“My daughter is very beautiful. Wouldn’t you agree?” he says, taking another sip of his drink.
He holds his glass up in mock inspection, swirling the golden liquid around. He’s waiting for a reaction, and he’s about to get a huge one if Jax’s low, pissed-off growl is any indication.
“I haven’t had the pleasure.”
Those damnable violet-tinted eyes train on me, and my mind starts screaming, knowing exactly what he’s about to say, but not wanting to believe a word of it.
“Mr. Agosti, you’re a very smart man. I think you and your companion have already figured it out.”
I want to resurrect Max’s body so I can kill him again myself. I don’t need another fucking revelation that shatters everything I’ve always believed. Is that why Max raped her and abused her? Because he knew she wasn’t his? Jesus Christ.
“You kidnapped her. Your men beat the crap out of her. You blew up the goddamn cabin, then attacked our home. If you’ve touched a hair on her head—” I start to threaten, but Levine cuts me off with a sharp bark of derisive laughter.
“Choose your words very carefully, Mr. Agosti. I have no patience or tolerance for liars.” His Irish brogue thickens with repressed anger. “You and I both know who really hurt her. And from what Rafael tells me, the two of you weren’t exactly kind to her either.”
His eyes harden on Jax, and it makes me want to know exactly what Rafe said to him. We’re nothing like Rossi. We tried to get Andie to leave. We tried to protect her. I was going to take Max out myself, but Levine got to him first. And as much as I wanted to fight it, Andie belongs to us. She’s ours, not his. And I will give her up for no one.
His control finally snapping, Jax shoulders past me, his hand on his gun. “Bring Andie to us right fucking now.”
Levine’s only reaction is to drum the lip of his glass with his fingertips before placing it on the wet bar. “There are a few things we need to discuss first.”
He pushes Jax’s gun to the side with two fingers and walks over to a small seating area near the windows. Most men would be pissing in their pants at the sight of an enraged Jaxson West. He’s called the Angel of Death for good reason. Yet, Levine isn’t intimidated by him and shows him as much.
Not needing an invitation, I join him and take a seat, the leather of the cushion creaking under my weight. Jax remains standing next to me, but he keeps glancing out the wall of windows. His hand comes down on my shoulder like a vice and that’s when I see the little red dot trained right in the middle of my chest.
Jax quickly moves in front of me, blocking my line of sight and shielding me with his body. I appreciate his protection, but we both know that the sniper’s bullet would go right through him and into me if Levine gave the signal for his man to fire.
“Tell your sniper to stand down.”
Levine waves Jax off like he’s a pesky fly. “Lochlan won’t do anything unless you make him. Unlike Rossi, I keep my word. I only wish to talk.”
“Not fucking happening until you tell your man to stand down,” Jax repeats, pointing his gun at Levine’s head.
“Jax. It’s okay,” I tell him.
I’m speaking as his boss, not as his friend. I’m the current head of the Rossi syndicate and until they pry that title out of my cold, dead hand, he will do as I say. If Levine wanted to kill us, he’s had plenty of opportunities to do so already.
As Jax moves to the side of my chair, he keeps a tight grip on his Glock and never takes his sights away from the windows, remaining ever watchful.
“You officially have my undivided attention,” I tell Levine.
He nods his approval. “Good. Now let’s discuss how we’re going to work together to take that piece of shit Ortiz down.”
Is he talking about an alliance? He can’t be serious. I don’t trust him or his motives. But I’m willing to play along because right now he holds all the cards. He has Andie.
I lean forward, forearms resting on my splayed knees, looking Levine straight in the eye. “That piece of shit is demanding to have hispropertyreturned to him.”
His entire demeanor turns murderous.
“Then let’s not waste any more time.”
Chapter 14
I told Declan that I wanted to meet with Jax and Keane alone. Again, he shocked the hell out of me when he didn’t argue or tell me no. He promised they would be promptly escorted to my suite, but it’s been over an hour.
I still don’t know how to handle Declan treating me as an equal. It’s disorienting after feeling so powerless under the control of Maximillian Rossi for so long. Baby steps, I guess. We’re both navigating this new father-daughter thing, not sure about boundaries or what’s allowed or not allowed.
I look down at my black yoga pants and gray cotton shirt that hangs off one shoulder that I hastily threw on, and debate whether to change clothes again. Declan had Pearson purchase a new wardrobe for me, and the garments were already waiting on a portable rack in my bedroom. Most were dresses, formal attire, and casual wear, but I wanted soft comfort. Thankfully, Pearson made sure to procure those items as well. I had taken a quick shower, so I’m sans makeup with my hair pulled up into a high ponytail. I wiggle my bare toes and groan at the state of my nail polish. I really do need a mani-pedi soon.
