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I went to my room where I’d left my phone and grabbed the device, sending a brief text to Miceli. “I won’t open the door until he answers.”
“Not a problem, princess.”
Chewing on my thumbnail, I tapped my foot impatiently waiting for my message to be read and for Miceli to tell me whether or not it was safe. When his response ofpulling in nowcame through, I rejoined Kyle and nodded. “Give us ten. I need to change.” I guess a shower would have to wait.
It didn’t take long to pull on some clean clothes. All the items Kyle and I purchased the day before were placed in our rooms at some point. I was grateful. When I stepped out of my room, I took Kyle’s hand and exited the cottage. There Robbie stood. Miceli was at the backdoor of the main house waiting for us. Well, at least for the moment, we weren’t stepping into a trap.
“Do you know what this is about?” I peered up at Robbie. “Miceli said he’d be gone most of the day.”
“I know,” Robbie agreed. “I don’t know either. Must not be good if he came home.”
I exhaled and nodded. “Yeah, I thought the same.”
Miceli
I’d officially satin my office for two hours before the call came in from Soren. Brooke was dead. Her body washed up along the river, late last night/earlier this morning. The exact day she died was still undetermined. However, they found one distinguishing mark on her arm. She’d been drugged, it appeared. Overdose was the rumored cause. Of course, no one would know what drug had been injected until the toxicology came back with definite answers.
Interesting how that happens.
The one person who was seen entering one of Mario Torino’s properties only a short while ago, then disappearing before washing ashore from an apparent overdose. And, on the same day, Stephanie and Kyle were attacked by Mario Torino’s men. One incident is a coincidence. Two, well, to me, that was a conspiracy.
Worried and surprised by the turn of events, I rushed home. I wanted Stephanie and Kyle at the main house so I could tell them the news and to put us all on lockdown until I could get a better grip on what was going on. There were only two scenarios in which Brooke died. She out lived her usefulness and got greedy or Mario was pissed because Stephanie and Kyle were still alive. Both situations worked as far as I was concerned. Brooke liked flashy bobbles and lived for gossip, trading said information to the highest bidder—securing her lifestyle.
As soon as Stephanie stepped out of the house, Kyle right beside her, I knew it was the latter. They were meant to either be delivered to Mario or killed. When neither happened, Brooke paid the price. I stepped aside to let them in. Kyle looked worse for wear, while Stephanie appeared tired and scared. I was selfish with her. I’d been so damn adamant about imprinting myself on her the night before. I hadn’t let her get much sleep. Now, I wondered if perhaps I’d only hurt her more.
“I’m sorry to bother both of you,” I said, closing and locking the door behind me. “Let’s talk in my office, where we won’t be disturbed.” Less than a day ago, I had Stephanie spread out across my desk, fucking her. Heat filled my cheeks like a naughty schoolboy. I’d almost laughed when I noticed the pink in her cheeks as well. At least we had one fond memory.
“What’s going on?” Stephanie hedged. “I thought you were going to be at the office all day.”
I’d been prepared for the same thing. Sitting behind my desk, in the chair I’d done depraved things with Stephanie on, inflamed the embers of my arousal. I needed to concentrate on the issue at hand, not my raging libido.
“Soren called. He said there’d been an incident last night.” I folded my hands, gathering my thoughts while also debating the right way to tell Stephanie Brooke was dead. “A body washed up along the shore.”
Stephanie gasped while Kyle sat up a little straighter. Seated side by side, there was no way anyone could miss who they were—now that I had the truth about them. No, they weren’t children anymore. They were adults who’d lost everything of value to them because of a stupid game they’d been thrown into the middle of.
“Do you know who it was?” Kyle asked before his sister could.
“Yes.” Saying her name would cause questions. I hoped I’d proven myself to them from the moment they stepped foot onto my property. “It was Brooke.”
Stephanie’s eyes were round with shock, and her mouth fell open. Beside her, Kyle grunted, slumping back into his chair. For long moments, neither of us said anything. I too was still in disbelief, no matter how practical I was about the situation. Her death was sloppy. Brooke didn’t use drugs, nor would she ever start. Whoever took her out would be caught sooner rather than later, which brought about other complications for the Syndicate of Families, and myself.
“According to rumors, she had a puncture wound in her arm, showing it could be an overdose.”
“Bullshit,” Stephanie said. “I don’t believe that. She was too mean to do drugs. She had a good life philandering with all of you men. Plus, she wasn’t strung out when she was around you. Besides, isn’t it a little too convenient she goes missing and then suddenly she washes up along the shore?”
I’d laugh if she hadn’t hit the nail on the head with her statement. “True. Unfortunately, for us, she was seen entering one of Mario Torino’s properties right before you were ambushed.”
“Torino was the guy who sent those assholes after us, right?” Kyle sneered. “Fucking bastard.”
“Indeed,” I agreed. “Between the information you shared with me yesterday along with the discovery last night... I’m not sure what game is being played here.”
“This is how it starts,” Stephanie whispered. “He’s cutting us off again. At least this time I have a who.”
She wasn’t making any sense to me. “What are you talking about, sweetheart?”
“Torino,” she answered. “People who get close to us die. It’s already happened before. The couple in the diner was first. Now Brooke. Then we were almost kidnapped.”
I had to squelch her anxious ramblings before she did something stupid again, like run. Running now would definitely get her into trouble, and I wouldn’t be able to get to her in time. “No, you’re looking at it wrong. Whatever your father’s assignment was, got your parents killed and put you in danger’s way. You have nothing to do with anyone being murdered. This is a vendetta—family business.”
