Made to Beg

by Piper Stone

  “Neither one of them will have any. They’re professionals.” I stormed toward the second man, gazing at his body. His clothes were indiscriminate. I lowered down, grabbing his weapon, this time a handgun and from the looks of it, a Beretta. His duty was much more up close and personal. I hissed at the thought. The plan had been well laid out.

  I didn’t waste any time, finding the pried open window easily. I slammed and locked it, combing the rest of the downstairs before taking the stairs two at a time, throwing open the closet door.

  Sierra tumbled into my arms, taking gulping breaths, her fists wrapped around my shirt. “What happened?”

  “Two assailants. They’re both dead.”

  She seemed surprised by the admission, rearing back and searching my eyes. “You killed them?”

  “I had no other choice.” I pulled her into a hug, holding the back of her head. “Jesus. Christ.” I had no way of knowing whether there were more. “Listen, we need to go downstairs for the remainder of the night.”

  “You think there’s more of them.”

  “I have no way of knowing but I want full light before we attempt to leave.” The fact one of them had broken into the house meant they had planned on following through with termination orders. Fuck. “Come on. We’re leaving early in the morning.”

  “Who are they?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m going to find out.” I held her close as we walked down the stairs, the Glock still firmly planted in my hand.

  “God,” she whispered as she glanced toward the body.

  “It’s all right. He can’t hurt anyone. We’ll toss him outside.”

  “Why did this happen?” she asked, peering at me with wide open eyes.

  “It’s clear someone wants me out of the picture.” My answer was succinct.

  “You’re certain this isn’t about me?”

  I wasn’t certain of anything any longer. “Maybe. That’s all I can tell you until we return to the city.”

  Dante had risked turning on a single light. As he came back inside, he shook his head. “You need to see this, boss.”

  Assassins rarely carried driver’s licenses or anything that would lead cops or anyone else to who they were, so for Dante to find anything was surprising. I yanked it from his hand, studying the letters. While the scrap of information wouldn’t lead to their names, the writing certainly gave me their nationality.

  I held my breath.

  What the fuck was going on?

  “Let’s get these assholes out of here. We need to stay prepared.” Even though the blinds were closed, I could see a hint of dawn cresting over the horizon. Somehow, I knew it was going to be a shit-kicking kind of day.

  * * *

  Lies.

  It seemed my entire world was filled with them, dirty family secrets something I’d always known existed, even though I’d never found the reason why. The thought loomed in my mind more so in the morning.

  And for some reason, I knew my father held the key.

  He’d always been a secretive man, one who held his keys to the kingdom tightly, but my gut told me our family was near an end of sorts, although I wasn’t certain what the hell that meant.

  But I would find out.

  I remained troubled by the assassins and their rather crude attempt. However, they certainly weren’t the same kind of thugs that Axel kept in his employ. They were polished, their clothes and even their high dollar hiking boots a clear indication. They’d both had similar papers in their pockets, maybe directions. There was also an insignia that I knew held a specific meaning, one I hadn’t seen before. It was a definite clue that needed to be figured out.

  I could certainly use the computer to translate the foreign words. However, I needed to call in an expert to decipher the meaning of the insignia, the meaning behind two goons of the same nationality something that couldn’t be taken lightly.

  Dante had found their four-wheel-drive vehicle, although there was zero information inside. I kept the bag of weapons and between the two of us, we’d positioned the assassins inside the truck. Given where they’d hidden the vehicle, it wasn’t likely they’d be found any time soon. What a damn shame.

  “What happens when we get back, boss?” Dante asked, keeping his voice hushed. The storm had broken just before dawn, the skies still gray and foreboding.

  I scanned the perimeter, my radar on high alert. My gut told me exactly who had betrayed the family, something I’d take care of as soon as I returned. He was the only one who could have told Axel that Sierra was under my protection. I didn’t want to believe he’d go as far as that, but there was no one else.

  “I’m going to handle a situation.” I left my answer purposely vague. “When we get closer to the city, I want you to take Sierra with you.”

  “Of course, boss. Do you need me to do something?”

  “Take her back to the house and do not allow her to leave. Make certain there are at least six soldiers securing the place. I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens, you make certain she’s under your watch at all times. Since the assholes knew where to find me, it’s certain they will try again.” I growled the damn words, as if Axel and his men would be waiting for my return. “You’re going to check with Angelo when you get back. I brought in a friend to supervise certain activities. That will end when I return. Make certain there’s no shit going down and if there is, call me. If there’s any word about Axel, no matter how insignificant, hunt me down. Clear?”

  Dante exhaled.

  “What?” I demanded, more gruffly than he deserved.

  “Nothing.”

  I walked in front of him, staring him in the eyes. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

  “I’m just surprised you brought in help. I mean, I’m not second-guessing you. It’s just... surprising.”

  “Just follow orders, Dante. What we’re all facing will change the course of our regime.”

  He nodded but I could tell there was more he wanted to say.

