Liar : An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance (Sold to The Don Book 2)

by Callie Vincent

  “Impressive,” he said.

  I nodded. “Now, I understand why you’ve been able to find me so easily all this time.”

  Char shook her head. “That isn’t what this is. It isn’t what it looks like. He raided the house, Teo. I--.”

  I pointed my gun at her and popped a shot off at her feet. Then, I brought the gun back to Lorenzo’s chest.

  “Next one’s in her head,” I said curtly.

  Lorenzo chuckled. “And to think she thinks you love her.”

  Char balked. “What!? No the hell I don’t!”

  Lorenzo shrugged. “It practically drips off her some days.”

  I took a step toward him. “You’ve got one chance to get off my property before I drop you right here.”

  “And start a war you can’t currently win? I’d love to witness that from beyond. I bet it would make for great television.”

  Char yelled at me. “Will you stop trying to pin me down for once in your pathetic life and just listen to me, Teo?”

  I ignored her. “Tell me, Lorenzo, did you have her office wiretapped? Her room? Maybe listening through the burner phone you got her somehow?”

  Char scoffed. “Are you even capable of being reasonable at this point?”

  I pointed my gun at her head. “One more word.”

  Lorenzo barked with laughter. “Can’t even kill some strange, hot-headed woman. You really must be desperate for love.”

  My gun rotated back to him before my aim fell to his left knee. And when I pulled the trigger, Char shrieked as Lorenzo crumpled to the ground.

  “You shot me!” he roared.

  I heard my teams yelling off in the distance as I looked over at Char.

  “The basement will be a vacation after you see where I’m going to put you,” I said coolly.

  She trembled in her bare feet. “I know that nothing I say will change your mind, so I won’t even try.”

  Lorenzo cursed to himself. “You’re going to pay for this. I’m going to slaughter all of you!”

  Lyle’s voice sounded behind me. “Mr. Emiliano!?”

  I holstered my gun. “Take her away and put her in the darkness.”

  I felt Lyle’s eyes on me. “Are you sure about that?”

  I slowly looked over at him. “Miss Pettigrew’s been receiving phone calls from Lorenzo here with a burner phone snuck into this house. And until I can pinpoint the mole in my operations, everyone goes where I say.”

  Lyle nodded. “And what of Lorenzo?”

  I shrugged. “Drop him off at his brother’s doorstep with a note stapled to his arm.”

  “What should this note say?”

  I locked eyes with Char before one of the guys from my security team handcuffed her hands behind her back.

  “Really?” she asked.

  I peeked over at Lyle. “Tell them Miss Pettigrew is all theirs if there are three things they do for me. Then, leave my bedside table cell number on there for them to give me a call.”

  Char bucked against the security man. “You’ll never get away with this. You’ll realize that I’m not the bad guy!”

  I fisted her hair and pulled her face so close I felt her fearful breaths pulsing against my lips.

  “No, you’re not. Because I’m the bad guy. And the sooner you learn how much danger you’re in, the sooner we can get on with our lives.”

  She screamed and cursed behind me as my men dragged her off, and I watched as Lyle tossed Lorenzo’s weakling little body over his shoulder. I snapped my fingers and beckoned for Security Team Alpha, watching in my peripheral as five massive men with military training appeared at my side.

  “Sweep this cave for bugs, then do the apartment level of my house. Tear Miss Pettigrew’s former room apart until you find that burner phone, and then sweep her office for any listening devices.”

  The head of the team nodded. “And after that?”

  I looked over at him. “Then, sweep the rest of the house. I want to know how the fuck Miss Pettigrew and Lorenzo are constantly communicating about my presence.”

  Then, I turned on my feet and left them to their job as I gazed out at the ocean. Out toward the spot where I saw that fucker on the boat.

  I’m coming for you.

  As soon as I figured out who the hell I was coming for.

  27

  Mateo

  After finding my way through my blind rage, I made my way for my office. It was the only place where I felt safe right now, and I needed to sit by the phone. I wanted to sit there until someone from the Lucchese Family called me. I wanted to savor the moment when they realized exactly the lengths I was willing to go to in order to protect my property.

  In order to protect Char.

  “Mr. Emiliano?”

  I looked up from my desk and found the head of my security teams standing there.

  “Yes?” I asked.

  He sighed. “Permission to enter?”

  I held out my hand. “Come and sit.”

  I leaned back in my chair as he sat down, extending a fisted hand forward. And when he dropped the seven wire taps against the mahogany wood of my desk--and a few random broken components--I stared down at them.

  I fucking knew it.

  “My teams found these in various places. Two in your bedroom, one in the basement. Two in the kitchen, one on the roof. And one--.”

  I snickered. “Let me guess. The apartment level of the house.”

  “Actually, no.”

  I paused. “Miss Pettigrew’s office, then.”

  He shook his head. “Not there, either.”

  I leaned forward. “My painting studio?”

  He blinked. “No, though we did check there twice. It was found underneath your convertible in the garage. The one you take whenever you want to drive yourself.”

  Char would have never known about that. “Huh.”

