King's Hostage

by Stone, Piper

  Call me.

  I dialed the number, pacing the floor. When a fourth ring occurred, my anger increased.

  “Mr. King.”

  There was an odd tone in Justine’s voice, hushed and with a hint of fear. “Can you talk?”

  “For a few minutes. Let me walk away from the noise.”

  It was obvious she was in some kind of bar.

  “Okay, I’m here,” she still half whispered.

  “What have you found?”

  “Look,” she murmured. “I managed to infiltrate a group of Santiago soldiers. They enjoy a particular club.”

  “The one you’re obviously in. Keep going.” That had taken balls. If the soldiers gathered any whiff that she was undercover, there would be nothing left of her body. Justine had always wanted to become a made man, her intentions clear from the day I’d hired her. That was the reason I’d placed my trust in her. If she obtained the information I needed, her wish would come true.

  “They’re wired. If they even gathered a hint that I was talking to you, there wouldn’t be another conversation, if you get my drift.”

  “Understood. Did you find whoever is responsible for the hit?”

  “Old man Santiago is real sick. That’s been a topic of conversation with the assholes. It would seem Diego is the underboss. Plans had been set in motion for him to take over, but something happened. The ugly dudes have been close-mouthed about that.”

  Yeah, I just bet they had. Admitting that their underboss had been so easily taken out would put them in a precarious position with their suppliers and other low-level thugs they rousted off their limited turf.

  Sighing, I was already frustrated by the call. I’d held back the details of Diego’s demise on purpose. The less she knew the better. “Who else is considered a leader in the organization?”

  “I didn’t need to hear it from the assholes to know the answer to that question. Some guy by the name of Puevo Riviera. He’s a badass, everyone on the streets in Little Havana afraid of him. But here’s the weird thing. He hasn’t been seen in a while even by the assholes groping me. He’s known as the Ghost.”

  “Catchy name.”

  “He uses that to his advantage.”

  Now my hackles were raised. “Any indication of what he looks like?”

  “All I know is that he has a ragged scar on the side of his face. He’s an iceman. Real asshole. From what I overheard, he stays in the shadows, requiring the captains to handle business. The people in the streets started calling him the Ghost since they’ve never seen him, but his presence always means blood spilled.”

  I took a deep breath, rubbing my jaw. A scar. Maybe Mr. Riviera had moved in after Diego’s premature death, prepared to take over himself. If he would have managed to assassinate the man responsible for Diego’s death, he’d be given Emmanuel’s blessing in taking over. Catching the sister of the man who’d betrayed them would be icing on the cake. “I need to find out one last thing.”

  Justine didn’t respond at first. “Okay, but I can’t ask too many questions. I’d already piqued the bruiser’s interest. I have a feeling I’m going to pay for it later.”

  “Just see if you can find out about a man named Steven Zimmerman.”

  “What’s with him?”

  “Let’s just say he might have double-crossed the Santiagos.”

  “Whew. If he did, I assure you he’s dead. These dudes are nasty and ruthless.”

  The statement was interesting considering Justine knew exactly what the Kings were capable of.

  “Then I want to know where his body was dumped,” I hissed. “I assure you, Justine, that I will make it worth your trouble.”

  She laughed. “Not to be disrespectful, but I hope you do. These men are dangerous and they’re planning something big. Don’t ask me to find out what. I’m just the pet they adopted.”

  I chuckled. “I get it.”

  “There’s one other thing and you’re not going to like it.”

  “I’m sure I won’t.”

  “I mean no disrespect to the organization, boss, but somebody’s been talking.”

  I hissed; her statement only confirmed my intuition that my manager at the Cabana Club had betrayed me as well. “Any ideas?”

  “Not really, except they seem to know another shipment is coming in next week.”

  Fucking fantastic. “Keep your eyes and ears open, Justine. Call me as soon as you find anything.” After ending the call, I stood thinking about what she’d told me. Something big. Interesting. I would take care of the club manager myself. Whatever they thought they knew, it was obvious the shipment would have to be changed.

