by Ali Parker
"Right. Well, anyway... I'll be in touch soon." He watched me eat my sandwich for a few more seconds, the poor guy not realizing how creepy he could be when he wasn't trying. He reminded me of every rich asshole I'd dated in high school and college. His type were a dime a dozen, and yet he was serving the largest syndicate in North America. How? Why?
"Great. Thanks for giving me a chance." I adverted my eyes and waited until he was gone to let out the breath that I was holding in tightly. Life was getting more and more complicated. I could only hope that after we caught the asshole harming the girls around me that we would be ready to shut the Castaletta's down. I had enough evidence stored up at my apartment to blow a million holes in their lovely operation.
It was almost time.
I finished my sandwich and got up, walking up the stairs to my room. Jenny reached out and grabbed at my hand with a smile on her face as I reached the top of the stairs and almost bumped into her.
"There you are. I came by your room to see if you wanted to go to a movie with some of us this afternoon." The bruises on her pretty face were faded a little, but the blackness had been replaced with a sickly yellow. My stomach turned and heart ached for her.
I wouldn't push forward with the evidence I had until the girls were safe. All of them would be dragged through the mud as well for participating in prostitution, but life after prison would be better. It was a new start for all of them trapped in the kind of life that did nothing but offer brokenness. The Castaletta's had ridden their way to the top on too many lost souls. It was time to destroy the foundation that held them together. Time to save everyone that served them like slaves.
"I would love that, but I need to meet my brother for a late lunch. He's finally in town and I promised him I wouldn't cancel this time." I gave her a silly look and squeezed her hands as they held mine. "You guys be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, we will. We're all going together." She shrugged, looking as innocent as she should have at nineteen.
I reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear before giving her a quick hug. "I'll see you later tonight."
"Okay. Be safe!" She bounded down the stairs, almost too happy for a girl who had almost lost her life the week before and serviced all sorts of men each night of the week. Was I missing something? No. She was just delusional to believe that the Castaletta's cared about her. They didn't... couldn't... There was no way in hell they would.
I closed the door behind me and changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, throwing my tight shorts and tank top across the room in disgust. I knew why I was chosen as the plant in the whore house a year ago, but it didn't make the job any easier. My skin crawling had become a way of life. The things I'd seen and had pretended to do.
My gag reflex work up, causing my stomach to tighten and the air to seem to hard to breathe. I was fighting a battle I wouldn't come close to losing, but it tore at me nevertheless. I hated the idea of being a whore, and yet sex was something I craved, wanted desperately. To live among a colony of whores for a year and not have a man on the side to keep me steady, I was struggling. The best parts of me were in constant battle with the worst.
"Stop it," I grumbled at myself and tied my tennis shoes before pulling my hair into a ponytail and walking back out into the hall. I waved at the girls that bid me goodbye and walked out into the sunny spring afternoon. It was Sunday, and the city streets of Chicago would be more silent than usual because of the false sense of respect for the holy day. It was duty far more than faith.
I got on my bicycle and peddled up toward the familiar cafe where I met up with my contact from time to time. The next meet up was ingrained in my thoughts. It was decision time. We were setting a firm date for me to be pulled out of the whore house and begin working on supporting evidence to crack Joe Castaletta wide open. Some part of me hated to bring pain and retribution on someone after losing their wife, but Joe was a demon from hell that had ruled our city for far too long. He deserved every ounce of pain and suffering that was inflicted on him.
I was grateful that I had to serve in one of the syndicates less visited rings and not be part of the main house. I had a tendency to fall in love with villains and justify their actions due to their circumstances. Being at the whore house kept me arm’s length away from the main players and left my objectivity intact. I wouldn't feel a thing the day we served them arrest warrants.
Nothing but pride. Nothing but peace for my revenge.
I shook away my thoughts and parked the bike on the side of the cafe, tying it up and walking languidly to the front door. Mike was seated at the back and stood as I approached.
"You're late. I was getting worried." His eyes were warm and smile tight. He was worried, but he always was where I was concerned. He had a daughter my age and had lectured me a thousand times on how to protect myself. I reminded him all the time that I'd graduated at the top of my class and could put his old ass on the floor before he could blink twice. He was the best partner they could have assigned me.
"You're always worried." I smiled and took the seat across from him. "I'm going undercover with them. They're close to catching the guy who's assaulting the girls at the house."
He handed me a menu. "Good. Once this is closed down, we're bringing you home. You need to start collecting the bugs you placed around the house."
"Will do." I glanced up as the waitress stopped beside us. "Can I get a lemonade and a turkey sandwich with fries?"
Mike chuckled. "That sounds awesome. I'll have the same."
"I thought you were going to try something new." I handed the girl the menu and turned my attention back to my partner.
"Naw. I'm good with getting what we always get." He pulled his napkin into his lap and glanced down. Something was wrong. Mike never broke eye contact. He was old school in that way. "Hey look..."
"Just tell me." My chest constricted tightly and the restaurant around us seemed so fucking small all of a sudden.