  “Get with Angelo. Lock down the shipment coming in. I don’t want a single person coming in or out of the port until I get there. Make certain that everyone who owes us money pays up. Put word out on the street that I’m playing hardball.”

  “Makes sense, boss.” Dante gave me a confident smile. “What about your brother and father?”

  “I will assume my father is ready to leave the hospital. Make certain he stays. I don’t care what you tell the doctor, my father is not to be released. As far as my brother,” I said, another pang of guilt and remorse shooting through my heart, “just keep the soldiers in place. Make certain no one can get to him.”

  “Such a shame.”

  “He’s not dead yet!” I snapped then held out my hand, taking calming breaths. “I’m sorry, Dante. You don’t deserve my wrath.”

  “It’s okay, boss. You’re going through a lot.” He tipped his head toward the forest. “You sure you don’t want me to burn the bodies?”

  I studied the bank of trees, taking a deep whiff of the clean air. “Better if their bodies are found.” Someday. Then again, if what I suspected was true, the two assholes were merely a number and no one would care.

  I stormed toward the truck, climbing inside, immediately starting the engine. Sierra was already waiting inside, refusing to bother looking in my direction. We headed out, Dante close on my tail. By the time I got to the main road, at least a portion had been plowed. I concentrated on driving as I thought about my next moves. I’d be forced to talk with my father soon enough.

  “What are you going to do?” Sierra asked.

  I darted a glance in her direction before twisting my hand on the steering wheel. She’d been quiet since the attack, barely saying two words. She continued to stare out of the passenger window of the truck. The risk I was taking was significant, but I refused to allow her out of my sight again. “What is required.” I knew the answer wouldn’t satisfy her, but I wasn’t prepared to tell her that a war had already begun.


  She huffed and folded her arms.

  Another five minutes passed. After leaving Galena, I couldn’t help get over the foreboding feeling that I’d had since the early morning. Something had remained in my craw, my instinct telling me that whatever was occurring in Chicago had already begun to escalate. Sierra was right in not assuming I was the target. If my gut was correct about who’d betrayed the family, then my first assumptions would prove to be correct.

  Someone or some entity was going all out in order to destroy our entire family.

  I hadn’t been there to make certain my soldiers were in line and that would need to change. I’d been impetuous in my decision to allow Michael to interfere with my business.

  With my family’s business.

  This would likely be a decision my father wouldn’t be able to tolerate. There was no way to spin the situation without highlighting my weakness.

  For a woman.

  What the fuck. I’d done the right thing. I’d face the goddamn consequences. “Is there anything else you can remember about Lucas, perhaps something he told you that might highlight the information he was going to provide?”

  “I’ve gone over it several times, Lorenzo. There’s nothing. He simply said it was huge, a story that would take me national.”

  I rubbed my jaw, taking in the information. Why the hell would Axel care? Or whoever was pulling the chains? Granted, if the various politicians and business moguls aligned with the organization were exposed, that would further place a wedge in our power, but that seemed unlikely. Not a single one of them would say a damn thing. If they breathed a word, their entire world and wealth would be destroyed.

  “And why trust you? Why not go directly to the public?” I asked for the second time.

  She shifted in her seat, obviously uncomfortable. “I don’t know.”

  “But you suspect.”

  “Okay, fine. I have a feeling that he knew I had a connection with you.”

  “He said that?”

  Sighing, she shook her head. “No, but I had a feeling given the way he was acting, the few questions he asked about previous stories I’d written. Your family name came up more than once.”

  I bristled, trying my best to control my anger. “You should have told me this from the beginning.”

  “I just thought of it. Okay? Besides, what difference does that make? I’m not trying to hold anything from you. There’s nothing else he said. You have to remember that Lucas was very cautious about providing anything of substance. He was freaking terrified from the very first meeting.”

  “What did he tell you during those first meetings?” I heard yet another demanding tone in my voice.

  “He mentioned he had a list of city leaders who had a connection with you and that they needed to be exposed. He also said that there were other avenues of corruption and before you ask, he refused to explain other than the statement about the FBI. That’s when I pushed back, telling him I needed proof. He was talking crazy by that point and I didn’t trust him.” She shot me another look, one I was easily able to catch.

  “Other avenues? An interesting choice of words. Axel,” I huffed.

  “But who would be stupid enough to work with Axel, going against your family?”

  “That’s a damn good question.”

  Sierra exhaled, shaking her head. “I hate this, all of this.”

  I’d barely driven out of the area when my cell phone rang. Seeing Michael’s number, I sucked in my breath. “Lorenzo.”

  “We need to talk. There are some developments that need your attention,” Michael stated.

  “Yeah, including the fact two assassins almost made their mark last night.”

  “Fuck. This shit is escalating. I think we need to call another meeting of the alliance. Working together from afar isn’t going to take care of this situation.”

  “Go on.” I listened intently and when the conversation ended, I realized that there was no way of running from the past. There was nothing that had prepared me for what he said; however, the implications were clear.

  The war had begun months before.

  And I wasn’t the only man who’d been made a fool of.