  Shoving the phone into my pocket, I headed back to my room, standing over Daniella. If Riviera had been at the school, he would return to finish the job.

  And I would need to be ready.

  I gathered her into my arms, holding her against me for a full minute, sighing when she pressed her hand against my chest while still asleep. As I stepped into the hallway, she opened her eyes but only briefly.

  While a part of me wanted her to stay through the night, the time wasn’t right. I had business to handle for one thing. The darkness had also slipped back into a portion of my mind. I needed a drink and some time to process.

  She didn’t stir as I walked down the stairs, placing her in her bed and tucking her in. Almost immediately she rolled over, stretching out her arm.

  As I turned to go, I heard another murmur in her sleep, words that would likely haunt me for weeks to come.

  “I love you.”

  I held my breath as I walked to the door, hesitating before closing yet I remained in the hallway for a full minute. What in the hell had I done? Taking her had been one thing. Sharing a bed with her entirely another.

  And marriage?

  She would never agree and while I could force her, I’d never accepted arranged marriages. Shit. I had to push this aside for now.

  I checked on the twins, smiling since Elle had chosen to sleep with Alessandro. She lifted her head, her tail swishing several times until I pressed my finger across my mouth. The smart pup studied me for a few seconds then lowered her head.

  Once inside my office, I pulled up the internet. It was time to delve deeper into the Santiago organization, including whatever information there was on Puevo Riviera.

  It would seem a trip to the south of Florida would indeed be necessary.

  * * *

  When I looked at the clock again, it was after nine. I was forced to leave a message for Cristiano, including giving him the bad news about our party favors. It would be several hours before he returned the call.

  The information I’d found had led me to no additional conclusions. I was frustrated as fuck, angry that I’d come up empty. Granted, the glow and show bullshit on news reports and vignettes on both local and national news was usually at least fifty percent wrong. I knew that personally; still, other than the gang shooting the Santiagos had been accused of initiating two years before, blood running in the streets of Little Havana, I’d found nothing of any real use.

  I stretched my back, every muscle aching. A cup of coffee was a necessity. After changing into jeans and a sweater, I moved to the floor below, surprised there was no sign of the twins or Daniella. She’d kept a rigorous schedule with their classes, just as I’d asked her to do. I chuckled at the thought before heading downstairs. The quiet in the house was troublesome, raising my hackles. Instantly, I checked the security system. The fucking thing had been turned off.

  While I knew that panicking wasn’t the thing to do, the way my heart raced was debilitating. If anything happened to the people I loved, their assailants would beg for their death before I was finished. When I swung around, scanning the main room, I caught a glimpse of several figures outside. A sense of relief swept through me as I walked closer, watching Daniella and the twins building a snowman. At least another few inches of snow had fallen in the night, the woods outside a winter wonderland. Elle was as h
appy as could be, romping in the drifts, rolling then lunging forward.

  Titus stood on the outskirts, able to catch a glimpse of anyone approaching from the road. Given the proximity of the chalet, other than through the miles of woods, there was no other way of getting to the property.

  Short of scaling the mountain.

  After watching them for a few minutes, I sighed, moving into the kitchen and preparing a cup of coffee. I leaned against the counter, my thoughts shifting from Daniella’s welfare to the necessity to return home, securing the twins as well as Daniella then heading to Miami. There were too many indicators that the Santiagos’ main goal was to crush our hold on party favors coming in through two ports. That would certainly give them a significant bump in respect.

  The coffee tasted bitter, or maybe my mood was just sour. I managed to take another sip, hearing footsteps in the background.

  Carlo walked into the kitchen, giving me a respectful nod. “Boss. Is everything all right? I saw you at the window.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I know you wanted to talk today.”

  “We can do that later. Let the kids enjoy spending time outside.” I loathed the fact I wanted to keep them locked away, safe from any potential harm. Maybe Daniella was right. This wasn’t living.

