by Bailey Bradford, Ethan Stone, T. A. Chase, Sean Michael, L. M. Somerton, Morticia Knight
Georgio had to give big kudos to his friend—Dirk was taking the beating like a man. While he let out an occasional grunt, he never cried out. He never begged for mercy either. But that was Dirk, he was as stubborn as a mule and he would never give Michael or Luciano that satisfaction. He hated Georgio’s brothers just as much as Georgio did. The only reason he worked for the twins was because it had kept his family safe…until now.
‘Ganging Up On Love’ by Amber Kell
Dirk leaped for the train car. His foot caught the edge of the rail. Threatened with tumbling onto the moving track, he threw his body forward, slamming into the hard metal surface.
Groaning, he flopped onto his back.
“I see you haven’t gotten any more graceful since I last saw you,” a familiar voice spoke above him.
Dirk blinked to clear his vision. “Massy?”
His sister stood over him, a sly smile on her face. “Hello, brother dear.” She held her pose for only a minute before she crouched down to his level and wrapped him in her arms. “I’ve missed you.”
“Oh God, you’re safe.” He hugged her tight.
The fears he’d been harboring for the past few months eased. He’d worried she’d been killed by the mob. The White Widow ran Ward Four and from what he’d heard, she made the psycho twins in Ward Three seem like sweet cherubs. As the only female gang leader in Chicago, she ruled the ward through intimidation and outright bribes. What she couldn’t get through threats she tossed money at, and she had a lot to throw. Rumours flew that she’d killed off her husband to get control of the mob. She always wore white and bleached her hair to match. The sight of a white limo driving anywhere in Ward Four incited instant fear.
Dirk hugged Massy tight. Her bones were more prominent than they had been the last time he’d seen her.
They’d been close as children and even though they’d gone different paths as adults, he still had fond memories of chasing her through the city streets in games of tag while pickpocketing strangers. Even then, they’d had to earn money for the gangs.
She pushed futilely against him until he let her go. “I have to breathe.”
“You always were such a picky thing,” Dirk joked. He examined her carefully. She did look thinner but the smile on her face was genuine. “I missed you, Massy. Why didn’t you tell me what you were up to?”
“Because your closest friend is the brother of mob bosses.”
“You didn’t trust me not to tell Georgio?” Hurt stabbed at him. He’d searched for her and had worried incessantly that she might be dead, and she’d held back because she doubted his loyalty? “When have I ever betrayed you? You didn’t even leave me a note.”
Regret flickered across her face. “I’m sorry. I just had to get out of there. I didn’t think you’d say anything on purpose but if they tortured you then you wouldn’t be able to tell them anything.”
“Well, that worked.” Dirk let bitterness fill his voice. “They almost beat me to death and I didn’t tell them anything…just like I wouldn’t have if I had known. These are from them!” He pointed out the bruises on his face. They’d blossomed into some truly brilliant colors.
He turned to look out the boxcar door, unwilling to meet his sister’s eyes. Fury burned through him. He’d helped raise her after their parents had been murdered but she hadn’t trusted him with her life. She’d always been independent and stubborn—bordering on selfish—but he’d thought they at least had trust between them.
Bonfire Heart’ by Devon Rhodes
Thierry Alexander grimaced inwardly as he rounded the corner and saw the mayor coming straight toward him, though he had enough presence of mind—and practice in concealing his true emotions—to keep his facial expression from giving him away.
“Alexander, good. I’m glad I caught you before you left.” The salt and pepper hair was perfectly sprayed into place as always, and the mayor was dressed for success in an expensive suit. From his outer appearance, he was the picture of benign political authority. But Thierry knew he was anything but the benevolent, people-oriented leader that the media was coached to portray.
“Mayor,” he greeted. He sensed Eduardo, who had been walking at his side with his rolling garment bag on the way downstairs to the car, stepping away unasked to give them privacy. That was to be expected. The mayor made no secret of his disdain for Thierry’s assistant, and would likely have ordered Eduardo to leave them.
“Walk with me.” The mayor didn’t wait for a response but led the way slowly down the hall.
People gave them a wide berth as they proceeded.
“All set for your trip to New York and Boston?”
“Yes. Just heading down to the car now to catch my flight,” Thierry hinted.
“It’ll wait for you.” Apparently the mayor wasn’t always as oblivious as Thierry had hoped. “I’m guessing that our Immigration Bill will be a topic of conversation after hours,” the mayor got straight to the main point of the conversation.
Thierry gave a brief nod. “That’s to be expected. It’s a big move for Chicago.” Which was a major understatement.
The Bill was being touted as a step forward, allowing more freedom of movement for classes of people who’d traditionally had a hard time affording the travel papers, or who had been disqualified from moving around the city—or out of it—for one reason or another. However, Thierry and Eduardo had heard whispers behind the scenes about it having a more nefarious purpose. No leopard changed its spots that quickly…unless it was deliberately camouflaging itself. The political system in Chicago was beyond corrupt—it was dangerous. And the United States had very little say in what happened in the city. It would take almost an act of war to get the US to intervene in state affairs.
“I trust you’ll be a good ambassador as usual, particularly for the Bill and its benefit to the people of Chicago.”
“Of course,” Thierry automatically agreed. That was his job, after all—being a genuinely good public face on the rotten body of Chicago’s governance.
It turned his stomach.
He could feel his legendary patience slipping. A hint of movement to his right—Eduardo was evidently anxious to get him away from the mayor as well. Whether it was because he didn’t want Thierry to run late or because he sensed his impatience was a toss-up.
“My apologies, Mayor, but Deputy Mayor Alexander needs to—”
“Fine, fine.” The mayor gave Eduardo a slight sneer that put Thierry’s back up.
He swallowed down his distaste, transferred his briefcase to the other hand and held out a hand to shake. “Thank you for your time, sir.” He hated having to toady to the slimeball, but the only way to stay in a position to possibly do anything about the city’s blight was to play along. It was a dance of mutual need and distrust between Thierry and his few allies, like Eduardo, and the rest of the damn power players in the city.
With one last hard grip, the mayor let go of Thierry’s hand. He barely kept from wiping it on his pants, then tipped his head in a goodbye before striding down the hall, Eduardo at his side.
Order your copy here
Totally Bound Publishing
