“Because almost no one knows,” Wade says to Fallon.
“Then from now on, we’ll call you Logan. Welcome to the family,” Luca states.
Logan takes a low bow. “Thank you. I’m off now. Will be back later,” he says as he leaves the room.
“This is not good, Adriano.” James rests his palms on the bed rail.
“I realize that. We wait for Wade—I mean Logan to return. However, I will get that tape. You know that. I’ll never let anything that could harm Cam stay in the wrong hands. But I can’t just kill a senator; we’re operating on a new level, and I need more intel first.”
James nods and gazes at Cam. I completely sympathize with his concern, but I’m holding it all together for Cam. The never-ending words that keep occupying my thoughts repeat themselves over and over.
Wake up, sweetheart.
CHAPTER 39
Logan
I walk through the taupe halls of the CIA office, which is located in a nondescript high-rise in the Loop, and inhale a deep breath before I knock once on the mahogany door and push down the lever.
Inside, my superior is awaiting my arrival with another man in an expensive suit. I recognize the politician immediately and was expecting him to be here.
“Wade,” my superior, Cooper Sanders, introduces us. “This is Bruce Wallace.”
Wallace’s demeanor is ruffled; he’s on edge as I join him, standing opposite Cooper’s desk.
“Wallace,” I greet him normally.
“I don’t have time for introductions, Cooper.” Then he faces me and demands, “Where’s Yakiv Medlov?”
I calmly look at Cooper and raise my eyebrow in question.
“He knows you’re working undercover in the Syndicate.” Cooper leans forward with his elbows on his desk, his entire manner hostile. “Medlov needs to be delivered to Wallace.”
How come some random senator gets to know I’m the spy in this secret operation? I’m instantly on the defensive. “Well, the Syndicate will release him within forty-eight hours to Wallace.”
Wallace addresses me impatiently, “I need him now!”
“Why?”
“None of your concern. How do I even know to trust you?”
“You don’t, but I’m your only source inside that Mafia, and I’m telling you, if you want to expedite business, you need to hand over that tape you told Adriano Montesi you have. These men don’t cave under pressure, so you’ll never get Medlov unless you compromise.”
“If I give up that tape, I lose my only leverage,” Wallace retorts.
“It’s a sacrifice for your greater goal. You want Medlov? Then give me the tape so that it also helps me get into the good graces of the highest ranking members. Don’t come in here making demands and expecting to give nothing in return.” I play my game flawlessly.
Cooper doesn’t interfere as Wallace’s lips thin into a hard line and he mulls over his options.
Fortunately, he’s too stressed to think clearly and agrees, “Fine.” And he reaches inside his jacket pocket and holds up a USB device. “Do you know where Medlov is being held? I want him now. Every minute he’s on the loose, he’s a liability.”
“Twenty-four hours is the best I can do,” I answer. “I can’t simply ask them to release Medlov; I’ve been building a carefully crafted façade for years.”
Wallace is apparently backed into a corner and doesn’t see any other way to get his hands on Medlov, so he relinquishes the USB device, which I take. “And how many copies are there?”
“There aren’t any copies.”
The problem here lies in the fact that I also have to accept the risk and believe the word of a corrupted senator.
“You have twenty-four hours. If I don’t have Medlov back by then, I’ll make my next move,” Wallace warns me.
Without saying a word, I saunter out, but the second I close the door behind me, I break out into a stride toward the entrance and my car.
In my vehicle, I get my laptop from the glove compartment and power it on to listen to the device. After plugging it in, I hear Cam talking to Santino and indeed implicating herself and Adriano. This tape also proves that the Syndicate, not Medlov, held Santino captive. If it falls into the hands of the FBI, they’ll start an investigation into the Syndicate.
I close the laptop and connect my phone to the car charger while analyzing the bizarre meeting. Why is this senator so concerned with procuring Yakiv Medlov personally? For whom? To what end? A piece of the puzzle is still missing. It’s obvious he’s protecting him. But from the FBI alone? In a rush for answers, I contact Henry.
