Page 38 of Falling for the Enemy

“Tonight.”

My blood simmers, nearing the point of boiling. “It says invite-only.” I hand him back his phone, a strategy already starting to form in my head. “Find out who we need to pay—”

“It’s been handled.” He points to a black envelope resting atop Angelo’s former desk, a gold invitation sticking out of its open flap. “Charleston’s mayor is looking forward to meeting you in the future.”

I bet he is.

The corrupt pendejo is probably salivating over the millions in hush money he knows I’m willing to dump at his feet, a requirement for looking the other way when it comes to the war I’ve already initiated.

And that I’ll soon win.

“Get Miguel on the phone and have him send more men.” I rap my knuckles against the desk’s wooden top. “After I kill another of Stefano’s soldiers tonight, things will get ugly.”

The attack can’t go unanswered.

Not if La Famiglia wishes to maintain respect.

“I want security on Carmen doubled,” I continue, turning to look out the floor-to-ceiling window at my back. “And I want men placed on all three of her children, plus James. Grandmama too.”

“Done. Anything else?”

Eyes looking out over the city, I twist Papá’s cufflinks, apprehension weighing on me. War and killing, two things that go hand-in-hand, have never bothered me. Not when it’s all I’ve known for most of my life. But one thing I’ve never done is successfully protect someone I care for.

I have to keep Carmen safe.

Manzana as well.

I don’t understand my connection to the latter, but that doesn’t make it any less real. In such a short time, she’s begun to burrow in my chest, my darkness finding familiarity in hers.

Relationships may have no place in the dark world I call home, but if I were to ever allow myself to fall in love, it would be with Arianna. Ruthless and cunning, she’d be worthy of reigning at my side, uniting the Fallen Kings with the cartel.

Too bad it’ll never happen.

I swallow, a heaviness mimicking disappointment, maybe even loneliness, furling around my fucked-up heart. “I need a tux.” Turning my head, I glance at Christian over my shoulder. “Along with the blueprints for The Carriage Inn and every surrounding building within a five-block radius.”

Again, he nods, and without speaking further, he leaves.

I immediately get to work.

TEN

Ari

For an hour, I’ve watched Mina sleep.

One of the rarities that bring me peace, I’ve spent many sleepless nights at her bedside, watching as she hopefully dreams of a better place, but fully prepared to wake her if her mind dares dip into the darkness of her past.

Something that happens far too often.

Tonight, however, things are calm.

A blessing considering I’m leaving soon.

“Ari...” At the sound of Anna’s sweet voice, I look up, my eyes finding hers. She sits at a small desk across Mina’s bedroom, a pair of powder blue headphones covering only one of her ears. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll look out for her while you’re gone.”

A genuine smile curves my lips. “I know, love,” I reply, truthfully. “I just hate leaving her.” I avert my gaze back to Mina and tilt my head, the temptation to reach out and caress her cheek, a boundary I can’t cross, growing with each passing second. “Especially at night when—”

“The nightmares come,” Anna finishes for me.

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