For Adriano (25 page)

I cover her hands with mine. “I will. Go talk to him. And Cam, a guard will stay with you here. Don’t go out alone, and pick up your phone when I call, okay?”

“Of course. I do have self-defense class tonight. I’d like to go if that’s okay?” she asks, which surprises me. 

Still, training will be good for her since I don’t know what our future will bring. And the stronger she is physically, the less I’ll worry. Those classes will also teach her to be more observant, a skill that’s vital to survive in this Syndicate.

“You can go. I’ll inform the guard.”

She presses her lips against mine, and I welcome the intoxicating assault on my mouth as our tongues and teeth clash. All my blood streams south when she scrapes her nails down my chest.

Wrapping my fingers around her wrist, I halt her descent. “Go talk to James before I fuck you while they’re downstairs.”

Her eyes twinkle, and she’s about to dare me with that salacious smile. 

“Hmmm...” She inches closer, but I hold her away and spank her behind a little too loudly. 

“Go,” I whisper, and she goes.

Kneeling down on one knee, I slide open the drawer in the bedframe and take out my ankle holsters. I attach them both: one holding my knife and the other, my handgun. 

Back on the first floor, James and Cam are having a tête-à-tête at the sofa. Salvatore’s left already, and Luca glances at the pillow, then at me meaningfully with a lifted brow.

Smirking, I shrug lightly. He knows exactly what Cam and I did. 

“Let’s go, Adriano,” James orders.

Last in line so that no one sees me touching Cam, I pinch her ass while she holds the door open.

***

The Chinatown neighborhood is located on the South Side, and unfortunately, we drive together in one car – mine, so I can’t talk to Luca about Cam.

“Aubrey is Chinese Mafia?” I ask James in my rearview mirror while steering through the compact streets of this mostly ethnic Chinese village. 

“Could be, but I don’t think so. I think this place operates as a front.” James checks the restaurant I’m pulling up to.

A red banner with golden Chinese symbols and a flashy colored dragon statue adorns the entrance. The door is unlocked, and a redhead with black rimmed teacher glasses welcomes us in through the deserted dining room and kitchen, fragrant in spices, to a small office in the back with only a desk with a laptop and two plastic chairs. 

This is the place from where someone who has access to the latest technology works? 

“Welcome.” Aubrey closes the door to the crammed office and glides past us to the desk.

“Aubrey, I know you’re a front. I need to talk to the boss around here.” James speaks impatiently.

She presses a button behind her on the desk. “I just needed to ensure with whom you showed up.”

Another entry opens behind the desk and Leonardo DiCaprio...
err
...Wade appears.

“You have
got
to be kidding me,” both Luca and I mutter under our breath.

“Gentlemen”—he holds open both arms dramatically—“finally our masks come off. I
knew
you were the Chicago Syndicate.”

“Wade,” James says, “Introduce yourself properly, since you know who we are.”

“Well, I’m Richard Wade, former Chicago P.D. Now also known as ‘Aubrey’, the person who can get you the most wicked gadgets you’ll never buy on the market.” He joins Aubrey. “This is the real Aubrey, my partner and first point of contact. So, what can I do for you?”

When his hand moves inside his suit jacket, Luca’s comes around the small of his back, resting on his weapon. 

“Easy,” Wade warns. “I’m just taking out my phone.” And he holds it up between his fingers while it vibrates. 

James agitation increases. “I want to know how you got in contact with Fat Sal?”

“And how the hell do you have access to these gadgets? It’s CIA professional spy equipment,” Luca finishes, probably a little more irritated than James is.

“Why do you want to know? I’m willing to share information, but you have to give me straight answers too.”

Luca, James, and I trade a speaking glance.

Then James says, “Fat Sal is my enemy, and he’s attacked us. Yesterday, snipers targeted Luca and Adriano. One of my men has been held captive by him, and he sent a guard’s body part to Cam, to Luca’s home residence,” James partly reveals the truth; he doesn’t say it was Santino’s ear to avoid more questioning. 

“Where my wife lives!” A dark cloud passes over Luca’s face.

Wade straightens, and his eyes widen. “Fallon saw it?”

“Yes, Fallon and Cam opened the package,” Luca replies.

“Who is Cam to you?” His out-of-the-blue question is directed at me.

“No, Wade,” I retort. “Now
you
give me something too. What exactly is your relation to Fat Sal? And how are you getting your hands on the gadgets?”

Wade cocks his head and places his phone back inside his jacket, and again, his stare is pinned on me. “Seems like many people are interested in Fat Sal lately.”

What the fuck does that mean?

Then he continues, also speaking to Luca and James. “Fat Sal still has to send me his last payment. I’m at odds with him as well.”

“And the microchip? Where are you getting them from?” James prompts him.