  Blood and deception.

  That was all I could think about. Sadly, it was too close to home.

  Chapter Twelve

  Sierra

  Lies.

  Secrets.

  Death.

  I couldn’t get over the sight of the two dead men and their vacant eyes. I would be haunted for some time. I’d seen enough dead bodies to last a lifetime. And my fear continued to escalate. We’d come close to being killed in our sleep.

  I shivered at the thought. Even the way Lorenzo had looked at me when he’d handed me off to Dante was something I wouldn’t forget. Lorenzo’s entire demeanor had changed again, as if he was about to start an all-out war. And as if he knew I was still hiding something from him.

  Even thought I’d been all of the place with my emotions the night before, my decision to leave him was the right one. However, that didn’t mean I couldn’t help him in every way possible.

  I hadn’t intended on keeping secrets from Lorenzo. Again. I was certain he’d call them lies. How could I lie to the man who rocked my world? I shuddered from the thought, still able to hear Lorenzo’s words of adoration, could still feel the way he held me so tightly, as if terrified I’d get away from him.

  What we’d shared the night before had been entirely different and so beautiful, allowing me to bask in the glory of... love. I bit back a bitter laugh, wondering if the man even understood the concept. He was harsh and cold the majority of the time, refusing to give in to any concept of emotions.

  Then the assassination attempt, which proved there was no place where we could be safe.

  The second I’d been forced to ride with Dante, I’d felt such a sense of loss, as if I would never see Lorenzo again. I couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that he was going to die and that I had everything to do with the possibility.

  “You know I adore you, every inch of your beautiful body. You are so intelligent and rebellious,” he whispered as he stroked my hair.

  “Does that mean you still want to break me?” I asked, shivering from his touch.

  “In my way, doll. One day you will realize that we were always meant to be. On that glorious day, you’ll fully surrender.”

  “Pleasure and pain.”

  “Yes...”

  I caught the last sight of his truck and sighed, already missing him.

  I’d woken in the middle of the night still in his arms, my skin clammy from the memory. Even the tight hold he had, the heat of his body still leaving me tingling hadn’t been able to squelch the haunting feeling. It had been the last thing Lucas had told me only minutes before exiting his vehicle on that dark night. Five minutes later, he’d been murdered without divulging any additional information. I rubbed my eyes, uncertain of my decision not to tell Lorenzo what I remembered.

  If I was right, the man who’d made certain it appeared I was dead had done so for a specific reason, Dante’s idea a good one. This person wanted me to tell the story. Well, that couldn’t happen without evidence of some kind. My ruthless reporter instincts had taken over, preventing me from accepting my place in Lorenzo’s world.

  Then there was the promise I’d made to myself. The simple statement reverberated in my mind. It was as if Lucas knew he wasn’t going to live.

  “If anything should happen to me, talk to my father.”

  His father. The senator.

  I’d thought Lucas’ concerns meant his father was included in the corruption. Lucas had alluded to the fact that when I learned of the people involved, my story would blow the finely tuned city system out of the water. What if I’d been wrong all along? What if it had been his father providing the information, coercing his son to talk to me? What if Lucas had never wanted to be involved but it was his father’s attempt at pulling him out of the lifestyle?

  The worst qu
estion running through my mind.

  What if Lorenzo was more of a monster than Axel?

  My head ached from the ugly possibilities. One thing was for certain. I had to get to Senator Spalding and demand he tell me the truth.

  That meant getting away from Dante.

  “You know he’s going to be all right,” Dante said quietly.

  “Where is he going?” I threw out.

  “I can’t tell you that, Sierra. It’s for your protection.”

  My protection. I remained quiet, trying not to think about he might be facing.

  “He cares about you,” Dante added.

  “I’m not certain he can care about anyone.”

  “He had to learn that the hard way.”

  I shifted my gaze in his direction, studying the muscular man with the various tattoos and scars. “And why is that?”

  “Loss. He can’t handle loss.”

  “Who did he lose?”

  He seemed more uncomfortable than I’d ever seen him, a soldier with a heart. I could tell just how much he cared about Lorenzo. “That’s something Lorenzo should tell you.”

  “His wife? A girlfriend? Maybe they couldn’t handle his profession.”

  He gave me a single hard look. “He’s never been involved, at least since he was very young.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I went to school with him, Sierra.”

  I hadn’t expected the words. “Oh.”

  “You are very special to him and I’m glad to finally see him happy.”

  Happy. The word seemed almost foreign to me, but the truth was, I’d never been happier. Even through the danger and the fear, the worry and the... secrets. I slumped against the door, resting my head on the glass, trying to hold onto the good memories.

  “Don’t worry about last night. Boss knew exactly what he was doing. He always does.” Dante’s remarks were filled with admiration and respect. While I might never understand the life within the mafia, I was able to comprehend how close the soldiers were, betrayal an ugliness that would divide the organization.

  As we pulled into the city limits, I knew what I was attempting to do was a long shot at best, but if I was right, I would find a place to hide until I figured out what to do.