“Whose side are you on?” Leanna asked, resisting the urge to ask about Axe and his father. She had to play it cool until she figured out if he was friend or foe.
“My own, of course,” Ivan replied, swinging her around.
“Why didn’t you answer Gabriel’s message?”
“I knew he was okay when he replied. Whose side are you on?”
“My own,” Leanna repeated. “I wonder if Vinny and Axe are cooking something up.”
“I heard Vinny is dead,” Ivan said. “Axe is a real ass.”
Leanna’s body stiffened at the confirmation of Vinny’s death, but she had to keep her voice casual. “How’s Axe taking it?”
“Like a champ.” Ivan dipped her until her hair brushed the floor. “He’s joined up with Boss Veronica.”
Leanna’s head swam once Ivan righted her. “No way. I’m sure he’s pretending. Where is he right now?”
“She’s keeping him in her bedroom,” Ivan said. “His father is dead, and all he thinks about is sex. The beast.”
“You jealous?” Leanna twirled around.
“Not when he’s dead,” Ivan said. “Where’s your dad?”
“Don’t know.”
“Can’t believe he let you come to the party. We both know how dangerous that can be.”
“You planning on taking over? If so, wouldn’t it be a good time to surprise Veronica in her bedroom?”
“With Axe on top of her we can kill two birds with one bullet,” Ivan said, laughing.
“Show me her bedroom, and I’ll help you take her out,” Leanna said.
“Shall we?” He offered his arm, and they strode out of the ballroom. “Cano always had the best parties and the best hideaways.”
Leanna had never been to this particular location, but she had to agree that Cano took good care of his guests’ sexual proclivities by providing rooms with beds and paraphernalia.
Ivan steered Leanna up a golden elevator and into a hallway that resembled a luxury hotel. He tried several doorknobs before one opened into a boudoir with a four-poster bed in the center. No one else was inside, but a champagne bottle in an ice bucket sat next to a spread of finger foods.
“This isn’t Veronica’s bedroom,” Leanna said, realizing too late that Ivan had seduction on his mind.
“Ah, but we have plenty of night ahead of us before the fireworks start.” Ivan reached for the champagne bottle, and Leanna slid from under his arm.
“Let’s have a toast first,” Leanna said, taking the bottle from him. “To new beginnings.”
Ivan loosened his tie. “Ah, but there are no beginnings until we have endings.”
“True.” Leanna struggled with the wires holding in the cork. She turned away from Ivan so he couldn’t see her slip a roofie into his flute. “Aren’t we celebrating too early? What about Veronica? What will she do?”
“We wait for her to take out all her rivals,” Ivan said. “After you hear the shooting and half the guests are dead, then when she returns to her bedroom to celebrate…”
Leanna popped the champagne and let the fizz stream out. “I don’t believe Axe has taken her side. Maybe we should find him and see what he’s planning.”
“Didn’t it ever worry you that Axe was working with El Bardo?” Ivan asked.
“I don’t trust anyone,” she said.
“No, I suppose you don’t,” he said. “Neither do I, and since you’re Tomas Rivera’s daughter, you must be here for a reason.”