“Exactly from where you think I get them: CIA. I have many connections in the CIA as I used to work undercover.” 

He never was just a Chicago P.D. He’s CIA.

“You were CIA?” I demand clarification because he’s playing word games.

“No, technically I
am
CIA.”

This is becoming more and more intriguing by the minute. “And you provide for the underworld?”

“Yes. But I’m not a functioning agent in the way you suspect. I’m part of a sub-division that generates revenue for research and development. There are only a few who know of my existence. And I’ve been trying to get in contact with you for years.”

“So you used Fallon to get to me?” Luca charges forward and grabs his jacket, but I tug him off.

“No,” Wade denies, straightening his attire. “She’s my friend, Luca, and you know it. But yes, initially I did find her through the connection with you.”

“You son of a bitch!” Luca practically jumps on him, so I clutch one of his arms as Aubrey steps aside, and I grin at Wade’s laidback composure. Luca looks as if he wants to plant his fist in my face too.

James orders,
“Datti una calmata, Luca.”
Reel it in, Luca.

I shake my head to Wade and point to Luca. “You get Luca mad within seconds; no one’s ever accomplished that.”

James shoots me a stern look.

“I’m not against you. I’m only offering you my connections,” Wade defends, staying calm.

“Why?” I ask and release Luca.

“Because you’re the Chicago Syndicate. You’re my ticket into the most powerful Mafia of the United States. Together, we can make a fortune. Money is in the underworld, not in the legal world, and we need that money for research.”

“So the CIA is also Mafia then?” I joke. “And they call
us
the bad guys? You betray an entire population.”

“I’ve never claimed we’re the good guys. I’m interested in a prosperous relationship with your Syndicate. Evidently, the risk I took with Sal blew up in my face since I’m not getting any money and he’s losing business rapidly.”

“
If
I decide to eliminate Fat Sal,” James says. 

“
Then
I can help,” Wade finishes.

Luca’s chest is still heaving, so James wraps it up. “I’ll contact you this week.”

“Fine,” Wade comments. “But this offer is only on the table for a limited amount of time.”

“I will contact you this week,” James repeats and provides him a challenging glare.

Luca smashes open the door and strides out to the car first.

“Wade,” I say goodbye with a salute, and he grins.

I’m impressed with how he’s kept this a secret for so long.

In the car, James and I are trying to calm down Luca, who’s not rational when it comes to Fallon. 

“Luca, Wade has proven to be trustworthy so far. You have to look beyond your annoyance regarding Fallon,” I advise him.

He nods as the shock is wearing off.

“Henry can verify Wade’s story, then we decide what to do with his offer. We have to consider any new business that generates income. Adriano, I’ll pick up my car at your building, and then I’ll retrieve the cash I have stashed in various houses. Today, we all move money around. Get as much cash as possible, Salvatore will let you know how much you’ll need to pay,” James instructs us as I drive out of Chinatown.

All I want is to spend my time inside Cam. We have so much lost time to make up for. And that’s exactly what I’ll do when I go home.

CHAPTER 29

Camilla

I take a long shower under the hot stream of water in Adriano’s bathroom. Last night has lifted a burden from my shoulders.

For a moment, I was afraid he might have regrets about making love. But at last, we finally talked openly about our desires. And that moment dissolved the shadow that’s been over my heart since I first met him – when he was never solely mine, or I his. 

Adriano’s secured his grip on my heart and soul. We’ve opened Pandora’s Box, and once again, I’m agreeing to an uncertain future. But I know I want to be by his side. I’ve waited long enough to be with him. 

I haven’t known these men as long as Adriano, yet there’s still a part of me that holds out hope. Hope that we can build a relationship within the Syndicate. Luca will back us. 

Scrubbing my body down with his soap brings back memories of the previous night. He remembered exactly how to touch me, where to touch me. It was more than making love. It was a long overdue reunion I was anticipating for what felt like an eternity. In the middle of my highlighted memory, when Adriano’s pistoning into me, I’m smacked by Santino, and my daydream is destroyed.

I finish up my shower and put on stone-washed jeans topped with a lilac blouse. Combing my hair, the short strands fall perfectly straight, and I tuck them behind my ear.

After taking my phone from my purse, I go downstairs in search of breakfast.

Opening the metallic double doors of the fridge, I see that I have a wide array of choices: fruit, salads, smoothies. On the bar counter is a box filled with biscotti. I settle for the biscotti and a cup of coffee while the minutes drag by.

I’m restless for it to be nighttime so I can meet Wade. I text him, and he confirms our appointment. Then I delete the messages. 

