"They bring someone in, someone innocent of the crime they’re investigating, tell them to do something, and if they don't, they'll send them down for what they hauled their asses in on."
"Fuck, Rex. Talk about spoiling my surprise."
I grimaced, looking down at my uncle’s young face, aware that it would be old and craggy from a wasted life spent in prison for a murder he didn't commit. As I ruffled through the papers again, scanning pieces of reports along the way, I saw how they’d packed so much dirt against him that they’d convinced a jury of his guilt when he’d spent all that day with his sister who was in labor. How they’d achieved that? A forty-minute window of time where no doctor or nurse had seen him in her ward and my mom was asleep.
"Dunbar said they work behind the scenes, stitching up poor bastards into doing all their dirty work, earning them a fortune while they never get their hands bloody."
"Sounds about right."
"Seriously, how did you know that?"
I explained about the package, and the odd behavior of the driver who'd delivered it. I told him about the blast, about how we were lucky to be alive, lucky to only have lost the family we did. I told him everything. What dad told me, even though it was very little in the grand scheme of things, and I shared more. How the Feds had found nothing at the blast, about anything and everything I could think of, all in the vain hope that he would keep me in the loop in future.
After ten minutes of nonstop talking, I knew it was worth it, knew he’d taken pity on me, when he rasped, "Rex, there's going to be a summit in two days’ time."
My eyes flared wide at that news. "A summit? One of them hasn't happened in at least, what is it? Fifteen years?”
A summit was where the leadership of the major crime families came together. The Italians, the Irish, the Russians, and the Japanese. The four major players who owned and ran New York like it was their personal playground.
"It's been a long time, but this situation... The families need to talk. Now Fieri is dead, even if there was protocol in place, no leadership ever transfers over that smoothly."
“If only there was a constitution in place to see this kind of shit through," I said ruefully.
"No such luck. No honor among thieves."
"Why are you telling me this?"
“Because...” He blew out a breath. “Because I have a feeling the heads of both families, the Rossis and the Genovicos, will be there, and I think you should be too."
"Why?"
"Vengeance. Trust me, it doesn't take away the pain, but it makes it easier to sleep at night."
"I can imagine," I rumbled. As my brain struggled to piece together what he was saying, to read between the lines of what he was telling me without spelling it out, I simply muttered, "I can be at the summit."
"I'll send you details of when and where. Whatever you do, don't come in through the front door."
And with that, he cut the line, and left me reeling with the possibilities of the next steps I could take.
Vengeance was my right, but did I have a death wish?
That, unfortunately enough, was the question.
Rex
Two days later
By the time I was in Brooklyn Beach, any agitation, deep in my soul, had gone. Dissipated. Disappeared, even.
I was at peace with myself.
Whatever happened today, however it ended, I was happy with how I was going out.
I’d hugged Rachel this morning before she headed into work. I’d bumped fists with Rain, her kid brother, and I’d even slung an arm around Giulia’s waist—the only woman who’d ever leveled my psycho friend out—not that she’d appreciated the gesture. I swore, the reason they both suited each other was because they were both so fucking prickly.
I hadn’t texted the council, mostly because I knew they’d head out into NYC with me, and I didn’t need them to sacrifice themselves for me.
What I was about to do… it might be the end of me.
For my mom, it was a risk I was willing to take.
She deserved more than she’d gotten, she deserved to rest in peace knowing that the people behind her murder were in hell. So, like the true Satan’s Sinner I was, with the devil himself on speed-dial, I’d deliver them.
Personally.
And I’d smile as I did it.
To be continued
in
MAVERICK
You can preorder him here: www.books2read.com/MaverickSerenaAkeroyd
Afterword
Just a few things, darlings,
By no means am I suggesting that a BDSM relationship is a cure-all for a survivor of sexual abuse.
In this instance, happily, it is for Indy. It’s exactly what she needs. Cruz is exactly what she needs.
Her knight in leathers, as it were.
The cliffhangers in this book are more subtle than you can ever know… because, darlings, you might not realize it, but there are several.
I hope you’re excited for Maverick and Ghost’s story. I know I am. And yes, Martin dies. That won’t be one of the cliffies I’ll make you wait for…
And if you turn over the page, you can see some special charity merch that’s in honor of Indy and her plight… a plight so many of you have gone through.
Yours,
Serena
xoxo
Charity Merch
So, darlings,
One thing that hit me so hard about writing Indy’s story is how many of the people around me were also survivors, and I knew that this time, the merch had to be different. Something that Erika, an ARC reader, confirmed with this idea of hers.
Lo and behold...
Zippered hoodies and hoodie pullovers in two styles.
I'M A SURVIVOR LIKE INDY
I STAND UP FOR SURVIVORS LIKE INDY
The zippered hoodie is a little more expensive, coming in at 35 dollars/euros, but the hoodie pullover is 30 dollars/euros. Both come in a variety of colors.
The profit from each one sold (roughly $5) is something that I'm going to match, up to $250, and donate to BACA.
BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE
https://bacaworld.org/
Their mission is to create a safer environment for survivors like Indy. If you watch their mission video, I swear, you'll cry.
You can buy the hoodies here:
Hoodie 'I'm a Survivor': https://teespring.com/en-GB/pullover-2634
Zippered Hoodie ‘I’m a Survivor': https://teespring.com/en-GB/zip-hoodie-2361?pid=1096&cid=104163
Hoodie 'I Stand Up For': https://teespring.com/en-GB/i-stand-for-survivors-like-ind?pid=377
Zippered Hoodie ‘I Stand Up For': https://teespring.com/en-GB/i-stand-for-survivors-like-ind
You don’t have to buy this merchandise, but please, check out the BACA website. If you, or anyone you know or love, is going through what Indy and her family endured, these guys are there to help.
Much love,
Serena
<3
Free Book!
Don’t forget to grab your free e-Book!
Secrets & Lies is now free!
Meg’s love life was missing a spark until she discovered her need to be dominated. When her fiancé shared the same kink, she thought all her birthdays had come at once, and then she came to learn their relationship was one big fat lie.
Gabe has loved Meg for years, watching her from afar, and always wishing he’d been the one to date her first and not his brother. When he has the chance to have Meg in his bed—even better, tied to it—it’s an opportunity he can’t refuse.
With disastrous consequences.
Can Gabe make Meg realize she’s the one woman he’s always wanted? But once secrets and lies have wormed their way into a relationship, is it impossible to establish the firm base of trust needed between lovers, and more importantly, between sub and Sir…?
This story features orgasm control in a BDSM setting.
Secrets & Lies is now free!
Connect with Serena
For the latest updates, be sure to check out my website!
But, if you’d like to hang out with me and get to know me better, then I’d love to see you in my Diva reader’s group where you can find out all the gossip on new releases as and when they happen. You can join here: www.facebook.com/groups/SerenaAkeroydsDivas. Or, you can always PM or email me. I love to hear from you guys: [email protected].
About the Author
I'm a romance novelaholic and I won't touch a book unless I know there's a happy ending. This addiction is what made me craft stories that suit my voracious need for raunchy romance. I love twists and unexpected turns, and my novels all contain sexy guys, dark humor, and hot AF love scenes.
I write MF, Menage, and Reverse Harem (also known as Why Choose romance,) in both contemporary and paranormal. Some of my stories are darker than others, but I can promise you one thing, you will always get the happy ending your heart needs!
Cruz : A Dark MC Romance (A Dark and Dirty Sinners’ MC Book 5) Page 40
