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My heart hammered as I met her brown eyes. Something shifted inside me, something cold and aching. It couldn’t have been my heart, that was for sure. Nothing made the beat in my heart boom like thunder, not unless it was a shotgun to my chest.
But that’s exactly how she felt standing there, her black dress hugging her body. I licked my lips, forgetting for a second how to talk. “And who might you be, sweetheart?”
“Too expensive for you,” she answered, shutting me down hard.
“Anna, stop!”Finley bellowed.
But the little brunette was fast as she scurried like a mouse away from him and tore along the hall. I saw it all in the corner of my eye, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away fromher…the stunning redhead who looked at me with a cold, savage glare. I took a step forward, keeping my voice low. “You know who I am?”
“Don’t know and don’t care.” She sidestepped me, her focus on Finley and his fucking train wreck of a budding relationship.
I turned to watch her leave and crossed my arms over my chest. Fuck, the woman was cold. She just strode toward Freddy and Logan, who stood blocking the way, and in a careful, savage tone she commanded, “Move.”
They did, glancing at me first before stepping to the side. Fuck me, she was magnificent. A stone-cold babe…and way out of my goddamn league. But Christ, that aching thing inside my chest demanded more. I licked my lips as Kilpatrick stumbled through the doorway.
“Look who it is,” he slurred.
I cut him a glare and turned away. I didn’t have time for his bullshit. But he followed my focus as the redhead disappeared around the corner of the hallway, heading to the elevators.
“Kat VanHalen, huh?” Kilpatrick sniggered, and stumbled, drunk, as usual. “She’s too good for you, and you’re too…youngfor her.”
That savage part of me pushed to the surface as I jerked my gaze to his. “What the fuck are you talking about, Kilpatrick? Don’t you have any more booze to drink? Just a fucking drunk…like your father.”
Anger seethed in his eyes.
“Heard your dad likes to beat you,” I pushed him, watching the sparks ignite in his eyes. “Heard he’s a real fucking piece of work.”
Kilpatrick grew still, so very fucking still, like a viper ready to strike. I let out a chuckle. A baby fucking viper, its fangs not yet fully grown and all that poison in its veins. “Go back to your party, Kilpatrick. Maybe there they’ll swallow your big man fucking bullshit.”
I turned to leave.
“One fucking day, Rossi,” Kilpatrick warned softly.
I just laughed and kept on walking. I wasn’t interested in petty fucking games, his or the fucking Commission's. The Rossis had a seat on the table, but it wasn’t a seat given to us. We'd had toearn it.We'd had to bleed and fight and make fucking alliances with those we were sworn to hate.
Freddy and Logan fell in behind me as I strode to the elevator once more. The Cosa Nostra and the Stidda weren’t friends and hadn’t been for a long goddamn time. But to survive in this world…sometimes you had to make a deal with those you despised.
That fire still burned in my belly. A spark handed down from my great-grandfather to my grandfather, then to my father before burning in me. I punched the button for the elevator and waited for the doors to open. No, Stidda and Cosa Nostra weren’t friends, we weren’t even close. The Salvatores and the fucking Kilpatricks could huddle together like frightened little schoolgirls all they wanted.
But the Rossis…we stood alone.
Still, the redhead—the elevator doors opened and I strode inside—she was someone who could make this Rossi interested. I licked my lips. “Kat VanHalen,” I murmured to Freddy. “What do you know about her?”
He just gave a snort. “I know she’s rich and powerful and someone not to fucking mess with…especially for you.”
“Why?” I snarled.
Freddy just met my gaze as the elevator came to a stop. “Nothing I know for sure, just rumors.”
Rumors.
“What kind of rumors?” I dug, striding out.
The party from upstairs had spilled over into the foyer. Music poured from a portable speaker somewhere in the corner, laughter and the drone of conversation fought for attention. Heads turned toward me and eyes widened as I stepped out. But I didn’t care about them. I cared about knowing more about the redhead.
“Nothing I want to say here.” Freddy lowered his voice.
I strode through the crowd, ignoring their hushed conversations and careful gazes as I made my way out of the building. Kat VanHalen. I knew the name…Hell,everyoneknew the fucking name. But holy shit. I didn’t realizethatwas who a VanHalen was.
