Grabbing him earlier than planned had felt like a gift from fate.
Luca Bernardi, the mafia kingpin of Las Vegas, was locked in a cage.And now, the arrogance that had made Bernardi untouchable was shackled at Tanaka’s mercy.No more waiting on the sidelines.No more testing the edges of Luca’s empire.Tonight marked the beginning of the end for Bernardi’s reign.
His footsteps echoed across the deserted site as he made his way toward the black SUV parked in the shadows.The night air was cool against his skin, sharpening the thrill in his veins.He could already see it—the ripple effect.With Luca caged and defenseless, effectively out of the picture, his empire would begin to fracture, his people would start scrambling without Bernardi’s direction.And best of all, Max Diatras would come running.
That was the brilliance of the plan.
Vegas would be his, piece by piece, as Bernardi’s grip weakened.And when Diatras left Seattle to bail his friend out, Tanaka’s boss could move in on the Northwest, claiming that port system for themselves.Two cities.Two empires.All brought down by one cage that would keep Bernardi out of the picture long enough to allow Tanaka to take over.
Sliding into the back seat of the SUV, Tanaka’s grin deepened.He almost laughed aloud as he remembered Luca waking up to the house earlier tonight.And now, he was trapped like an animal.The mighty Luca Bernardi, reduced to a pawn.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Tokyo.
“Tanaka,” his boss answered, his voice as cold as steel.
“I have him,” Riko replied, savoring the words.“Luca Bernardi is in a cage.I’ve already planted false trails for his guards to follow.They’ll waste hours chasing ghosts while the real prize rots here.And when the chaos grows too much, Max Diatras will be called in.His departure from Seattle will leave the Northwest open for you.”
A long silence followed.Riko knew his boss well enough to picture the scene: fingers drumming against a desk, eyes narrowing in thought.
“How long until Diatras moves?”
Riko’s grin widened.“Two or three days.Maybe sooner.I’ve already sent a message to Diatras, baiting him with news of Bernardi’s capture.He won’t ignore it.Their bond is too strong.Diatras owes him, and he’ll repay that debt.”
“Why would Diatras risk his life for Bernardi?”The skepticism in his boss’s voice carried an edge that made Tanaka’s grin falter.
“They’re good friends,” Riko said quickly, steadying his tone.“I don’t know all the details, but there’s history between them.Trust me, sir—when news of Bernardi’s trouble comes out, Max will come running.It’s only a matter of time.”
On the other end, his boss let out a low, dangerous chuckle.“So you believe everything will fall into place?”
“Yes,” Riko confirmed, though a small crack of doubt opened in his chest.“But there’s one… complication.”
The voice on the line hardened instantly.“What complication?”
Riko hesitated, the weight of the admission sitting heavy in his throat.“Ava Santos.Bernardi’s woman.She was supposed to be the bait, the hook to drag him into the trap.But I caught him first.Still, she’s too close to him.She’ll fight for him.That could cause problems.”
For a heartbeat, there was only silence.Then his boss’s voice returned, colder than ice.
“You let her remain loose?”
Riko’s confidence faltered.A chill ran through him, though he tried to mask it with bravado.“We only started pressuring her to get Bernardi’s attention.If she becomes more than a distraction, I’ll—”
“Shewillget in the way,” his boss cut in sharply, his fury unmistakable.“Never underestimate leverage.Never leave loose ends.Ava Santos is not just a woman.She’s a loose end you can’t afford.”
Riko stiffened, shock tightening his chest.“How do you know about her?”
“I know everything,” came the cold reply, each word a knife.“Don’t forget—you’re not the only one with eyes on that city.If you ignore her, she’ll be your undoing.Handle it.”
The line went dead.
Riko lowered the phone slowly, his mouth dry, dread worming its way into his gut.Had he miscalculated?In his mind, Ava had been nothing more than a pretty distraction, another butterfly Luca would eventually grow bored of.But now… now he wasn’t so sure.
If the boss thought she was a danger to his plan, then she was definitely a danger.
He leaned back in the seat, his grin gone, his thoughts spinning.Should he go after her tonight, cut her out of the game before she could interfere?Or should he wait, keep her alive as insurance against Bernardi?
The SUV rumbled to life and he drove away from the site, but Tanaka’s certainty no longer felt so solid.He’d won tonight, yes.Luca Bernardi, the grandmaster of the long, strategic game, was caged and unable to direct his empire.But Ava Santos?She was suddenly the one piece he hadn’t accounted for.
And if he didn’t move carefully, she might be the piece that toppled everything.