  He walked closer, rubbing his reddened nose and sniffing. “We got at least five inches last night. The roads are pretty slick.”

  I nodded, finally dumping the coffee in the sink. “Get some coffee.”

  “What I need is a bourbon. It’s freaking cold out there. The kids don’t seem to realize it. Been a joy to watch them though.” He laughed then sucked in his breath. “I’m sorry, boss. I made certain they were safe, so did Titus.”

  “Carlo. I’m not an ogre.” When he didn’t say anything, I shifted my gaze and laughed. “Okay, maybe I’ve been an asshole.”

  “You said it, boss, not me.”

  He made me laugh, but he was right. “That needs to change.”

  After throwing a glance over his shoulder, he couldn’t seem to keep a grin off his face. “Seems like it already has.”

  I shook my head, thinking about the night before. “You might be right. Look, we need to return to New Orleans. When we do, we’re turning right around and heading for Miami.”

  “The shipment is coming in sooner?”

  “No, but it would appear we have a few problems. What do you know about Manuel Caspero?”

  He narrowed his eyes, a frown crossing his face. “You mean the dude from the Cabana Club?”

  I nodded, tugging my phone from my pocket and studying the screen before placing it on the counter. “That’s the one.” He’d been a manager for almost a year. Up to that point, he hadn’t caused me any concern; however, he was without continued direct supervision, and in a prime position to sell his soul for a price.

  “I don’t know much. Is he a problem?”

  “It would seem we have a leak in our Florida location. Go ahead and make a few discreet inquiries.”

  “I’ll do that right now.” He started to move out of the kitchen, stopping just short of the doorway and turning to face me. “If you don’t mind me saying so, I think the kids would enjoy seeing your hand at sculpting a snowman.” He backed away with a grin on his face and his hands in the air. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew he meant well and in truth, the small things I’d been able to do with the twins had meant more than I could admit. After heading toward the window and becoming the voyeur once again, I realized that my Capo was right. Grabbing my phone, I tucked it into my jeans then grabbed my jacket, frowning at the leather gloves. They would have to do for now.

  When I walked outside, I was able to watch in silence for a little while before Alessandro noticed me first.

  “Dad! Come join us.” The kids had never experienced snow to any degree before the trip, the few flakes that had fallen in New Orleans doing little more than being annoying. This must seem like heaven to them.

  Elle bounded toward me, spraying snow everywhere when she jumped into my arms. “I can see you’re enjoying playtime.”

  Woof!

  Elle’s tail whapped back and forth, her eager eyes matching her bright grin. “Okay, girl. Go on and play.” I put her down, wiping snow from my jeans.

  When I approached, Daniella’s face held a warm glow of excitement, her cheeks reddened from the frigid temperatures. She also held a smile on her face.

  “You’re really going to try your hand?” she asked in a surprisingly coy manner.

  “I’ll have you know I’ve built many a snowman.” My answer seemed to delight the twins.

  “When?” Isabella giggled.

  As a memory rushed to the surface of the trip to the chalet from several years ago, I refused to allow it to interfere with the day. “Okay, so it was a while ago. But it’s like riding a bike.”

  Alessandro rolled his eyes before returning to rolling the last ball. “Dad. You’ve never ridden a bike before.”

  I laughed, shaking my head.

  Daniella moved closer, taking a deep breath as she studied me. “Is that true that you’ve never ridden a bicycle before?”

  “We didn’t have that kind of childhood. We weren’t the kids out pitching ball and riding until dark. My father was leery of any regular activity.”

  “How sad. I hope you allow the kids to do that.” She looked at me warily. The sad truth was the kids had never been given a bicycle as a gift. While they were allowed to play outside, it was under strict supervision, the pool the location I preferred.

  “Not nearly enough,” I said quietly.

  “That’s sad, Michael.” She turned her attention to the twins for several seconds, an awkward moment settling in. “I’m surprised to see you. I didn’t think you liked the snow.”

