Ember

by Rachel Van Dyken

  His face turned bright red. “You know nothing!”

  “Oh…” I took a seat and put my feet up on his desk. “I know a little bit of everything, so let’s not play that game. I’m already bored.” I yawned. “Government jobs pay like shit, don’t they?”

  He looked down.

  “But me…” I chuckled. “…I’m loaded. But wait—” I pointed at him and gave my finger a little shake. “—you probably already knew that, right?”

  More silence.

  “So…” I nodded. “…I kept thinking, what could possibly cause Sergio to freak out, to just up and leave for days and then suddenly say he knew where to find Nick and Pike?”

  “Phoenix, I—”

  “Shut up.” I snapped. “I’m talking.”

  His nostrils flared.

  “How much?” I asked.

  “How much?”

  “Play dumb one more time, and I’m going to cut off your thumb.” I reached for a letter opener on his table. “Kinda dull, but it may just do the trick.”

  “One million,” he said so softly I almost didn’t catch the words. “The Russians were going to pay one million. All I needed to do was set up Pike, make it look like an accident, then infiltrate the family.”

  “My family.”

  “The Nicolasi family.”

  “With?”

  “They’re bleeding money. They need a new trade route… thought the best way to ship drugs in and out was with the Nicolasi brand. You own seven harbors in the US.”

  “I do.”

  “And…” He pulled at the neck of his shirt. “…Sergio would naturally take over operations for me, stepping in as the next boss.”

  “One you controlled.”

  He licked his lips and glanced out the window. “I would do anything to save her.”

  “Anything?” I tilted my head. “Do you truly mean that?”

  Smith paused. “What are you getting at, Phoenix?”

  “I’ll deal with your problem. Eliminate the players, take out the ones that need taking out… and I’ll protect you from Petrov.” I captured his eyes with a pointed stare. “But it will cost you. After all, you nearly destroyed my life, so it’s only fair if you make me bleed… I make you bleed.”

  “What about Sergio?”

  “You let me deal with Sergio.”

  “You’ll kill him.”

  “Your time’s up.” I stood. “I’ll call you later today to ask for your answer. Just know this isn’t a war you’ll win. You end up dead trying, and your daughter dies… or I save your pathetic ass, and your daughter lives.”

  “Will I ever see her again?” He didn’t meet my eyes.

  “Don’t you think it’s a little late to start acting the part of worried father? Granted, a million dollars would go a long way for her treatments, but you probably should have thought of that before you started embezzling money and dabbling at the Russian’s casinos, am I right?”

  “I never meant—” His body shook. “—I never meant for it to get this far. My job, my career, my little girl—”

  “All your choice.” I nodded. “I’ll be in touch, and don’t try fleeing the country or calling your superiors, or I’ll have a gun trained on that clammy forehead before you even finish the damn call.”

  I slammed the door behind me and whistled while I walked all the way back to the elevators. The little dot on my phone paused again. Sergio’s office was one floor down.

  Deciding against the elevators, I took the stairs and made my way into the maze of cubicles.

  When I found his…

  I sighed.

  He froze, not turning around. “Just do it already.”

  “Do what?” I asked, calm, though I felt like ripping his freaking head off.

  “If you don’t kill me, Nixon will. I had no choice.”

  “Don’t,” I spat. “Don’t you dare say you didn’t have a choice, not to me of all people. Not to me, Sergio.” I pulled his chair around, and gripped his chin with my hands.

  People around us gasped.

  “Do it.” His nostrils flared. “I was activated. That was the deal with Luca. I get activated. He comes for me. It was only a matter of time.”

  “Were you going to kill me? Would you have followed through with the plan?”

  He didn’t hesitate, simply said, “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I wanted to live.”

  “And I don’t deserve to?”

  “You’re Phoenix De Lange. When did you ever deserve life?”

  I punched him across the face then pulled him to his feet. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

  “What?” Blood sputtered out of his mouth. “Enjoy what?”

