“Declan just confirmed the fire, but it wasn’t the Devils who started it,” he growls. “According to the surveillance cameras,some men in suits and blacked-out SUVs tossed Molotov cocktails through the windows and started the fucking fire.”
Vincenzo doesn’t smile, but his eyes still dance with amusement. “Oh, yes. Considering our friendship, I’ll need you to erase all the footage. You understand, Gabriel,” Parisi says, as if it’s the simplest of things among friends. To damage each other’s property and then cover up the evidence.
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Gabe pinches the bridge of his nose.
“It seemed a better way to keep the police busy while my men helped yours clean the mess and take out the trash from this othersituation. Please inform your men to bring our guest up here if you don’t mind.” It’s not a request. It’s a demand. Gabe doesn’t like being told what to do.
“And if I don’t?” Gabe snipes.
Vincenzo’s eyes darken. He doesn’t like to be challenged, but it’s the crazy look in Matteo’s eyes that has all of us preparing to draw our guns.
“You will have your men do as I ask. This is non-negotiable, Gabriel. I’m calling in my markers, and this club owes me quite a few, wouldn’t you say?”
“You burn down my business, and then you have the nerve to make demands on my prisoner? I don’t think you understand howfriendshipworks, Vincenzo.” Gabe scrubs his beard with his hand. “I’m curious as to how you think you helped Mason here with his situation? Because the way I see it, my guys took out those Devil bastards.Wekept the girls safe. What did you do exactly?”
Vincenzo leans forward as if to tell a secret, cupping his mouth with his hand, and he whisper-shouts, “I helped him get the girl.” He winks. “I orchestrated their wedding. Called in a favor with the judge. I was even one of their witnesses. I must admit, it wasn’t my original plan when I contacted social services about the child’s well-being, but I think it worked out rathernicely. Mason got to marry the woman of his dreams and as such both she and the child have the protection of your lovely little club for a lifetime.”
“You bastard!” Everly comes shooting off her spot on the barstool toward Parisi. I reach out and grab her around the waist, not letting her get too close as Matteo and Santiago both pull their guns, inciting my brothers to do the same.
“Whoa! Whoa! Put your fucking guns down!” Gabe’s arms go up in the air as he shouts his command. “Put your fucking gunsdown!”
The Kings are all hesitant to follow instructions, but they do as they're told. Matteo and Santiago do the same at Vincenzo’s nod.
“Jesus! Everybody just calm the fuck down.” Gabe glares at Ever, who is still fighting to get loose of my hold.
“You realize that Mrs. Pennington could have taken Kaylie away from me, you stupid asshole! I could have lost her to foster care or worse! Those fucking Devils! I don’t care what you say you did to help Mason or the Kings. You nearly destroyed my family.” Ever is screaming. “How could you? Why would you try to separate us like that?”
“Well, now that you are married to a King, the threat of that happening is even less than it was before. You’re no longer being stubborn and are allowing your man and his brothers to protect you properly.” Ever stiffens in my hold. “But if it makes you feel better, you should know, Mrs. Wright, your sister would never have made it into the hands of the Devils. I am a man of my word. You and Kaylie were always under my protection. Even before Mr. Wright came to make a deal at my club,” Vincenzo says, and now my blood is boiling under my skin.
Motherfucker.
“Explain,” I grit.
“They are part of the Kings of Fury. I knew that when we came for Christmas. You have all been under my family’s protection for quite some time. Even if your president is a stubborn fool at times, my men are always watching, keeping their ears open for any threats.” Parisi shrugs. “And now that Matteo has Shea, well, that makes us all family. However, family or not, a deal is a deal and I expect Mason, you will keep up your end of the contract as you are a man of your word as well.”
“What do you mean, Matteo has Shea?” Hawk asks suspiciously. Shea is looking at everyone around her with uncertainty, while her hand is holding onto the crease of Matteo’s arm. She’s not cowering as she did at the warehouse when men in leather vests came to rescue her. She’s no longer trembling in fear. She appears to be confident in her safety, though maybe still slightly unsure of her place, standing alongside the Parisis men.
“Shea is mine,” Matteo states simply. She smiles shyly up at him, never acknowledging the rest of us. Only him. Gabe grunts. Hawk groans. Vincenzo raises a brow as if waiting for anyone to challenge this fact.
“You’re going to pay to fix my fucking strip club,” Ghost demands. Pres puts his hand up, stopping Ghost from making any further comments. This isn’t just another rich asshole we’re shaking down. This is Vincenzo Parisi. The fucking mob boss.
“Why would you set fire to the strip club? Why not just ask me to bring the bastard to you instead? It would’ve been easier. Now you’re costing yourself money, and me the headache of dealing with the insurance companyandthe fucking cops.”
“I guess I see your point, Gabriel,” Vincenzo concedes. “I figured if the police were busy investigating arson they wouldn’t be too concerned about your men cleaning up bullets and blood in the middle of the day. Next time I’ll discuss my terms of exchange with you sooner. Will that make you happy?”
The condescending asshole.
“The local cops are friends of the Kings. They would’ve asked a few questions, but Mike doesn’t want to deal with the Devils or the Feds. You would’ve gotten your man.” Gabe shakes his head. “What do you want with him anyway? Who’s he to you?”
“I have questions. He has answers.” Matteo steps forward, his upper lip curled back in a snarl. Matteo’s arm bands around Shea’s waist as he holds her closer to him. Gabe seems to understand as he nods to Matteo.
“Fine.” Gabe pulls his phone out and calls Mack. When Mack answers, Gabe instructs, “Leave Austin and a couple of Jameson’s construction crew to clean the mess and board the windows. But bring the trash back with you.” Nothing else is said before Gabe hangs up. Mack will do as he’s told.
EPILOGUE
MASON
“How’s the decorations coming, Squirt?” I ask Kaylie who is currently concentrating on accordion heart-shaped tissue paper decorations. Her little tongue is sticking out between her lips as she focuses on connecting them with paperclips to form the shape. I’m hanging up the heart-shaped garland she insisted we needed to put in the hallway entrance.