  “What’s not to like? Cold temperatures, slushy, often dangerous conditions, and often power outages.”

  She gripped my hand, pulling my arm up several inches. “Nice gloves. I can easily tell you’re a snow bunny.”

  “And you are such a bad girl.”

  Her laugh was a sweet reward for letting go, if only for a little while. While some might consider this paradise, the chalet was little more than ugly reminders of my failures. Selling the place was a good idea.

  “Anyway. I’m glad you came out,” she added. “It’s a gorgeous day.”

  I scanned the area again, nodding to Titus. “It’s safe.”

  “It’s also sad that it’s all you can think about. Nothing is going to happen in a place like this. It’s a fortress.” She studied the look on my face, her brow furrowing. “Should I be concerned?”

  “Nothing to be concerned about, although we’re likely going to leave sooner than I expected.”

  “Why?”

  “I have some business to attend to in Florida.”

  The look of concern remained on her face.

  “Don’t worry. You will be completely protected while I’m gone.”

  Daniella took a deep breath, but I could tell by the look on her face that she was more than just concerned. “Why don’t you let us experts show you how to build a pristine snowman?” she chided, backing away, her lilting laughter floating into the dense air.

  I folded my arms, lifting an eyebrow as she jogged toward the ball of ice the twins were rolling. The damn snowman was taller than I was already. How they’d managed to roll such huge pieces of snow I would never know. “Hold on now. You need the expert to guide you.”

  During the course of the next thirty minutes, I realized that I’d never been so tired in my life. When I was the only one able to lift the freaking twenty-plus-pound head onto the body of the snowman, all I could do was laugh. After foraging through the forest for something for the eyes and nose, Daniella ripped off her scarf, tying it around the bulbous neck, finally standing back.

  “There. It’s perfect.” She clapped her gloved hands, her smile brighter than before.


  “Yeah, she is.” My words were obviously unexpected, her cheeks becoming even redder than before.

  “I think we need to get the kids inside. They haven’t eaten breakfast. I thought this was a good respite. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Mind? Not at all. They’re happy, which I haven’t seen in a long time, Daniella. Thanks to you.”

  She couldn’t seem to look me in the eyes, as if the night before hadn’t happened.

  “You can go in. I’ll get them inside,” she finally half whispered.

  “All right. Then I’ll see you in there.”

  She gave me a slight smile as she glanced into my eyes, immediately moving toward the twins.

  I headed toward the door, unable to keep a grin off my face. Just being with her had taken a weight off my chest, hearing laughter something I’d missed. However, I’d also seen the look of disappointment in her eyes. Bending down, I did something I had never done. I formed a snowball, swirling then tossing it in her direction.

  “Oh, you didn’t!” she squealed, immediately hunkering over.

  As the snowballs began to fly, the laughter was contagious. Even Elle enjoyed jumping for the flying balls of ice, chomping down then immediately attempting to catch another.

  I inched closer with every snowball tossed, finally yanking Daniella by the arm, pushing a handful against her face.

  “You’re horrible!” she yelled, fighting to get the ice out of her eyes, staring at me with an incredulous look on her face.

  Then her wide-open eyes held a look of raw fear, her body shaking.

  I swung around, already prepared for a fight. Carlo was jogging toward me, his weapon showing under his unbuttoned coat. I trudged through the snow, prepared to admonish him for the breach in protocol. The children were never to see a weapon unless absolutely necessary.

  “What the fuck, Carlo?”

  “Boss. We need to get inside.”

  “Why?”

  “Cristiano called me. He’s been trying to get ahold of you. He got wind our location has been compromised. I didn’t ask him how.” He motioned to Titus, his breathing heavy.

  I bristled, swinging around in every direction before motioning to Daniella. “Carlo, see if there are any tracks. Daniella, we need to get the children inside. Now.” How the hell had Cristiano obtained the information?