  Grinning, I half dragged him to the elevator and pressed the lobby button. When the elevator doors opened, I pushed him in then punched him again. He was letting me hit him, and in that moment I didn’t care.

  He slumped to the floor.

  I ignored the blood and dialed Nixon.

  “Problem?” he asked.

  “Meeting. The Space. Bring company.”

  When I hung up, I tossed the phone at Sergio. “Call Nick and Pike. We do this now.”

  “So what? You kill all of us, and then what? Petrov still wants in the Nicolasi family.”

  “Who said I wasn’t letting him in?” I snapped.

  “But—” Sergio’s eyes widened. “—he’s Russian trash!”

  “Money… always speaks. I give him what he wants. He leaves us alone. Come on, Sergio, you let your own fear get in the way. He wants a shipping company. I give it to him for a price. Heads don’t have to roll, not unless I say they roll.”

  “But—” Blood trickled from his lips. “—are you saying if I had told you from the beginning what was going on…?”

  “Maybe then…” I sighed. “…you would have been spared.”

  “And now?” he choked.

  “Now,” I said with a nod, “I’m handing you over to the executioner.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Out of the bag

  Bee

  “IF YOU DON’T EAT, Phoenix is going to get pissed.” Chase sang, dangling a Cheetos in front of my face. “Seriously though, eat some food.”

  “I, um…” Rubbing my stomach I tried to smile. “…I’m just not super hungry.”

  “One chip.” He handed it over to me. “And drink some water. Damn, you look pale. You can’t drop dead on my watch. Seriously, I have a reputation to uphold.”

  With a tense smile, I grabbed the chip, choked it down, and followed it with water.

  And ten seconds later, I puked it onto the ground behind the tree.

  Chase was there in seconds, rubbing my back. “Whoa there, little one, you can’t even stomach one chip?” He laughed. “Geez, it’s like your preg—”

  He didn’t finish the sentence.

  He stopped rubbing my back.

  “Bee…” His voice turned serious. “…tell me you have the flu.”

  “I have the flu.” I rolled my eyes and wiped my mouth.

  Chase narrowed his eyes. “Great, now stop looking so guilty and say it to my face.”

  For some reason — maybe it was the concern in his voice and the pitiful look he was giving me or maybe it was just the stress of having Phoenix gone — I burst into tears. I mean, completely lost it and sobbed against his chest.

  “I’m going to kill him!” Chase raged, patting my back a little too hard. “Tell me where to shoot him. Scratch that, I’m taking off the man’s penis. Son of a bitch, he’s a dead man!”

  “He knows…” I sobbed. “I’m happy.”

  “If he hurt—” Chased pulled me away. “What did you say?”

  “Happy. I’m happy.” I snorted. “I just miss him.”

  “I’m sorry. Did you just say you were happy… with Phoenix? And you’re having his love child?”

  I nodded, wiping at my cheeks.

  “And he took this news… how exactly? Shot a s
quirrel? Punched a wall? Kicked a puppy?”

  “He smiled.” I shrugged.

  “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

  “No.” I furrowed my eyebrows together. “It’s a long story but… he asked me to marry him.”

  Chase held up his hand. “I need a minute to digest this.” He placed his hands on his knees and took a few deep breaths. The man looked like he was ready to be ill right next to where I’d just thrown up.

  “Do you, uh, need to sit down?”

  “No,” he said in a strangled voice. “I’m good. Just swallowed a bug.”

  “Or a bird.” I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, Chase, you look pale.”

  “Phoenix?” He shook his head. “The same Phoenix who just left you to go play doctor and rearrange people’s organs? That Phoenix?”

  “Yeah.” I cringed at the mental picture.

  “Well, shit me sideways,” Chase muttered then finally stood. “Clearly your brother has no idea.”

  “I’m thinking I’ll tell Mo first.”

  “Won’t save his life.” Chase shook his head. “Your best bet is to go to Vegas and back, ask for forgiveness later, and tell Mo to lace his whiskey with X.”

  “What would that do?”