  “There’s no telling how long they’ve been there as well. One of my guys traced their signal into town before it bounced around to a few different places and ended at an abandoned warehouse my men are headed to now. But, because of the vulnerability of the signal, my guess is the place is going to be wiped clean.”

  I sighed heavily. “I want them to sweep it down anyway. Leave no stone unturned.”

  “However, the broken pieces you see here are from an old school Nokia phone. We didn’t find an intact burner phone, but that proves--.”

  “That an outdated phone was broken up somewhere inside this house.”

  The man nodded. “Just to reiterate: there’s absolutely no hard evidence that Miss Petti--.”

  I held up my hand. “Bring her to me.”

  The man blinked. “We just got her chained up.”

  “I don’t care. Bring her to me. She and I need to have a chat.”

  “Shackled?”

  I nodded. “Yes. Shackled.”

  He stood to his feet. “Be right back.”

  I swiveled around in my chair and stared at the wall. So, none of the bugs were planted in places Char would’ve had easy access to. But, that didn’t mean she wasn’t involved somehow. If Lorenzo wanted to make her look innocent, that’s all he had to do: plant the bugs somewhere that she didn’t frequent. I still wasn’t convinced she wasn’t involved, though. Especially after that comment about the burner phone.

  And the pieces my security team found.

  When I heard the shackles clinking up the hallway, I slowly turned back around. The head of my teams escorted her into my office and dropped her in the chair in front of my desk. Her ankles were shackled together and her hands as well. Then, those shackles were attached to a chain in between her legs to keep her from being able to flail her arms around.

  “I hate you,” she hissed.

  I pointed at the broken pieces of phone on my desk. “You have one chance to tell me what that is.”

  She looked down. “And if I don’t?”

  I shrugged. “You’ll stay right where you are.”

  She shook her hea
d. “Who hated you as a child?”

  I grinned. “I was actually very beloved as a child.”

  “I’m sure,” she said flatly.

  “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I know those are the components of the burner phone you referenced with Lorenzo. I’m not interested in that, though.”

  She paused. “You’re not?”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m interested in who gave it to you.”

  “I don’t know.”

  I slowly stood to my feet. “Choose your next answer carefully.”

  Her eyes stayed with mine. “I honestly don’t know, Teo. There was a deep voice behind the door that told me I had a package, then a manila envelope was slid under the door. The phone was inside, but I’ve got no clue who was on the other side of that door when it happened.”

  And I hated the fact that I believed her.

  I watched him sit back down and my gut unlocked. But, only for a second. I knew this man was going to kill me. I’d seen a side of him that could never be unseen, and it was only a matter of time before he cut me off at the knees like he almost did Lorenzo.

  “You know that man isn’t going to help you, right?” Teo asked.

  I blinked. “Who?”

  He snickered. “You’re smarter than that. At least act like it.”

  My jaw tensed, but I didn’t say anything. So, Teo continued.

  “Whatever he’s doing--whatever lies he’s feeding you--it’s not genuine. All he cares about is himself. His own pleasures. His own needs. Right now, his family perceives him as a weak link because he couldn't even remember to fill out paperwork on you, and he’s scrambling to get back in their good graces. The bastard child of the Lucchese Clan, willing to do whatever it takes to start sucking off their teats again.”

  If I promise to defeat you, he will. “You can think what you want and I’ll think what I want.”

  He stood quickly to his feet. “Why did you place those wire taps for him.”

  I snickered. “Are you delusional? Come on, I’m not that stupid.”

  He walked around his desk and gripped hold of my hair. “I will kill you if you don’t give me the information I seek.”

  “Even though I know that’s a lie because you care about me, I have no information to give. You have so many people over for parties and events and meetings that anyone could have planted those devices. Literally, anyone.”

  He snarled. “Why are you siding with him? After everything I’ve given you and done for you, why turn your back on me now?”

  I blinked. “Are you kidding?”

  He shoved my head. “You’re useless. No wonder your mother never came for you.”

  I forced myself to keep my cool. “You can believe whatever you want. Believe if I’m guilty, I don’t care. But, while you’re bringing your retribution down upon me and trying to beat me into literal submission in order to prove to people that you’re not as emotional as you really are, whoever the hell is sabotaging you is going to keep doing it. As much as you don’t want to admit it, I’m not your enemy. I’m just a distraction you keep allowing yourself because you’re lonelier than you want to admit.”

  My mouth ran away from me, but I’d been around him long enough to read him like a fucking book. I knew exactly what he was doing and why. The second he showed me mercy, he pulled back twice as hard to convince himself that he wasn’t cracking beneath the surface. Whoever convinced him that a man acted this way, though, had done him a great disservice.

  And it would cost him my life in the process.

  “I killed a man for you, Teo,” I said as my eyes watered. “I saw that man beating the bloody pulp out of you and I put a bullet in him without even thinking.”

  He leaned against the wall. “Could’ve been simple misdirect.”