"Alright, but I don't have as much to tell as you'd like for me too, Audrey." He used my fake name, which was for the best. No reason to have anyone overhear us and believe I was anyone other than Audrey Jackson, a twenty-four year old hooker with an affinity for lemonade and anal sex. It was almost comical how close my cover up was to my true identity.
"Just tell me what you know, Mike." I braced myself. My older brother was the reason why I'd joined up with the Feds. He was the reason why I'd forced my way into working undercover in the most dangerous mafia syndicate in the world. He'd gotten involved with them somehow a few years ago, and paid off our mom's house, her debt and all of his back taxes. Where I was thrilled with him for helping everyone out, that kind of money comes at a price.
Ever since then, he'd been disappearing and showing up randomly, but he wasn't at all himself. Every time I saw him, he was terrified. Beyond terrified. He finally spilled to me eighteen months ago. He's borrowed money from Joe Castaletta under false pretenses and had spent all the money. Two million dollars. They were coming for him, but he wouldn't let me protect him. Sorry bastard.
"We've identified the dental records from the fire at the Sears Tower." He glanced down and took a shaky breath.
"Parker?" My whole world seemed to close in around me as tears burned my gaze. "Just tell me, Mike. Give me the details. I need to know. I deserve to."
"Yeah, Audrey. It was your brother. Someone shot him in the forehead and set him on fire after they killed him." He shook his head. "I'm sorry kid. I know you were doing this for him."
I swallowed my grief and nodded. "I need to go. I'll see you in a week and will try to keep you updated via text on the phone you gave me."
"No, don't go. I should have waited to tell you until we had lunch."
"You care too much about me to do that." I forced a tight smile. "I need some time to myself. Let's set a date to take these bastards down. I'll start pulling the evidence and you get me out of there when I tell you it's time."
"I'm waiting on you. I'll do anyt
hing you need me to, just make sure you have everything you need."
"I wish I could get to the big house for just a week or two. That's all I would need." I bit my lip and ignored the burning desire to melt into a puddle on the floor. My only sibling was dead. Murdered violently over money. How sick were these people? They had more money than God, but it wasn't about the money. It was about sending a message to anyone who would listen.
The Castaletta's played god, and if you fucked with them in any way, big or small, you were going to pay the piper. But that shit was almost over, and the city would rejoice to see the cancer that was Joe Castaletta routed up from the center of his fancy-ass mansion and dumped into the smallest cell I could find him.
"Then get in there. Don't blow your cover until you're ready, Audrey. You've worked too damn hard for it."
"True. Thanks old friend." I got up and turned as he called after me.
"Be careful. Please."
Me? Careful? Never.
Chapter 8
Izabella
"I appreciate you guys keeping up with tradition." My father glanced around the table and nodded at each of us. We always had family dinners at Gino's on Sunday evenings. "Vivian would have been proud of you. None of you even through an excuse at me."
A collective chuckle went around the room.
I lifted my glass of red wine in the air and breathed in deeply the delicious scent of tomatoes and garlic that was unique to Gino's.
"To momma. I hope she's dancing in the clouds and willing to wait for you for a long, long time. We're not letting you go anytime soon." I winked at my father as the rest of the crowd lifted their glasses into the air.
Demetri sat to my right, my father beside him. Marco was on my left and Edward beside him. We usually only invited blood family and Demetri seeing that he was integral to the inner workings of the syndicate. That and my father saw him as he would a son. Edward was a bit of a surprise, but I figured my father wanted something from my oldest friend or needed him to do something for us. That was usually the only reason anyone was invited to Sunday dinner. Edward's eyes stayed on me as we passed the salad around the circle and my father talked about the week, including all of the various shit storms we'd faced.
I wasn't sure if Eddy was nervous or just a little excited, but his cheeks were flushed and his eyes a little wider than usual. Was he high? I chuckled at the thought.
"Something funny?" D leaned over and pressed his shoulder against mine, speaking softly just for the two of us to hear.
I moved toward him and pressed my lips against his ear, looking for any reason to get close to the delicious bastard. "Why is Edward here?"
He turned his face a little and smiled devilishly. "I thought you might enjoy having your boy toy at the dinner table tonight."
"My boy toy is at the dinner table every night." I tilted my head and pressed him with a hard stare.
"Bitch." He whispered and moved back with a sexy smirk playing on his lips.
God, I loved him. It permeated every part of me and drove me to want to be a different woman if it would lock in a future where we could be together. Anger tore through me, burning up my desire. No. I couldn't let myself dwell on how much I wanted him, needed him. It would only bring me grief, and I was tired of limping along. I had to find a way to divert my desire, to force myself to get over him completely.
He'd made it clear on more than one occasion. We would never be anything other than what we were... needy for each other.
"Edward, tell us about you meeting Audrey for the first time." Marco chuckled. "From what I heard, you thought she was new to the prostitution ring."
Edward shook his head and exhaled. "I seriously did. She looks like a prostitute, but there's something about her that screams executive or cop or, fuck, I don't know. I just find it weird that I'd been out to that damn house a million times and never once have I seen this girl."