Boredom leads to snooping around in Adriano’s personal belongings in his bedroom, where I notice the drawer under the bed. Hunching down, I glide it open and find an arsenal of weapons inside. My fingers trace the cold silver and black metal guns and accessories. Taking out a Smith & Wesson, I discover that it’s surprisingly heavy. I see different long, metal objects: silencers. I hold one up, and again, it’s heavier than I thought. 

I wrap both hands around the handle of the gun and aim it straight ahead, through the glass walls, at the sink. It feels exhilarating to hold it.

“Training to become a sniper, Cam?”

Startled by Adriano’s voice, I swirl my upper body around, landing my aim on him, and he ducks.

“Aim down! Aim down, Cam!” He sends me a charmed, yet shocked look.

“Shit, sorry.” I lower my arms and smile at his comically stunned expression. 

“They’re all loaded.” He joins me on the ground and sits behind me, dropping a kiss on my shoulder. “Were you bored?”

“Yes.” 

His hands slide down my arm, and he directs them up, showing me how to hold it. “Tighten your grip on the handle. Your target is the faucet.” Adriano’s fingers cover mine as we both aim the weapon, his cheek pressed to mine. “Close your right eye.” The warmth of his body against my back and his arms over mine have me sucking in a breath, and I wiggle my ass.

“Focus.” He strengthens my aim, holds it steady. “When you pull the hammer back on any gun, you set it to be fired and reduce the pressure needed to do so. Once your target is in focus, pull the trigger with your index finger. The mechanism will have a pull back; you have to control your shot. It’s not as easy as it looks.” He places a kiss on my cheek. “That was your first lesson, but you’re not shooting in my loft.” And he takes the gun out of my clutch, storing it back in the drawer.

“It’s is heavier than I thought.”

“Because it’s a semi-automatic.” Adriano’s palm moves under the hem of my blouse and over my stomach while he pecks my neck. “What did James say to you this morning?”

A comforted sigh leaves my lips. “He asked what we did last night. I told him as instructed, nothing more.” 

“I like it when you follow orders. You should be rewarded.” He undoes my jeans.

“You’re distracting me. What did you guys discuss on the topic of Fat Sal?”

“Nothing yet. We’re meeting tomorrow.” His hand goes into my panties, cupping me. “I need to move money around this week, which is a good opportunity for me to set up a new account for us.”

“Where’s everyone else?” I whimper when he circles my core and slides two fingers inside. His palm is hot on my lower belly as the constraint of the jeans presses his hand into my skin. 

“They’re heading up, so if you want me to make you come, stop your questions.” And he plunges his tongue into my mouth, seducing me with the same motion as his fingers.

I’m arching into his hand, practically riding it when I feel him pressing his hard-on against my ass. Adriano’s thumb begins a circular motion, and his other hand covers my mouth as I’m climbing toward release, moaning into one hand and riding the other.

“Adriano!” Voices from downstairs float up, but he keeps pushing his fingers inside.

“I’ll be right down,” he shouts, and then whispers against my ear while rubbing me fiercely. “I’m going to suck on your sweet pussy tonight, then fuck your tight ass.”

And that does it. His words compelling, instigating an enticing climax, and I fall apart in a whimpering mess.

Adriano lets me rest against him. “Now don’t come down with an I-just-got-fingered face.” 

We laugh, and he buttons my jeans. 

“I’ll show you my gratitude tonight,” I whisper. 

“I’m looking forward to that.”

I nuzzle my nose against his, and he places a feather light kiss on the tip.

“Come down right after me.” And he leads the way.

Downstairs, Luca’s talking on the phone at the window. 

James says from the bar, “Camilla, I heard you were going to classes later. Make sure the guard stays with you.”

“I will.” Any other answer would prompt a discussion.

Adriano rounds the bar, standing behind James, and observes me while James speaks.

“If you need company, call Alessa or Rosalia. They can go as long as you take guards with you; I can’t stress that enough.”

Adriano brings his finger to his nose and inhales deeply. I rub my thighs together, and a flare of arousal warms my core. I’m fully engrossed by the man in the corner of my eye. He flicks the tip with his tongue, and a scandalous smile plays on his mouth. 

“I’m going to the bank.” Luca breaks the spell.

“Me too.” Adriano meets him at the door and jerks his head, so they all leave.

James is the last one out. “Be careful, Camilla.”

“I will.” And he presses a fatherly kiss that’s strangely comforting on my forehead before he exits.

When Adriano and I eventually run, I’ll miss James. I’ll miss growing closer to him, finally establishing a bond with someone blood related – something that’s been painfully absent from my life. But I want to be with Adriano, no matter how. 

Falling down onto the couch, I switch on the TV and wait for night to come.

***

I’m hanging over my instructor’s shoulder while locking an arm around his throat from behind. He lurches forward, and suddenly, I’m being rolled and flattened on my back on the mat.