  I jumped to my feet. “You act like I come from this world! Like I’m some ruthless fucking woman like your goddamn wife that I could actually play this manipulation game you seem to never want to stop! But, I didn’t come from this world, Teo. I don’t live my life like this. I’ve never killed anyone until now. I’ve never been kidnapped until now. Hell, I’d only heard rumors of auctions like the one you found me at until I was thrust onto the very stage that became my proof. So, stop treating me like I come from this life because all I’m trying to do is survive while trying to figure out whether or not you want to torture me, love me, or slaughter me!”

  The world tilted with my outburst as my knees grew weak. I flopped back down into the chair and openly sobbed, not caring who saw me anymore. I was tired of fighting. Tired of bucking against him. Tired of kicking to stay afloat only for him to come and drown me before resuscitating me and doing it all over again.

  If broken is what he wants, then he can finally crush me.

  And as I watched him pick up those wire taps, he crushed them in his hand.

  Before tossing them into the trash can and storming out of his office.

  28

  Mateo

  I didn't want to wait for some stupid ass phone call to come through to my office, so I stormed out of the house. I barreled into my garage and plucked the keys to my convertible from the key rack and pressed a button on the wall. I was tired of these shenanigans. Tired of this pursuit. I’d been under fire ever since I purchased Charlotte off that fucking stage, and someone would pay for that.

  She’s dulling your edge. You should’ve killed Lorenzo.

  I gritted my teeth and cranked up the car, revving the engine so the entire world could hear me. I wanted Char to know that I was about to slaughter her confidant. If she thought Lorenzo was going to be her saving grace, then she was really more stupid than I thought.

  And I didn’t need someone that dumb on my staff.

  I tore out of the driveway and sped down the road, locking my eyes on the world in front of me. I wanted to intercept my men before they dropped Lorenzo off on Ronnie’s doorstep like I asked them to do. I had questions, I needed answers, and my hands were ready to get dirty.

  No. They weren’t ready.

  They were willing.

  I drew in deep breaths as I weaved around the handful of cars I encountered. I locked eyes with my hometown in the distance, the clock tower looming above everything else. Even from twenty miles out, I could read that damn thing. It was almost dinner time, and my bloodlust was hungrier than it had ever been.

  Maybe Lorenzo’s working with my wife.

  I still wasn’t convinced that she was completely innocent in all of this. Rosana came from a conniving family who made their fortune by brainwashing others, torturing women for information on their feeble men, and enslaving kids only to sell them off to the highest bidder. Their morals--or lack thereof--made me fucking sick. But, our union had been negogiated even before I turned sixteen and had half a mind to speak for myself.

  Not that it would have done any good.

  “Come on,” I grunted.

  I pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floorboard and watched my speed get up over one hundred and ten. I soared down the road, feeling the wind whipping my hair back as my tie flopped over my shoulder. In this car, I felt freer than any bird in the sky. In this convertible, I felt like an unstoppable force ready to take on any heat that came my way.

  I came to a screeching halt at the first stoplight in town before I took a hard left.

  And as I traveled out west of the main city, my gears started turning.

  A conspiracy in my life was brewing, and it all started when Charlotte Pettigrew came into my life. Not just with the auction, though. But, with her kidnapping. Was it mere coincidence that she was kidnapped the night we first met? Was it mere coincidence that she was thrust on a stage the next night right before my very eyes in my own hometown? Conveniently, in the clutches of my one disgusting rival?

  Someone with serious strings to pull is orchestrating this.

  The problem is, that created new targets.

  If someone fresh and new was behind the scenes, then t
hat meant we all had red painted on our backs. The Luccheses. Myself and my wife. Anyone who had been at that auction. If there was a more powerful force in play, then that meant I wasn’t worse than back at square one.

  I was back at the very beginning.

  Back at that night when I first laid eyes on Char from across the room.

  I floored it out of town, speeding west at well over one-twenty. And when I saw the Lucchese compound looming in the distance, I drifted around the corner. Every compound had a back entrance. One that only the darkest, seediest human beings knew. My compound had one, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out where the hell that entrance was.

  And when I squealed up the dirt road, a row of men marched themselves across my pathway.

  Forcing me to slam on my brakes before he appeared.

  “I have to say, you really know how to make an entrance,” Ronnie said.

  I parked my convertible and leapt out. “You and me need to talk. Now.”

  He held out his arms. “I’m all ears.”

  I pointed my finger in his face. “I don’t know what kind of sick game you and that half-mutt brother of yours think you’re playing, but the next time Lorenzo is on my property, I will shoot him on sight.”

  He grinned. “You sent your message loud and clear with that funny little note on his arm.”

  My nostrils flared. “Your half-brother is playing a dangerous game. I have every reason to believe--.”

  “--he’s pitting you against me for his own purposes? I’m well aware.”

  I straightened my back. “Good. Feed him a warning for me, then: let him know that if he decides he wants to try and take me out again, it’s better for him to knock on my door than take me out from the ocean.”

  His grin grew into a wild smile. “You really are clueless, aren’t you?”

  My eye twitched. “So, you know.”

  He cocked his head. “Know what?”

  I chuckled. “So, you don’t know.”