Page 53 of Crimson Fate

Anthony had to know that getting Gia tangled up in this would put her in danger—that is—unless she was already aware of her father’s plans. No. I refuse to think Gia could be so calculating to behave the way she did when she was with me. Anthony has to have been keeping her in the dark as well.

I twist my neck, the tension climbing up and creating pressure all the way in my skull. If I do find out that Gia had any knowledge of her father’s plans, though, I won’t hesitate to kill them both. They can sleep in the same shallow grave together for eternity.

As I cross the bridge into the city, my senses are on high alert when I notice a sleek black car following several lengths behind me. I’m almost certain it has been tailing me ever since I entered the turnpike, mirroring every lane change I make. Initially, I thought I was simply paranoid, but the chances of it being a coincidence seem less and less likely.

My hands grip the steering wheel tightly as I make an extreme maneuver, crossing several lanes abruptly to take an earlier exit than I normally would. My suspicions are confirmed when the car matches my actions.

I accelerate, turning down one random street after another, ignoring yellow lights as I try to lose them.

As they close the distance between us, I try to make out who might be in pursuit of me, but there is too much of a tint on the windows to see. No way can I outrun them in the city, so my best chance of losing whoever is tailing me is to outsmart them.

Picking up speed, I put a couple of blocks between myself and the mystery car before I take a sharp turn down an alley. I accelerate down the dimly lit narrow path littered with trash. The engine’s roar bounces between the brick walls towering above me.

I hit the brakes, and my tires screech on the wet pavement. I park the car and turn off my lights, hoping the stealthy hiding spot is enough to lose my pursuers. Peering over my shoulder, I hold my breath as I watch out the rear window. My hand rests on the grip of my gun, ready to defend myself if necessary.

I watch as the black sedan that had been following me rolls by the entrance to the alley. As the seconds tick by, my eyes dart back and forth between the alley’s exit ahead of me and the rearview mirror.

A sudden gust of wind rattles the dumpsters lining the alley, causing shadows to dance and twist. I brace myself for any sudden movement. After a few moments pass, I cautiously turn on my headlights, casting a beam of light into the darkness. The alley remains empty, save for the garbage and the occasional rat scurrying for cover. I slowly and carefully pull out of my hiding place, keeping an eye on every angle, every direction.

As I emerge onto the main road, I scan the streets for any sign of the mystery vehicle.

I let out a sigh of relief as the streets remain clear. Heading in the direction of my penthouse, my mind races with possibilities. Who was following me, and did they know I had visited Carmine DeLuca?

Glancing in my rearview mirror one last time as I pull into the parking garage of my building, I’m certain I’m no longer being followed. I park the Corvette in one of the multiple spots designated for the penthouse and head upstairs. Walter greets me, and I give him a heads-up that I brought Dad’s car. Edward used to take Walter for a spin in the Corvette whenever he drove it into the city, which wasn’t very often.

“Oh wow, Mr. King, you know your father was always so generous to take me for a spin in that car,” he reminisces.

I smile and nod. “Remind me later, and I’ll let you drive her.”

Walter’s mouth falls open as if I’d just told him he won the lottery. “Oh, Mr. King, that’s so generous of you. I can’t believe you would—”

“Say no more. It would be my pleasure. I’ll connect with you later, and we can take her out.” I explain that Marco waits for me as I cross the lobby before riding up the elevator to my home. As soon as I exit, Marco greets me. He must have seen me coming up on the security cameras.

“Vincent. Nico mentioned to me you would be coming back tonight. Is everything okay?” Marco inquires.

“No, it’s not!” I exclaim. “I had a tail on the way back into the city.”

“Feds?” Marco asks.

I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. I managed to lose them, but something’s up for sure.”

“You don’t think it was a hit or something, do you?” Marco inquires. The thought had crossed my mind. It wouldn’t be shocking that someone would want to remove me from the board, but the problem is the suspects are too numerous to list. Carmine could see me as an obstacle to his family moving drugs into the city, or Anthony could feel like he knows I am onto him. The Russians could look at Amelia marrying Alexei as an opportunity for them to move in on our territory if I were out of the picture, or it could just be some other random family, thinking now is the time to strike because we are weak with the change in leadership.

“Fuck!” I shout, my frustration boiling over.

“Vincent.” I freeze when I hear Eva’s voice. It’s a cool breeze in the stifling tension of the room. “What’s going on?” My head snaps in her direction. She is draped in shadows near the window, her silhouette defined by the dim light of the city filtering through heavy curtains. A sheaf of papers is clutched in her hands. My stomach twists into knots when I consider why she’s here alone with Marco. Did I interrupt something between the two of them? Was I worried about Eva’s loneliness for no apparent reason? Why did the thought of her being with someone create an ache in the pit of my stomach?

“Eva,” I gasp, my eyes narrowing slightly as they flit back and forth between them.

“You have no clue who it might have been?” Marco asks, his gaze sharp, his mind still focused on the fact that someone was tailing me.

“What’s she doing here?” The words tumble out of my mouth with agitation as I ignore his question.

“She—” Eva starts, emphasizing the word with matching agitation. “Is here to get all of the information for the guests you want at your party to announce your engagement. Or did you forget that you asked me to plan that for you?”

“I’m sorry, boss. She said she was asking on your behalf. Should I not have helped her?” Marco asks as his eyes dart back and forth between Eva and me.

I shake my head. “No, you’re fine. I’m sorry. I was surprised to see you, Eva.”

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