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And I’d lost someone special to someone I’d trusted. A man I’d once considered a mentor.
Trust wasn’t an option any longer for anyone but family.
* * *
Friends.
They came in all sizes, shapes, and methods of inflicting harm.
Or in the case of the Brotherhood, striking with venom.
They were powerful, bold, untethered by humanity, and always eager for a fight.
Pops had been an acquaintance of Constantine’s father, considered rivals with a conscience. I’d never understood what the hell that had meant until I’d reluctantly agreed to become a part of the alliance.
While the seven of us could call ourselves potential enemies as well, we had a firm understanding of our boundaries. I thought about my issue with trust as I headed for the oversized table, the light breeze making for a perfect early afternoon.
Constantine noticed my arrival first, although he pretended as if I was nowhere to be found. The man thought himself to be a comedian, but I’d grown fond of him over the years.
“Have any of you questioned why we’ve never been invited to Phoenix’s supposed massive estate?” Constantine teased as soon as I walked onto the deck of the restaurant I’d selected.
“That’s very true,” Maxim gritted out. “It makes you think he actually lives in a shack.”
“Very funny,” I growled as I approached, taking one of the two empty chairs. I’d selected Liberty Point because the location was highly visible, crowded most of the time, yet there was still room for some privacy given the size of the restaurant. Plus, it had spectacular views of the water. The truth was I didn’t want them anywhere near my home or businesses in case Zakaryan was having me watched.
The six men were seated around the table, drink orders already in front of them.
“All true,” Dante Santos stated in passing. The Santos Empire was in LA, but there were plans on branching out further east. “Although I must admit, this is an excellent spot to people watch.”
They laughed as I settled in, immediately scanning the area. I had knack for spotting Armenian soldiers from several yards away.
And not by their tattoos.
They dressed in black, as if mourning a loss.
At least if one or more showed up, their chosen attire would be for a reason.
“I agree,” Gabriel Giordano said as he studied me. As head of the New York Cosa Nostra, he’d had his share of dealings with a powerful faction of Armenians. “Maxim mentioned somethings about the situation. Is the action you took the other night the reason for the advanced meeting?”
“Partially. It’s only a matter of time before a counterattack is made,” I told them.
Everyone sat back as a waitress approached, getting my order, including refills all around. They’d had more time to discuss the situation amongst themselves than I’d realized.
“Do you need help?” Diego pushed. Dante’s twin brother was possibly the most conniving of the group, a powerful movie mogul who no one crossed.
“Not with leveling the playing field in Philly. However, I do need you and your brother to get the heat off my sister’s vineyard in Napa.”
“I hadn’t realized she owned a vineyard,” Dante said with a grin on his face.
“You haven’t been a part of the Santos world for very long,” I teased in return. Twin brothers. One raised by the mother, one the father under entirely different circumstances, neither of which had been optimal.
“I take it you plan on throwing that in my face for the rest of the time spent in the alliance,” he countered.
“You make it sound like a prison term,” Brogan Callahan threw in. I could tell he was a new father, deep lines in his face from exhaustion. I had a feeling his wife, Mallory, kept him on a short leash. That made me laugh inwardly given Whitney’s personality. He’d taken his brother’s place as head of the Irish mob in Chicago, becoming more brutal than I’d ever given him credit for.
“For some of us, it could be.” Constantine’s eyes twinkled, the man enjoying his role as the illustrious leader of our pack of wolves.
“Elena owns Diamondis Vineyards,” Maxim answered for me. “There was an anonymous tip to the police she was keeping illegal guns on the property.”
