by Ali Parker
"Your thugs killed my mother and my brother." Izzy walked up and took the seat beside her father, leaning forward and pursing her lips.
My nuts drew tight, my cock twitching, my heart skipping a beat. What I wouldn't give to be on the other end of her aggression, no matter what manner it showed up in. She was lost to me now. One thing she wouldn't entertain was deception. No matter how big or small.
Not even for me.
Adam's eyes grew a little wide, his mouth slack. "Wow. Those are big accusations."
Joe reached over and cupped Izzy's hands, smiling at her and turning back to Adam. "My daughter is straight forward. You'll never have to guess how she feels about you, or what she intends to do with you."
His eyebrow lifted. "I had nothing to do with any loss of life." He pulled his gaze from Izzy, though I could tell how hard it was for him to do it.
I couldn't blame him. Her dress fit her like a glove and her hair was down, long and silky in soft waves. The red lipstick she wore fit her perfectly, and every man at the table, myself included had to be thinking about how good that color would look in rings around our dicks. I hated myself for wanting to bow before her, but I did.
She would forgive me. She had to. I wasn't sure I could go on in an existence where there was no hope for us being together one day. No matter how much of a false hope it was, it still existed, or it had. Joe put an end to that.
"What's your involvement with the Kallup boys in Chicago, Don Cooper?" I kept the conversation going.
He nodded and motioned for his four men to move back and leave us be. "They are connected to us, and we are considering grafting them into the family, but we would move them here. I'm well aware that you're the only syndicate in Chicago. I wouldn't step lightly in your backyard without warning you first. It's not the way things are done."
"Does Thomas know that?" Izzy sat back and slowly pulled her hands from Joe's. "I think you might have a loose cannon on your hands, Adam."
The way she said his name was almost a purr. His eyes widened a little again. Surely he had a woman back at home. He was the kingpin of a large syndicate in California. His reactions to Izzy were understandable, and yet still a little disturbing.
"I'll have to check in with him, but take my word on my honor, on the honor of my late father," he extended his hand to Joe, who took it. "I didn't send thugs out to harm you and your family. I would never do that. I would have come myself if I was going to come, but hear me clearly, Don Castaletta, I mean you no harm. There is no bad blood between us unless it flows from your side of the table to mine."
"No, son. Just reign in your thugs and teach them a lesson before we do." Joe glanced back to me. "I'm not sure we're going to be able to let the Kallups go without extreme retribution." He turned back to Adam. "Someone raped and murdered my wife, and then took my son's life. This means war with someone."
"It's not me, Sir. I'll investigate it as well and if the Kallups are involved, it won't be the barrel of your gun they'll have to stare down, Don. It will be mine." He moved back and let out a soft sigh. "How long are you in town? Come stay at the house with me and let me honor you and your family."
"We leave tomorrow, but thank you." Joe glanced back at me. "I'm ready to go back to the hotel. I think we're done here."
"Absolutely." I helped move his chair back and touched Izzy's shoulder. "You ready?"
"No." She glanced back at me and Joe, her expression unreadable. "I'm going to stay and have a drink. I heard there was a club upstairs. Dancing sounds like something I could use tonight."
"Then I'll stay with you." I reached for her arm.
"She's fine." Joe winked at me and turned back to Adam. "Make sure my daughter makes it back to the hotel safely? If anything happens to her, I'll kill you. All of you."
Adam nodded and turned to Izzy. "My pleasure entirely. There is a new narcotic on the street right now. It's a lust drug."
"Zandra?" Izzy smiled and stood up, running her hands down her sides.
"It's still in testing phases." I pointed out, intensely uncomfortable with the idea of Izabella staying with Adam as well as the way the conversation was headed.
"No, it's good. I promise." He stood and smiled toward Izzy. "You'll love it. Meet me upstairs in ten minutes. I'll help you relax."
Joe walked toward the front as Adam turned and joined his men, leaving me and Izabella standing alone.