“Never lean on your attacker’s back, Cam!”

Sweat trickles down my neck while I catch my breath, and he soars up, moving to Fallon. 

“Fallon, very nice. That’s it for tonight. See you all tomorrow,” he dismisses the five of us girls who are in the class.

Fallon and I stay in the gym area before she leaves with her guard to go back to her penthouse.

“How did you sleep last night?” I ask.

“I slept fine. The initial shock of being confronted with my husband’s line of work in my own home wore off quickly. I knew what I was getting myself into when I married him. I just hope he’ll be safe and comes home alive every night. Luca’s good at keeping the Syndicate business away from me, so I’m sure this was just a one-time incident. What did they tell you? They let you in on business; I heard from Luca.”

“You know I can’t tell you if Luca hasn’t,” I reply. “I’m glad you aren’t letting this affect you two.”

“I follow orders and wait until the guards stand down. So what happened with Adriano?”

He warned me not to confide in her, but I’m bursting, and she’s my closest friend now. “If I tell you, you can’t tell Luca.”

“Fine, but then you also can’t tell Adriano you told me and I kept it a secret,” she retorts.

“Okay. And you also can’t promise me but then do tell Luca and make him swear to keep quiet – he
will
tell Adriano.”

She hesitates before she answers, “Okay, I won’t.”

“Fallon! You were planning to do that?!” I accuse around a smile. She’s so loyal to Luca, but she realizes the two men chat about everything.

“What?! I’m being honest now,” she defends, looking contrite. “I won’t say a word.”

“Fine… We had sex, and it was even better than my memory,” I confess with a moan.

“Nice! And now?”

“Now nothing. Apparently, James has designated me off limits.”

“Really? Doesn’t he know about you and Adriano from before?”

“Yes, he just doesn’t believe his
Capo
would defy orders.”

“Did he make the first move?”

I make a deriding sound. “After I made the first five moves over the last two weeks.”

She laughs quietly and stuffs her towel into her bag. “I have to go home, but I want to hear more. Call me later.”

“Okay. Don’t tell—”

“I won’t tell Luca. But you keep your mouth shut too.” She swings her bag over her shoulder. “Call me.”

She and the guard step over the threshold where my protector is standing. “I’m having a quick shower.” And I charge to the locker room.

Wade’s already there, seemingly on edge as he paces back and forth.

“What’s wrong? I don’t have much time. My guard’s waiting.”

He halts and demands, “Camilla, who are you to James?”

“Why do you want to know?” 

“Do you know who the men you surround yourself with are?”

“I don’t understand your question. I was under the impression you were going to accept or decline my assignment?”

“I decline, and you should let it go too. Listen, Fat Sal is an extremely dangerous man. What kind of business could you possibly have with him?”

When I stay quiet, he sighs. “I saw James, Adriano, and Luca this morning.”

My composure is completely disrupted. “Where? Why?” 

“They’re also interested in Fat Sal. And they’re the Chicago Syndicate.”

I’m not sure if I hide my surprise. “They’re also looking to hire you?”

He ignores my question. “Why are you on a mission alone? I think”—he inches closer—“you are part of the Syndicate too. If you lie to me now, I’ll never help you. And I haven’t blown your cover.”

Relief washes over me, shadowed by curiosity. “You haven’t told them you met with me last night?”

“No.”

“I used to ‘work’ at Club 7, and I escaped.”

Now it’s his turn to be shocked. “Do you want revenge?”

“Yes,” I answer honestly. I wasn’t going to get revenge alone, but
with
the Syndicate, and now, at least I have confirmation they’re on it.

“Cam, listen to me. I’m not going to provide you information on Fat Sal and risk that you’ll go on a vigilante mission alone. I’d strongly advise you to trust James and Adriano; these are cold-blooded men, but they protect their women with all their power.”

“I know that. What did you discuss with them?”

“They want to utilize my services too; what are the odds? Luck is against you.”

“I thought you were one of the good cops, and that’s why you left a corrupted precinct? Why are you working with the Syndicate?” He’s not revealing the entire story either; I’m learning to read people, and his eye is twitching in displeasure – he’s visibly upset that he wasn’t aware of all the facts of this situation.

“There are no good cops and bad cops in this world, Cam. I’ve been a cop long enough to learn that,” he snaps. “We don’t speak of our ‘meetings’. Do you understand?”

“Yes. If I keep quiet, so will you.” I’ve learned that unwritten rule in the Mafia. “And now?”

“I’ll never tell anyone about this, but the second I find out you’re doing something on your own, I’ll inform James or Adriano.”

He knows I’m James’s daughter. 

“Fine. You haven’t been very helpful,” I mumble dejectedly.

“Trust me,” he states. “I’ve been more than helpful.”