Paolo Ruiz and I had a history no one liked to bring up or talk about. Dropping his name alone tightened the room with tension. He used to run most of the East Coast cartel activity with dirty money from his father and was able to leverageports, launder through shell corps, and buy off power. But his global reach had withered in recent years, and we all knew it was because of us.
“I know he’s bitter.” I also knew I didn’t really care.
“Your relationship is strained at best after you endorsed a clean pharm company over the ones he wanted,” Hades agreed.
“Not my problem. He should have known going legal was the smart move. I can’t help if his shipments have been cut in half over the past few years.” I could have probably done more to tip him off, but we weren’t allies or friends. I owed him nothing.
Less than nothing.
“They know those businesses we endorsed have been making money hand over fist after legislation passed to tighten import inspections and limit unregistered chemical imports.” Cal chuckled and then set the stress ball down to meet my gaze head-on. “That was a big fuck you to them and we all know it. They were bound to retaliate.”
I rubbed a hand over my jaw. “Not by involving my daughter. It crossed a line. And I’m not calling a damn meeting or a full table for permission to answer that retaliation.”
“The Diamond Syndicate has been quiet now for years, Jameson. We should enjoy that. Enjoy your daughter. Disrupting it isn’t my idea of a fun summer.”
My brother was playing the pacifist. Trying to be an ally to everyone. He was the gentleman I pretended to be. I’d slipped though. Time and time again over the last couple years. That’s what happened when you took over, when you had to step in after your father had made a mess of everything.
“I’ll enjoy my daughter when she isn’t plagued by the memory of dead bodies around her.”
“Your anger will get the best of you.” Cal shook his head like somehow he’d contained all his anger even though I knew thatwasn’t the case either. I saw how his jaw ticked about Franny and knew he’d become just as unhinged as I was when the time was right. His anger lurked in the shadows while mine had already been unleashed.
To many, the Diamond Syndicate was a secret society that most knew of as peaceful dealmakers. We were talked of in whispered reverence behind closed doors. We operated quietly and politely with more money and ties throughout the United States than most had in the world. Families from generation to generation were born into it, and we expanded through marriage and partnerships that were exceptionally lucrative for us. Most thought that we prided ourselves on logic, not emotion. To many, we wanted peace, not destruction.
As for me, I’d learned to kill a man quietly and unapologetically for posing any sort of threat.
“When it comes to Franny?” I stared him down, provoking him. “Mydaughter? Should I care?”
Hades had no problem stepping in. “Franny is first always.”
“Exactly. She woke up screaming, which isn’t like her.”
Cal’s brows slammed down now, and he combed a hand through his dark hair cut just a little longer than mine. “She had a nightmare?”
Oh,nowhe gave a shit? “Last night.”
He adjusted his cuff links like he could somehow manage his attitude, and then he threw his stress ball all the way across the room. “Fuck it,” he grumbled. “I tried to be nice. I get at least one of them to kill.”
I took a sip of the amber liquid as Hades finally sighed and looked up from his phone. “We should call the Stonewoods and Armanellis for sure. Hardys too.” He started listing off our partners. “They need to be aware. You’ll want them to agree to what is essentially a mob war, Jameson.”
I slid my phone out and called the most unhinged man Iknew. “Bane, your syndicate hear of infiltration at my daughter’s school?”
“You’re late. I texted youhoursago.” His tone was cool, calm. Collected. Bane didn’t get mad. He got even. “Of course I heard. Hades had to tell me she was okay. My wife isn’t happy you kept us waiting.”
“So, you and Hades have already discussed?” I glared at my right-hand man and watched a small smile spread across his lips.
“What’s there to discuss?” He seemed bored. “The Irish and cartel need a reminder that even if some of you are soft, I’m not. The blood running through my veins isn’t going to rest for very long, Knight.”
Nor would my blood. “She cried over it, Bane. I want every man brought to me personally.”
“Good. Finally.” His sigh of relief was the only emotion I got from him. “Everything’s in motion then. You need to meet with a few families. We can take them one by one quietly or cause a disturbance. You know what I prefer.”
“My daughter’s summer has already been ruined. Quietly for now.”
“Let me handle it until then.”
“No way in hell, Bane.” He’d already disrupted enough on his own. It was my turn. “I may live in Paradise, but I’m not going to relax in it until everyone pays. To me discreetly. One by one.”
It was the principle of the matter. They’d fucked with my utopia.