"Don't take that drug. You understand me?" I reached out and grabbed her chin tightly. "I still control you."
"I don't need a drug to turn me on." She leaned in, rubbing her fingers down my fly and scratching at my sack. "I only have to close my eyes and pretend he's you."
"Don't do this."
"Don't deceive you?" She laughed, the sound falling flat. "Right, because that's your spot to fill, your hole to drill, your lie to tell."
"Bella."
"Night, D." She nipped at my lips and turned, shaking her beautiful ass as she walked toward Adam. I couldn't help but notice the smug look on his face.
If she slept with him, I was done. For good. I couldn't keep dragging her along, praying that the day would come where we could leave this life and settle down. It had to move from a hopeful reality to a dream that would haunt me forever. Her pregnant with my babies, her wearing my ring, her cuddled up to me every night as I drifted off to sleep.
It wasn't going to ever happen. Time to face reality.
Adam's smug look followed me as I turned and walked to catch up with Joe. The little prick was up to something, even if it was just sleeping with my girl.
We would have to plant our West Coast gun runner, Rodney to make sure that Adam kept his word. As much as I hated to admit it. The guy appeared innocent of the death on our hands, or perhaps he was just the best fucking actor in L.A.
For his sake, I hoped it was the later of the two.
If not, I had a bullet with his name on it.
Chapter 16
Audrey
I woke up the next morning with an odd feeling hovering around me. Indecision. I'd seen the Castaletta's in action for two years, but never up close like this.
Spending the day before doing inventory with Zak at the warehouse didn't help much. He was scary as hell to look at, but his heart was huge and his humor spot on. Marcus bothered us a few times, the big sexy bastard watching me from a distance for the rest of the day.
There was something in his eyes that made me want to press him for what happened. Something had happened. Men didn't look that haunted for no reason.
I couldn't imagine what it was.
The sunlight streamed in from the small bedroom window at Madam Giselle's, the sound of someone getting fucked in the next room bringing me from my reverie. Soft pants mixed with deep grunts filled the walls to my right, the enjoyment of it a little more than I would admit to anyone.
What I wouldn't give for someone to take their time with me, to love me in any way they wanted to, to use me and want more of me, like I was a drug. Like I was an Izabella Castaletta.
The pictures the FBI had captured over the years where she and D were together never failed to show deep emotion. Whether he was watching her or she was watching him, I couldn't help but feel the intensity of their desire for each other.
It had to go deeper than lust. Sex only carried emotion for so long before it grew cold, but love as old as time, that's what sustained people. It's what existed between D and Izzy, whether they knew it or not.
"In my ass. Please... fuck me hard in the ass." Terri's voice was filled with excitement.
I groaned and turned, pulling my pillow over my head. Really right now? Jeez.
The image of Marcus rolled through my mind. Between his dangerous promises and his sexy smirk, I knew I was going to fall hard if I wasn't careful.
"You're there to get the bad guy," I mumbled and crawled out of bed. My phone sat on the dresser near the door with three messages encrypted on it. All from Mike.
He wanted an update, or rathe
r the FBI did.
"Such a tight ass, baby." The male fucking Terri was just as thrilled to be balls deep in her rear.
I rolled my eyes and worked a pair of jeans over my legs. "I need to get a new place. No more morning fucks in the ass for me." I laughed softly under my breath. I hadn't been with anyone in far too long to remember, ass or no ass. I couldn't even remember how to seduce someone.
Maybe I didn't need to start with seduction, but just getting laid.
After pulling a t-shirt over my head and sliding my arms into my wind-jacket, I tied up my tennis shoes and walked out into the hallway.
A lanky guy with a huge smile on his face stood in the hall, his back against the wall as he sucked air loudly. "Morning," he breathed out.
"Hi there." I walked past him, ignoring the smell of sex that permeated the whore house all hours of the day. I'd put in my time over the last year to get offered bigger and better things in the Castaletta line up. I just needed to make sure I didn't fuck it up by telling Marcus too much, or even better, giving him anything he wanted.