“Whiz Kid, what have you got for me?”
“Well, I’ve got something very interesting. Just like Adriano asked, I set it up so the FBI could easily hack into Medlov’s system when they started the investigation months ago. Because everything happened so fast, we never got to review Medlov’s documents. Medlov kept a list of all his clients and their bank account numbers. Guess who’s on there?”
“Wallace,” I predict.
“Yes. And your boss, Cooper.”
“Explains why Cooper was so on edge and told Wallace about my position.”
“There’s more. So there’s a classified document that has only been opened by one person: Wallace. It’s a letter from Congress asking questions about those girls that contacted the Russian embassy, wanting an explanation from the American government. It looks like Wallace and Cooper – and some other important men – want Medlov dead, I think. But the FBI is interfering and has already started an official investigation. So the FBI and the CIA are working against one another.”
“Well, the FBI wins and gets Medlov because we need him tried and sentenced. Henry, find out who the other senator representing Chicago is. I may need that person in the foreseeable future.”
“Will get right on it.”
“I’m going to Adriano and will inform him.”
“I’ll call you if I find anything else that might be deemed vital,” Henry comments.
“Thank you.”
I insert my key into the ignition and pull out onto the street to return to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
With my elbow leaning against my window, I maneuver the car through the decorated streets of the Loop as the first snowflakes fall from the sky, enforcing the holiday spirit on this Christmas Eve night. It might seem lonely to be working so much at Christmas, but for me, it’s not. After being Richard Wade for so long and seeing how this world works, I’ve decided to join the winning team because in the end, we’re all ruthless men.
For so long, I’ve been searching for justice. Justice for my little sister who never reached the age of twenty. Justice that doesn’t exist unless you take matters into your own hands. And along the way, I’ve gotten to know myself pretty well. So who am I? I’m Logan Wade, a former soldier turned spy for the CIA who has defected to the Syndicate. Richard Wade doesn’t exist anymore. I’m Logan, nicknamed Leo, because according to every woman I’ve met, I apparently resemble Leonardo DiCaprio.
A sad smile pulls at my lips because Cam used to call me Leo. She’s part of my family now. A family that protects one another with their lives. There’s a bond of loyalty forged within the Syndicate that’s unequaled. You don’t find that kind of loyalty in the military, the CIA or the Chicago P.D.
I respect these men for protecting their family like I always tried to do as well. The similarities between my way of thinking and theirs persuaded me to defect, and I haven’t regretted my decision once.
But I do worry about what will happen to the Syndicate if Cam doesn’t wake up. What will happen to Adriano then? He’s keeping it together in public, being the tough and charming boss he always was. But he’s constantly off in another world nowadays, always with her mentally. And I saw him become emotional once in Cam’s room, which solidified my thought that he won’t be able to live without her. That worries me immensely. The Syndicate thrives under Adriano’s regime. Cam’s condition has fortified him i
n his role as Capo crimine: he’s making merciless, snap decisions now, because he doesn’t have time to mess around since she’s in a coma, but her absence from his life is weakening him.
If we lose Cam, we lose Adriano too.
CHAPTER 40
Adriano
Logan comes back within two hours with an update for me, Luca, and Carmine. Fallon’s also still with us since it’s Christmas Eve and Luca doesn’t want to leave her side, which I understand entirely.
“Talk to us, Logan.” I turn my chair sideways so that my elbow rests on Cam’s bed.
Logan halts at the foot of the bed, unbuttoning his suit jacket. “Wallace was there with my superior, Cooper, to demand Medlov back right away. I lied and told them that within forty-eight hours, you’d return Medlov unless he gave me the tape immediately.”
I play with Cam’s fingers absentmindedly and stop to grin when Logan holds up a black USB device between his thumb and forefinger.
“The recording of Cam?” I ask.
He nods proudly and smirks. “Yes, it’s her voice and Santino’s.”
“And are there copies?” Luca and Carmine inquire in unison.
