Snapping a few pictures with my phone, I save them to a secure, encrypted folder on my personal cloud server. The families will want proof of Max’s demise. Keane is now the official acting don of the Rossi syndicate. We’re at war with Declan Levine and about to go to war with Julio Ortiz.
My phone vibrates and I read the message that pops up.
“We need to go,” I tell Keane.
Chapter 10
I had never been in a helicopter before. Car, plane, boat, train—because those were everywhere in Europe—but never a helicopter. My stomach whooshed as we hover-dropped to land on the roof of a skyscraper. Even through the protective headgear, the loud whine of the engine revving down was worse than fingernails screeching across a blackboard. The haze of low clouds surrounds us in a thin veil, and I’m reluctant to ask how high up we are. Over thirty stories, at least.
Declan’s home is the Falcon Tower in the heart of the city. As in, the entire building. He owns it and uses the top five floors as his personal residence.
It’s a clever move on his part and provides him an added layer of protection. With the building located in the center of the city, no one in their right mind would attack him here. The city is a bustle of activity day and night, and the main hub of the police force is only a few blocks away.
My hair whips all around, slapping me in the face, as a man helps me out of the helicopter’s cabin. Declan and Liam follow. With a hand on my lower back, Declan guides me toward what looks like a set of elevator doors. I count seven armed men on the rooftop, not including the four that surround us as we walk.
“Let’s get you settled in first,” Declan says, just as the elevator doors open.
The ride down takes seconds, and when the doors slide open again, I get my first glimpse of my new home. I was expecting opulence and grandeur. I really should stop comparing everyone to how my not-father lived.
The floor we arrive on is open-concept and modern. Light fills the room from a wall of windows that overlook the city. The view is breathtaking. I can’t wait to see it at night when everything is lit up. The floors are all dark hardwood, the walls painted a light slate color. There is an open, modern chef’s kitchen with an expansive granite counter island that bleeds into a very large living area. Across from the leather sectional is one of those water-vapor electric fireplace inserts built into the wall. A freestanding bookcase partition about twenty feet long separates the living area from the dining area.
“The other rooms, including your bedroom, are just down the hall,” Declan informs me, going into the kitchen and coming back holding two glass bottles of sparkling water. He hands me one, already opened.
“Pearson will get you set up in the system. Everything is accessed through retinal scans and a ten-digit security code that changes every day.”
“Who’s Pearson?” I ask, turning a slow circle.
“Let’s just call him my assistant and leave it at that. I trust him implicitly.”
Implying that I should too. Got it.
Declan watches me as I take in my new surroundings. I walk over to the wall of windows and my breath catches as I look out. We are definitely very high up. I can see for miles, no other buildings or obstructions getting in the way of my line of sight. If I remember correctly, the Falcon Tower is the third highest building in the city. The closest rooftop is several stories below me. It has a gorgeous greenspace and rooftop garden.
“What are on the other floors?” I inquire as I stare out the window.
Declan joins me, his shoulder brushing mine. “The floor above is my private residence. This one is yours.”
I tear my gaze from the gorgeous view and gape at him in disbelief. “This entire floor ismine?”
He nods. “Decorate it as you wish. It’s yours to do with as you please. The other floors are for certain employees like Liam and Tessa, recreation, and business. I’ll give you a full tour later.” He turns to face me, all serious. “For your safety, I have assigned Liam to be your personal bodyguard.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I reply.
Being around Liam will be difficult, and not because we slept together. My mind wanders to how he cared for me in the shower. How he touched me and comforted me. He showed me a kindness I wasn’t expecting from a man who had recently held a gun to my head. Liam is the kind of man who is more dangerous than any cold-blooded killer could ever be.
“Unfortunately, it’s not negotiable.” Declan’s tone reaffirms that he isn’t going to budge on the matter.
I peer over my shoulder when I hear the elevator doors opening. Liam, Rafe, and Tessa come into view.
“Excuse me,” I tell Declan and walk over to them.
On the helicopter ride over, I had asked Declan about his plans for Rafe. My ex has answers to questions I need to ask.
“Alex!” Tessa greets me with a smile, taking a step forward, but I hold up a finger that tells her to wait, right before I punch Rafe in his gorgeous, deceitful face.
“That’s for stabbing me with a needle.”
He stumbles back, grabbing his jaw that is quickly turning a lovely shade of red. “Damn it, Andie.”