My ass included.
*
"You're awfully quiet." Mike's eyes were filled with worry.
"I'm pissed to be honest." I shrugged and leaned back in my seat. "There's a rat on our team, and Thomas knew it. He knew my real name and how long I'd been studying him and the Castaletta's. We'll be lucky if he doesn't run over there and tell them all he knows about me just to try and make amends."
"Not to be a jerk, but I'm pretty sure giving up your position isn't going to score him any points with Joe, Audrey. He was definitely involved in Freddy Castaletta's murder, and if things point in the right direction, he was involved in Mrs. Castaletta's as well."
"You're right." I reached for my lemonade and took a sip. "I've been transferred to the drug cartel."
"Good. That's a great place to find out what happened, and see if you can't latch on to Demetri or Izabella."
"Or Marco." I ran my fingers by my lips, trying to decide if I was going to tell Mike about the tapes I had hidden in my backpack from Marco's office the day before. Something inside of me screamed 'no' at the idea, so I kept my mouth shut.
I had to tell someone. The whole fucking purpose of sneaking into Marco's office and stealing the tapes had been to be found out as the hero when I discovered something on them that no one else knew. But why did Marco have them?
"Hey. Did you hear me?" Mike reached out and touched my hand. "You can trust me. We're like family. I knew your dad, kiddo. Remember?"
"Yeah. I know. I do trust you, but something isn't right in our group, Mike. Thomas knew that I'm Julie Parker. He knew too much." I glanced down at the plate of fries in front of me. "Anyway, you look into that, and I'll focus on getting in tight with some of the upper echelon at the Castaletta mansion."
"Good. What else can I do for you?"
"You can tell me who killed my brother." I leaned back as his expression tightened.
"We don't know, Julie. There isn't anything left but teeth to even identify him." He gave me a sad smile, and something seemed off about it. "Do you know if the Castaletta's have a Chicago Police Officer on their side? I've heard a few things this last week about Armstrong Kelly having helped them a little before he retired."
"No clue who that is, but no. There isn't anyone that I've seen so far." I shrugged, feigning innocence. I wasn't sure what part Izabella's cop friend, Jonathan played in helping the family, but I wasn't comfortable bringing him up just yet.
Everything changed the minute I got into the car with Thomas Kallup. It was eye opening to realize that it wasn't just the Castaletta's that had a rat on staff... it was us too.
*
"Wait. I thought you were getting your own apartment." Edward gave me a funny look as we drove toward the city.
"I was, but I realized that having you help me would just be easier." I shrugged and tugged on my seatbelt. I'd finished up with Mike and gone back to the whore house, feeling completely out of place. I wasn't sure what time Marcus wanted me to show up for work seeing that we'd yet to talk to a schedule.
Edward seemed like my best escape route. He was safe to say the least.
He chuckled. "True. What are you thinking? One bedroom or two? Townhouse or condo?" He turned off the freeway and pointed toward the east. "We have a couple of apartments out this way, or if you want a house, we can work that out too."
I ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't care. Actually, I'm not in the mood for this."
"Okay." He glanced toward me, giving me a weird look. "What are you in the mood for?"
"Wine. Sandwiches. Hanging out." I shrugged. "I just don't want to be back at the house. Seems weird now that I'm not working for Sandra anymore."
"I get that. My place is just a few miles down the road. Let's grab sandwiches and wine and we'll kill some time there. Maybe you'll feel like going out and looking at some of the rental property after that." He licked his lips, letting me know that maybe he was hoping for more than a conversation.
"I'm not sleeping with you." I glanced over at him. He was incredibly good looking, but in a good boy, quarterback of the football team way. "You're just not my type at all."
He laughed. "I wasn't planning on trying to sleep with you."
"You licked your lips."
"What?" He turned into a driveway that lead to a beautiful brick house. "I licked my lips? I had jelly toast this morning. I can still taste the grape deliciousness on my mouth." He licked his lips several times and turned toward me, being childish.
