned into the gun as if he could escape his fate. I placed my free hand on his shoulder to hurry him along.

The sated feeling that had engulfed me after I’d left Bri had completely vanished. Now there was only a protective desire burning through my veins, demanding the blood of anyone who dared to threaten her.

I opened the door, flicking the switch to illuminate the stairs. Like a cat fighting against being put in a bath, Sergio latched onto the door frame on either side of him. His fingers curled around the wood as he fought for a grip.

“I can shoot you here if that’s what you want.” I slid the gun up to the back of his head, making sure he felt every movement. The action had the desired effect. The second his fingers loosened I brought my elbow down into the crease of his arm. It dislodged his grip instantly on one side and with a shove from my shoulder, Sergio toppled down the stairs.

The series of thuds stopped and were followed by a pained groan. I followed him down, pausing beside his curled up body.

“Need a hand, Serg?” Like I knew he would, he took my outstretched palm on instinct. He pulled against me, beginning to haul himself to his feet when I let go. Immediately he fell backwards and I followed his landing with a swift kick to his ribs.

“Get on your fucking knees,” I snarled at his doubled over body.

Somehow he managed to unfurl and follow my instructions. On his knees he tilted his head back to glare at me.

“Did you really think you could blackmail me?”

Sergio opened his mouth to answer, but when I pointed the barrel of my gun between his eyes the words died on his lips with a squeak.

“I asked you a question, dickhead.”

“I’m sorry, Nico. It’s just I saw—”

“You saw an opportunity to lever yourself up the chain of command. You got greedy and so blinded by what you could have that you forgot all about loyalty. Does that cover it?”

He dropped his gaze to the floor, his head bowing so I could no longer see his expression.

“It wasn’t about the promotion. My wife…she’s ill and…it’s taking its toll financially.”

I blew the air from my cheeks forcefully. It was always the same goddamned story—sick child, sick spouse. Everybody in Italy was fucking ill according to guys like Sergio.

“And you didn’t think to tell the family? We protect each other. Blood or sworn in, it makes no difference. If Sylvie was ill we could have taken care of her. But you couldn’t do that, could you?”

He remained quiet.

“Why couldn’t you come to us for help, Sergio?”

He shook his head, refusing to meet my gaze. It meant he didn’t see me lower my weapon. I took a step closer to him, and only when my boots entered his line of vision did he glance up. His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat and his face drained of all colour.

“Not going to answer me?” I towered over him, my stare furious. When he didn’t reply again, I continued. “Fine, if that’s how you want to play it.”

Before he had time to react or even notice it, my foot collided with his gut. His arms flew to protect the area and he curled in on himself while attempting to regain his breathing.

“Why, Sergio?”

He grunted, the sound combined with a hiss of pain.

“Does it have anything to do with the fact I saw Sylvie this morning looking the picture of health?” I rested my foot against his shoulder and with a sharp push sent him sprawling on to his back. He gazed up at me, the raw fear on his face for once not giving me any pleasure. “She’s not ill, is she? You were once again trying to con me.”

He shook his head, his eyes wild. It looked more like denial than an admittance of guilt.

“How much do you know about Brianna?” I asked, because she was my priority. All that mattered was whether or not our plan could go ahead.

“Hardly anything…I swear. I only saw you together…in a field while driving by.”

“And then you decided to follow us and watch the show?”

His eyes widened and he shook his head frantically. Whether he was lying or not it didn’t matter. A raging anger powered through me, sweeping away my cool exterior. The only thought filling my mind was he had to pay for putting Bri in danger. A moment we shared would forever be tarnished by the fucker, because now what had been the perfect evening would only be remembered for death.

Sergio had sealed his fate the moment he attempted to blackmail me. However, my tainted night was only making me want to prolong the experience for him. If I had the time I’d skin him alive, but I didn’t have the luxury.

Raising my gun once more, I pulled the trigger. The bullet shattered his kneecap, drawing a howl of agony deep from his throat. For a second his body stiffened, paralysed with shock, before he started to move to grab the wound. He didn’t make it far before I shoved him back to the floor, keeping my boot on his shoulder.

“That was for Brianna.”

He whimpered beneath me, his breaths short and sharp as he struggled to cope with the pain filling his mind.

“How many people have you told about what you saw?”

He gritted out the answer through a clenched jaw, the sound weak. “None.”

“Are you
going
to tell anyone about Brianna or our conversation?”

“No, Nico. I swear.” He fought to breathe around the pain consuming him.

I aimed my gun back at his forehead. “That’s right, you won’t.”

I moved my finger to the trigger and watched his eyes widen in terror as they darted between me and the barrel.

“W-wait…I s-said I won’t tell anyone…aren’t y-you going to let me…go?”

“Why would I? There’s nothing stopping you from running to my father as soon as you leave here.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“I can’t take that risk. You’ve tried to cross me once, and I don’t give second chances.”

He opened his mouth, no doubt to plead his case again, but I didn’t give him a chance. Pulling the trigger, I fired. I didn’t even check to confirm he was dead. I turned away with a look of disgust and I climbed the stairs.

Locking the door behind me, I reached for my phone and dialled one of the guys to clean up. As soon as I hung up, I withdrew my other mobile—the one only Brianna knew about. I brought up the message expecting her usual, sexy goodnight in the hope it would calm me and reinforce the idea I did the right thing, but her words were far from it.

Bri: We have a problem. Meet me at location 3 tomorrow, 9 p.m. Do not go near the house.

I stared at the screen in confusion for a second, not knowing how it was possible for her to be aware of Sergio. Rather than question it, I only sent a simple response back.

Me: No we don’t, I just eliminated it.

Her response was instant.

Bri: Tomorrow, 9 p.m., location 3. We need to talk.

Me: I’ll be there. Sweet dreams princess.

Bri: Fuck you.

I laughed at her final text. She was predictable and easy to wind up. However, usually a second text would follow with a proper goodnight. When five minutes had drifted by and I’d still received nothing, an uneasy feeling settled over me. I tried telling myself she’d fallen asleep on me, but deep down I knew something bigger was going on. The question was…what?