“I heard,” he said without preamble when I answered. “Pop’s losing his mind.”
“Pop’s always losing his mind about something,” I replied, killing the engine.
“Yeah, but usually it’s not because one of his sons married a fucking cowboy.” There was amusement in his voice, though. Luca had always been the most tolerant of my brothers. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that.”
“It was the smart play.”
“Was it?” He paused. “Or did you just want him?”
I didn’t answer right away. Luca knew me too well, had seen through my carefully constructed walls since we were kids.
“Does it matter?” I finally asked.
“To Pop, yes. To me?” He laughed. “Not really. Just don’t fuck it up, Dante. This family doesn’t give second chances, even to blood.”
“I know.”
“Good. And hey—send pictures from the wedding. I want to see what kind of man makes my baby brother go rogue.”
He hung up before I could respond.
I sat in the dark garage for a moment, my hands still gripping the steering wheel. Luca was right to be concerned. I was walking a razor’s edge here, trying to satisfy both my father’s business demands and my own desires. One misstep and I’d lose everything.
But when I closed my eyes, all I could see was Nick’s face. The defiance in those green eyes. The way his jaw had clenched when I’d touched his cheek. The barely controlled rage that had radiated off him like heat.
I wanted to break that rage. Bend it. Make it mine.
One month. That’s all the time Nick Wesley had left as a free man. After that, he belonged to me. Legally, financially, and most importantly,physically. Every part of him would be mine to shape and mold into exactly what I needed.
And if he fought me every step of the way?
Even better.
My apartment was in a high rise downtown. I gave my keys to the valet to park my car before heading to the entrance. However, just before I got there, someone darted out of the shadows and grabbed me by the collar, slamming me against the wall.
“Where is he?!” the man cried, his voice gravelly and fully of exhaustion. “What the fuck did you do to Benson?!”
I looked up, the light catching the man’s face at last. It was Detective Caruso. It took everything I had not to grin.
“Looking to lose your badge, detective?” I answered, not giving him an inch. “Attacking an innocent man at night in plain sight of the security cameras? That doesn’t feel like I very smart plan.”
“Shut the fuck up, Dante! I know you ain’t innocent!” He was feral with rage. “The whole fucking town knows what kinda monster you and your family are!”
I let him rage, keeping my expression neutral even as his spit flecked my face. Caruso was a problem. He had been for months now. But he was also desperate. Desperate men made mistakes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said calmly. “But if someone is missing, perhaps you should file a proper report instead of assaulting citizens on the street.”
“Don’t fucking patronize me.” His grip tightened on my collar, bunching the expensive fabric. “Benson was supposed to meet me yesterday. He never showed. His wife, his kid, they’re all gone. You think I don’t know what that means?”
“I don’t know this Benson person, but maybe he just took a vacation. The tropics are lovely this time of year, I hear.”
His eyes widened slightly. I’d given him just enough to confirm his suspicions, but not enough that he could use in court. It was a game we’d played before.
“You son of a bitch,” he breathed. “I’m going to bury you. You and your whole fucking family.”
“With what evidence, detective?” I asked, my voice dropping lower. “You’ve been trying to make a case against us for five years and you’ve come up with nothing. How’s that working out for you?”
He shoved me harder against the wall, and I felt the brick scrape against my shoulders through my jacket. Around us, a few pedestrians hurried past, carefully not looking in our direction. Nobody wanted to get involved in Valenti business.
