Maya inclined her head. Gedeon did as well.
“I’ve come across some very disturbing news that involves your family as well as mine. I thought it best to bring you the reports and have you read them. This isn’t the kind of thing to tell you where it can be overheard or sent over a phone. If you don’t mind, before I proceed, I’d like your permission for Gedeon to sweep your office for bugs.”
Caruso leaned forward in his high-backed leather chair and regarded the trio, his dark eyes suddenly alive with interest. “By all means.”
Gedeon took a few minutes because he was a very thorough man. “It’s clean.”
“Thank you,” Gorya said, putting respect into his tone. There was something to admire about the man. He hadn’t even insisted on having his security with him, and that said a lot about him seeing as how the Amurovs had quite a reputation. They were allies in business, but they were wary of each other.
Gorya took the report Maya had compiled under her alias Teona Kyva. It was extremely detailed. Gorya had included everything, so Caruso could judge for himself the extent and power of the ring. More, it was easy enough to see how the Anwar family set up the Caruso family from the very beginning to take the blame should they ever be caught.
The Anwar family had ruled Houston for generations, the docks a large part of that. It had been a shock toeveryone when Bartolo had so generously offered the port to his closest friend, Marzio, and his family when things had gone badly for them in Florida. Marzio’s wife, Ann, had become ill, and the doctors insisted they relocate. Bartolo had come to Marzio’s rescue, giving him a lucrative portion of his territory. The Anwar family had their own freighters and one small section they used in the early morning one day a week, and they handled their own business. Little did Marzio know that the business was an extremely lucrative trafficking pipeline with Russia and Panama, shipping to New York and other places by land, air and sea. As Marzio read the report, it was easy enough to see when he reached the part where Giacenta, Anwar’s daughter, was doing her best to seduce Cristo, one of Marzio’s sons, using a drug procured from a black-market source.
“It is only by the grace of Cristo’s leopard and his strange suspicions that he hasn’t fallen for her wiles,” he murmured. “This is bad. Very bad.” He looked up. The old man had disappeared, and in his place was a shark with teeth. “You are Amurov. You must have come here with a plan. Tell me this report isn’t going to the council before action is taken.”
“That wasn’t our first thought, no,” Gorya conceded. “I know you and Anwar go way back.”
“This is a betrayal of the worst kind.” Caruso nearly spat the accusation. “By the time the evidence is verified by the council, Bartolo would have his family gone. No, we can’t give him time or let him have an inkling anyone is onto him. If he has already found a way to lay blame on me and my boys, he must have a way to disappear.”
Good for the old school. They aren’t going to take this kind of shit lying down. Anwar betrayed him. They had an alliance, a friendship. Anwar had ruled a good portion of Houston for years, but in Florida, Marzio had had a big territory. He’d held an empire. He’s a legend. Anwar should have remembered that.
“The first thing we must do is check every member of your security and crew to ensure there are no spies. As you have heard over the years, there are leopards that are able to do such things.”
Marzio’s eyes widened. “You have such a gift?” He looked from Gorya to Gedeon. “Such a gift would be incredible. Invaluable.”
Gorya found it significant that it didn’t occur to him that Maya also could have such a gift. She not only had it, but hers was far stronger. Marzio was old-fashioned. He might take care of his women, but he still regarded them as inferior to men when it came to business. They were not partners.
Gorya inclined his head. “It may be best to bring your sons in on this. Say nothing until we ensure that they haven’t been compromised though. Albert Krylov was known to use drugs to influence people without their consent. Who is to say what the Anwars have done?”
“You checked me?” For the first time Caruso looked challenging.
Gorya gave him an easy smile. “Naturally.”
Caruso glared for all of five seconds but then broke into a smile. “I would have done the same. I’ll text my sons. They knew I had a private meeting this morning and will be close.”
Gorya was certain their father would have told them to be alert. The fact that all four of Caruso’s sons appeared in less than five minutes proved Gorya’s theory correct.
The older man introduced his sons to Maya. Only the oldest had met Gedeon, so he was introduced to the others. Gorya knew them and engaged them in a brief, friendly conversation, simply stating he had recently been lucky enough to find Maya after he’d been challenged for leadership in the Atchafalaya River Basin. He’d taken over the territory there, was the newpakhan. He was Russian, not Italian, but they had joined the American council,mostly made up of Italian families, and were subject to the approval of that council. He was certain they weren’t too happy with having the Amurovs taking over so many territories.
All the brothers are clean. Cristo has a strong leopard, which is a good thing. The spray Giacenta uses is meant to simulate a leopard in heat and confuse his leopard. He has not claimed her because something about her repels him even as he is attracted.
How does Cristo feel about Giacenta?
He doesn’t care for her, but if her leopard is his leopard’s choice, he will accept her.
Gorya didn’t care for the speculation in her mind.You are my choice, Maya.
I wasn’t at first. We would not be together had our leopards not insisted,she reminded him.
Rogue interrupted.Which only goes to show that human shifters need guidance. Cristo is lucky his leopard has been able to guide him.As usual, the male cat sounded smug.
Gorya hid his smile and met Marzio’s inquiring gaze. “I believe we’re ready to proceed.”
“Before we go any further,” Marzio said, once again sitting back in his chair and regarding Gorya over the tips of his joined fingers. His gaze was diamond hard. Gorya was looking at the man who had held an immense territory for years and ruled with an iron hand. “There’s a price for everything, Gorya. I’ll want to know what that price is before I involve my sons.”
Gorya respected him all the more for asking the question. “An alliance between our families. Before there is any agreement, know this—on both sides, when an Amurov gives his word, he binds all family members, and the penalty for breaking that word is death. We would carry out that sentence on our own. If an ally betrayed us, it would be war and a death sentence. It would beannihilation. We don’t expect aid with anything unless we go before the council, or you do, and we speak and agree beforehand. And human trafficking is off the table. That is an absolute.”
Alessandro made as if to speak, turning toward his father with a small shake of his head, but Marzio held up an imperative hand. “I am still the head of this family and I make the decisions for all of us. We don’t believe in selling other human beings. We’ve spoken of this often. My sons believe as I do and feel just as strongly. That is not a barrier to the alliance between our families.”