I laughed. "Alright. Forgive me. Stop that."
He got out of the car and shook his head. "I have wine and sandwich stuff. You make the food and I'll forgive you. Jeez. Can't be nice to a woman without her wanting my dick. What is the world coming to?"
"It's a shame, right?" I walked toward the front door, studying the house. "This is beautiful."
"Thanks. We got it for a good deal."
"Oh yeah? How much?"
"Free. The previous owner didn't pay Joe back on some debts he owed, so Izzy gunned down the family. The kids having to die were the worst. I can sometimes hear them screaming at night if it gets real quiet."
I stopped as he walked into the house and left me standing in the open door. Horror rolled over me. What was I thinking? The Castaletta's were monsters, and as per usual, I was trying to validate why it was okay.
"Are you serious?" I half-whispered.
"Nope. Just getting you back for thinking I was a man-whore. The house was as expensive as fuck. Come on in. Shut the door behind you. What were you, raised in a barn?" He snorted and laughed.
I rolled my eyes and followed him into the kitchen. After putting my backpack on the kitchen table, I turned and pinned him with a stare. "Edward."
"Yeah?" He turned from the fridge and laid everything down on the counter.
"Who all was with you the other night when the Kallup's knocked me out."
He lifted his eyebrow and looked at me like I was stupid as a stump. "We already went over this. It was just me and Marco."
"And seven of them."
"Yeah, or more. Why?" He laid the sandwich stuff on the counter and turned to grab a few plates.
"Because. Stop being dense for a minute and help me think." I moved up to the counter and hopped up onto one of the barstools, watching him. "Why would seven thugs who were raping and slaughtering Castaletta girls just run when you and Marco showed up? Doesn't that seem weird?"
"We're scary mother fuckers, Audrey. Don't fool yourself, sweetheart." He winked, and I growled.
"I'm serious right now." I tapped the table with urgency. "Look, what if I told you that Marco had some tapes in his office that were dated from the day before Vivian died up to the day Freddy went missing."
He stopped cold. "Why were you in Marco's office?"
"Because something is up, and unless you're the mastermind pulling strings behind Vivian and Freddy's death, then it has to be Marco."
&nb
sp; "He's a Castaletta, Audrey. There's no way he would go against his family. He loved Freddy. You're outta your mind, and if you have something of his... you need to give it back."
"No. I'm not giving them back without listening to them first."
"You have them? These magical tapes?" His eyes grew wide.
"Maybe." I tilted my head to the side. "This is Izzy's family we're talking about here. We can't just assume that Marco is a good guy, unless, like I said... you're the villain."
"I've loved her my whole life. I'm not the villain."
I didn't have the heart to agree with him. There was no way he was capable of being a master of anything. He was too optimistic and innocent. Weird ass combination for being part of a syndicate, but who was I to judge.
"I know, so it has to be Marco."
"Or D." He tilted his head to the side. "Where are these tapes?"
"Somewhere. Do you want to listen to them if I can get them?"
"No. Give them to D or Izzy by this weekend. We never had this conversation. Got it?"
My heart dropped. He was far too chicken shit to deal with anything real. "Yeah. Got it."
Chapter 17
Izabella
"I don't understand." Edward's voice was comforting as I flew home with my father and D both sound asleep in the seats next to me. I was never more grateful for a private jet.
"There's nothing to understand, Eddy. I'm exhausted and I'm going to take care of a few things and crash back at the mansion."
"I just want to see you. I had a conversation with Audrey this morning that was a little disturbing." He sighed and I couldn't help but smile. My best friend and most accessible boy toy was forever getting flustered over nothing.
"About what?" I ran my fingers through my hair and closed my eyes. D wasn't talking to me, and my father was emotionally beat from traveling. I wanted time to myself to remember why I put up with both of their shit.
"I'd rather we talk in person. Just let me know when you're back and I'll come out to the mansion. I won't stay, I promise."