"She stays busy." My father glanced up from eating his salad. "She's a very private person, but we did the background check on her like we do all of the girls. If she's anything other than a pretty smile and a great rack, then we're all in trouble. Don't worry about her background. Worry about keeping her safe."
"The more shit that keeps popping up, the more likely we are to gain the attention of the local police." I picked up a piece of bread and dipped it into the oil that sat in front of me. "Jonathan might be able to shuffle a few things under the rug, but I doubt he could hide a murder."
"Speaking of murder," Marco paused to chuckle, "did you see the news on Friday night? They've identified the burn victim at the Sears Tower as one Mister Lucas Parker."
"Anything else?" D asked.
"Not that I'm aware of, but you'd be better off asking Izzy's new man." Marco lifted his eyebrow, teasing me as he was so damn good at doing.
"I'll find out." I turned my attention toward Eddy. "What are you planning to do with this new girl, and what's her name?"
"It's Audrey, and supposedly, she is a tough cookie." He winked at me. "We're going to have her go undercover for us."
"It's not really undercover if she's going out on a call as a whore when she is a whore, right?" Marco snorted and lifted his hands in surrender as our father glanced up. "What? I'm just saying."
"She's going to help us find out who this bastard is that's attacking the girls?" My dad turned his dark gaze toward Eddy.
"Yes, Don Castaletta. She's the best fit for the job. She mentioned trying to get in a brawl with the guy so she could get a bit of his skin under her nails." Eddy glanced toward me. "Any way that Jonathan would be willing to analyze it?"
"I don't see why not." I popped the rest of my roll in my mouth as Marco took ownership of the conversation.
"We went to see old Johnny boy, by the way. He was rather helpful. I think we'll keep him." Marco wagged his eyebrows at me.
"Helpful how?" D glanced my way. "Did he let you see the video of your mother's murder?"
My father stiffened beside me. I should have told D that we could talk about it later, but who was I kidding? My father wasn't the sweet old man that he looked to be. He was more violent and deadly than the rest of us at the table combined.
"Yes." I turned to finish my response facing my father. His dark green eyes were a mixture of emotion. I'd say grief and fury if I had to pinpoint which ones dominated him at the moment. "There were four big guys, but there's no way they were Kallup boys. Jonathan is going to sweep the alley for me like it was his mother, who died."
My father nodded and glanced back down toward his plate. "Good. See that I get the results as soon as you have them. Me and your brother."
The sad expression on Marcos face caused the air of enjoyment in the room to dissipate rapidly. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I was seriously grateful for the chance to leave the room and gather my thoughts.
"I'll be right back." I moved my chair back with D's help and got up, pulling my phone to my ear without looking at who was calling. I didn't care. Whoever it was just saved me from the painful silence that filled the room as we all moved back in time to the funeral, to the casket, to our grief.
"This is Izabella." I walked out into the busy restaurant and turned to the left to walk down the hall toward the back alley where they kept the trash bin. "Hello?"
A soft whimper filled up my ears and I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Freddy. Freddy?" I pushed the door open as my heart hammered in my ears. "Where are you? Let me come get you."
More whimpers and sniffling. He was crying... Was he hurt?
"Please." Tears blurred my vision. Why did losing Freddy feel like losing momma again? "Please let me come get you. I won't let anyone hurt you until we figure out what's going on. Trust me, okay? You're my little brother. You're family."
I walked down the alley as my eyes scanned the street at the edge of the tight space I was moving through. What did I expect? For him to be somewhere along the main street? Having a coffee? Waiting for me?
; "Help me," he whispered and my heart broke all over again.
"I will. Tell me where you are."
He screamed and the phone went dead, leaving me to turn in circles on the sidewalk as I yelled at my phone. The few people out and about looked my way like I was crazy, but I didn't care.
"Freddy!" I pulled the phone from my face and wiped the back of my hand by my nose. "Where are you? Fuck."
I tried to call him back, but got nothing. The phone went straight to voice mail. Listening to his chipper tone as he asked me to leave a message caused my stomach to grow more sick. He hadn't grown up a bit and he was alone in the world. He was hurt. Someone had him. Who? It had to be the Kallups.
Pausing by the back door to the restaurant, I closed my eyes and tucked my phone back into my pants pocket. I couldn't overreact and let them know. No one believed that he was innocent, but he was.
D's brother Drake killed a Kallup a few years back and we risked everything to hide him away. Why weren't we doing that for my little brother?
Because he most likely played a part in mommas murder.
Pain so strong it stole my breath raged through my chest, leaving my knees weak. I couldn't let them know. None of them besides Marco. He would help me find our brother and save him. He would take some of this off of me. He had the tapes and was going to make sure to review them first, which was good. I needed my name clear if anything came out of all of it. I needed to remain objective if Freddy had any hope of living past what we discovered.
He was involved. But why? How?
I wiped my eyes and rolled my shoulders as I walked back into the restaurant.
You're Izabella Castaletta. A snake waiting to attack anyone that comes in your line of sight. A cold-hearted bitch that does one thing, that lives for it. You're a killer. Nothing more. Nothing less.