“Not with Wallace. Either way, he’s being watched now.”
“Still,” I explain, “he’ll be a problem at some point, but for now, we can keep him busy by burying him in a scandal. I have a journalist at the Chicago Times that can get the ball rolling.”
“That’s good,” Logan says. “As extra insurance, it’s smart to be safe rather than sorry, so I asked Henry to get me more info on the Senate, mainly the other senator representing Chicago. I’m not completely up-to-date on what’s been going on, but I believe these two senators are rivals, each wanting to push different legislations through Congress. Anyway, it could be fruitful to contact the other senator, perhaps sponsor her and get her into our corner in case of any trouble.”
“How does this sponsoring work?” Carmine asks before I can.
“You donate money to their campaign, help them to get a second term, and buy their loyalty,” Logan replies in a conspiratorial tone.
Carmine advises, “You certainly have the money. Club 7 has become a hot spot for celebrities as of late because your security is tight. If the club keeps prospering, your income forecast for next year will be ridiculous. You’re going to make a fortune. What better way to use it than to forge new, more powerful national-level alliances?”
“Then set it up.” I’m not one to hesitate in decision-making these days. “Carmine can contact that senator and handle all the finances.”
“Looking forward to it,” Carmine replies and combs his hair back. Right now, he reminds me a lot of myself.
“By the way,” Logan adds. “Wallace thinks he’s getting Medlov back within twenty-four hours.”
“Medlov is already in FBI custody,” I inform him. “Capo John confirmed it just five minutes ago. They have Medlov and Maxim. Those two will live in an American hell for the rest of their lives.”
“Which DA is on it? Ours?” Logan asks me.
“No, but there’s so much evidence that the FBI will take care of that. They’ll get life in prison without the possibility of parole. And in prison, they’ll be tortured and raped every night as penance for harming Cam.”
“Good. Then I guess we’re done for the night.” Logan checks his watch.
“Yes. Go. Celebrate Christmas.” I face all of them. “Carmine, go to our parents’ before our mother starts calling me.”
“Just come with me for an hour?” Carmine suggests.
“I can’t leave Cam.” I don’t want to.
“Okay. I’ll be back with Mary tomorrow.” He doesn’t press the matter. “Buon Natale, fratello.” Merry Christmas, brother.
“I’ll be in touch soon,” Logan comments as he takes off with Carmine, and Fallon and Luca get up from their chair.
I notice Fallon swiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “Sorry. It’s just with Christmas, I really miss her a lot.”
Luca hugs Fallon and presses a kiss to her temple. “We understand. I miss her a lot too.” And he grins at me curiously. “Cam, sweetheart, you’re making Fallon cry.”
“Don’t call her sweetheart!” I object.
“You called Fallon dolcezza all the time when I first met her,” he jokes. “This is payback.”
“Fuck you.”
He merely smirks.
“You want us to stay? We can stay over too,” Fallon offers, but Luca’s brows pull together and he shakes his head vigorously right before Fallon glances at him sideways.
“I don’t think a sleepover was on Luca’s calendar this Christmas. And I want to be alone with Cam, dolcezza.” I wink at Fallon.
“I swear to god, when Cam wakes, I’m going to call her sweetheart every day,” Luca teases.
I laze back in my chair. “Try. She won’t let you.”
“And why do you let him, Fallon?” He aims a scowl at her.
“Oh my god!” She throws up her hands in defeat. “I’m not getting in the middle of this idiotic discussion. Cam, sweetheart – she’ll let me call her sweetheart – I’ll be back tomorrow with presents.” And she kisses my cheek before Luca tugs her out.
Just like that, I’m once again surrounded by silence, except for the beat of Cam’s heart monitor.
Deftly, I unbutton my shirt and shrug it off. Then I push the button on the bed to move the mattress into a sitting position so that I can take off that hospital gown they have Cam wearing. And I carefully place my shirt around her shoulders, not tucking in her arms and making sure not to disturb her IV, so that she’s dressed in her favorite attire, one of my white shirts, which is what she would always wear while lounging around the loft.