  “Probably nothing, but it’s worth a shot.” Chase flashed me a devastating smile. “You’re really okay?”

  I nodded. “I’m happy.”

  “Then I’m happy for you.” He pulled me in for a hug. “Holy shit! I’m going to be an uncle!”

  “But you guys aren’t all really related—”

  “Uncle Chase! Damn, I hope it’s a boy. That would seriously piss Tex off, for Phoenix to have a boy before him. I’ll pray for it tonight.”

  “Surprised God still hears you.”

  “Yeah, well, fingers crossed.” He winked then reached for his cell phone. The smile immediately fell from his face. “We gotta go.”

  We climbed into Chase’s SUV but didn’t make it far. He pulled up to a spot on the far edge of campus that looked semi-deserted.

  “Stay.” He placed his hand on my knee. “You’ll be safe out here, safer than if you were in there. I just… you need to stay, lock the doors, take a nap — whatever. I don’t have time to take you back to the house to grab one of the men, and I don’t want you to see—”

  “See what?” My heart dropped to my knees. “Is it Phoenix? Is he okay?” Panic welled in my chest. “Chase, what aren’t you telling me?”

  “He’s fine.” Chase sighed. “Phoenix is okay. He’s probably inside already, just… stay here until we can figure some stuff out, alright?”

  “Okay.” I still felt panicked but did what Chase asked, because really, I didn’t have any other choice in the matter.

  I locked the doors and crossed my arms as I watched him walk up to a small building, knock twice, and then walk in and slam the door behind him.

  Students were still milling around, but they gave what looked like an abandoned building a wide berth. I could only guess what went on inside; I almost didn’t want to.

  I’d ask Phoenix later.

  Once he was okay.

  Once he was in my arms.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  Web of lies

  Sergio

  SOMEHOW, I’D BLACKED OUT between my transfer from downtown to where I was currently tied to a chair. My head was heavy, my mouth full of blood. I tried to spit it out, but I was so dehydrated it was like spitting sand.

  “Ah, you’re awake.” Phoenix said in a taunting voice.

  I rolled my eyes. I could really go without the dramatics. Besides, I didn’t need to be toyed with. It would be impossible for me not to know what was happening next. The guys would question me, torture me, then kill me.

  All because, a long time ago, I took a deal with the feds. Not that I knew at the time what I was protecting, who I was protecting, or how it would come back to bite me in the ass.

  I blinked as a light turned on over my head.

  “Nixon?” I coughed as he stepped into the light along with Chase, Tex, Frank, and Mil. Great. All five bosses, and it sure as hell wasn’t a potluck.

  Phoenix stood in front of me and slowly pulled out a knife. Shit. I tried not to look afraid but no man — I don’t care how badass he was — stares death in the face and actually laughs James-Bond-style. Pain is still pain.

  The knife was cold against my lips as Phoenix slid it across my jaw and then with a jerk made a vertical cut down the side, crossing both my upper and bottom lip. A sharp pain, like a horrible paper cut started radiating from my skin as fresh blood poured down my face.

  “When rats talk,” Phoenix said in a low voice, “they get punished.”

  “You would know,” I spat.

  His fist flew so hard against my temple I almost fell out of my chair. Blood roared in my ears as the pounding in my head continued.

  “So...” Nixon stepped forward, pulling a cigar cutter from his pocket. “…I’m not even going to ask if you want to do this the easy way or the hard way, Sergio. I’m just going to ask point blank — what the hell were you thinking?”

  Tex snorted. “Or were you thinking at all?”

  Frank held up his hand, pressing it against Tex’s chest. “Let him speak.”

  Surprisingly enough, Tex backed off and crossed his arms while Frank approached, pacing in front of me.

  I’d never liked Frank.

  Frank or Luca.

  They knew too much.

  Swear, their wrinkles were full of secrets, and it pissed me off that they knew the real reason why I‘d done what I had, yet never seemed to care that, in the end, I’d been the one who’d saved their asses.