By now, I know exactly how to hold her without twisting any wires. I slip in behind her and hug her to me tightly. It’s been a long, trying day, and my thoughts swallow me up.
Have you ever hoped for something so badly that it consumes your entire being? Where every thought, every action, and every reaction is a result of that one thing you desperately want? It’s not a good place to be, and it’s the exact type of hell I keep living in. Rage is one of the strongest emotions, but grief destroys you.
I end this Christmas Eve the same way that I have every night for the last eight weeks. By imploring my love to wake up. “It’s time to open those beautiful brown eyes, sweetheart.”
To no avail – once again.
CHAPTER 41
Camilla
I never wanted to be weak again, but I’m defenseless like this. The longer I’m trapped in this limbo, the more I worry. The same words resonate in my head. Clear sentences are random. Still, I hear Adriano most often. When I don’t feel him, I’m afraid that he’s left me. Deep in my soul, I sense the fire that Adriano and I started to build almost three years ago. And in the darkness that surrounds me at all times nowadays, I swear I feel the sizzling heat of its flames.
But I still don’t know how much time is passing, because for me, it’s at a full stop. I do realize that life must be continuing, and I’m afraid that Adriano is moving on, especially when I figure out what’s happening. When the voices break through my fog.
“...shut it off...marriage...dead body...wedding bands.”
No! Am I dead?
What the hell is this talk about marriage and wedding bands?
Out of nowhere, I hear music. Lyrics and notes that I remember vividly.
People fall in love in mysterious ways.
Maybe just a touch of the hand.
For me, I fall in love with you every single day.
And I just wanna tell you where I am.
So honey, now.
Take me into your loving arms.
Our song: Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
In my mind’s eye, tears fall down my cheeks. I feel as If I’m in our bed in my favorite position, with Adriano spooning me. I smell him. Yet I can’t touch him. And I can’t see him. That sensation deepens the fracture
s in my heart.
Adriano’s voice is close to my ear, and it’s ever so clear. “Come home to me, because that’s where I’ll be all the days of my life, waiting for you. I watch you. I exist for you. I belong to you. The time has come for you to open your eyes, Camilla Montesi.”
I’m drawn to the enthralling timbre that fills my being with love. How? I don’t know, but with everything I am, I feel him bleeding through my veins. My wild and untamed man.
How I miss you.
Then he kisses me in a way that I sense deep in my bones. It’s the kind of kiss that bursts with equal parts longing and love. The kind of kiss a man can only give when his soul has found its matching part. And when his soul is despairing about losing its other half.
Wait a minute! Did he say Camilla Montesi? He’s marrying me! He’s trying to get me to wake up...by marrying me? That’s odd.
Yet now, willpower burns deep inside, and I scream at myself to wake the fuck up. I trust the voice within, telling me to fight my way back to him.
CHAPTER 42
Adriano
I work out but don’t eat as much as I used to, and according to my family, I’ve lost weight. But I can’t afford to appear weak, so I keep going, determined that Cam will wake and our baby will be born healthy. I have my blood family to take care of. I have an expanding Mafia family that relies on this entire empire I’ve built with Luca. And that empire is no longer in danger, because Medlov has been sentenced and is having a miserable life in prison.
However, as New Year’s Day comes and goes and the dreaded four-month deadline comes closer and closer, my heartbreak reaches a new low.
I’m resting my head on Cam’s pillow and caressing her stomach. Her middle is growing, and she has a small bump now that the baby is seventeen weeks old. I slide my palm over it and abruptly sit up when I feel a kick against it. Such a soft little kick.
“Cam, the baby kicked.” A frisson of elation lifts my spirits, but it’s fleeting. “My baby, are you moving around in there? You’re taking such good care of mommy for me.” I rub my eyes and return to my previous position, securing my arms around Cam’s middle.
For Cam (Chicago Syndicate Book 4) Page 25