  “You know why,” I said in a detached voice. “I made a deal with the feds… I told them I’d feed them valuable information.”

  “In exchange for what?” Frank’s eyes narrowed.

  “Ask Phoenix.”

  Phoenix smirked. “I think it’s best you tell them, sunshine.”

  “Blood always wins.” My voice was hollow, my chest tight. “Isn’t that our motto?”

  Nobody said anything, so I kept talking.

  “The feds knew you went into hiding, Frank. When I was old enough to start working for the family, I started hacking. Small stuff here and there, but I finally got smart enough to hack their system. I pulled every damn thing they had on us.”

  Phoenix kicked my chair. “Keep talking.”

  “It was too late,” I whispered. “They knew where the Alfero boss was hiding out, and it was only a matter of time before they eliminated him.”

  “When was this?” Nixon asked.

  “Five years go.” I shook my head as more blood filled my mouth. “So I offered them something they couldn’t refuse.”

  “You.” Tex finished for me.

  With a nod, I slumped forward, my head hurting too much to hold it up anymore. “But making deals with the devil — that never really works out the way you hope. I pretended to be a double agent, worked for the family and the feds, kept us clean, kept them happy by feeding them information that would satisfy them enough not to make any movements.”

  “What went wrong?” Frank asked. “Because something had to have gone wrong.”

  “They wanted to infiltrate, put some of their own men in the family. I said it was impossible. You can’t simply will yourself into a blood-owned family. They threatened retribution and then went after me… my own guys. The ones I’d worked side-by-side with for years went after me.”

  “And you killed them all?”

  I bit my lip, tasting blood. “I killed them, but Luca… he took the fall, told me to go back and say I was out, that I was a cafone… making it so I was no longer useful to the mafia. I told the feds that the family was forcing me into hiding.”

  “And yet you came out.” Frank sighed heavily.

  “You needed me.” I felt my emotions crack in that moment. “The family needed me, and you don’t turn your back on family.” I sniffed. “The feds rea
ctivated me once they saw I was no longer a ghost, once I was valuable again, just like I knew they would.”

  “Why take the chance?” Nixon asked. “It makes no sense, why take the chance that they’ll reactivate you? Hell, why not come to us?”

  Shrugging, I swallowed and looked away. “I got myself into this mess. I was going to get myself out of it.”

  “Oh, good to know you had a plan.” Tex rolled his eyes.

  Phoenix slapped me on the back. “I knew you could come clean, now I won’t have to slit your throat.”

  All eyes fell to him while I blinked in confusion. “What?”

  “I took care of it.” Phoenix was way too calm.

  “What the hell do you mean you took care of it?” I roared.

  “Director Smith…” Phoenix said, shrugging, “…has a little gambling problem… in deep with the Petrovs. They offered him one mil to infiltrate the Nicolasi family, which Sergio was going to help them with. Thanks, by the way, Sergio. Feels good to have a target on my back. Russians want a harbor. I’m going to give them a harbor.”

  “And Director Smith?” I asked. “He’s just going to let you?”

  “Course he is.” Phoenix grinned. “Because his daughter’s dying, and we’ll do anything for blood, won’t we?”

  “His daughter?” I repeated. “What daughter?”

  “For a hacker, you’re really stupid.” Phoenix rolled his eyes. “His daughter, Andi, the one you had me trail? Bee’s one and only friend?”

  I shook my head wildly. “No, no, she isn’t his daughter. There’s no way I wouldn’t have known this whole time. Phoenix, something doesn’t add up.”

  “She is.” Phoenix nodded. “Trust me on this.”

  Something felt off. It was too neatly done, almost like it had been planned, but piecing everything together seemed impossible.

  I didn’t have to wait long for everything to click.

  It was the sound of the door opening and closing that did it first.

  And then clapping.

  I watched in horror as Pike, Nick, and Director Smith walked into The Space, each of them smiling as if they’d just taken down the five families.

  And I had a sinking feeling that’s exactly what they’d just done.