Page 11 of The Price of Power

But apparently, a truth like that didn’t sell papers. So, instead, the news had gone with a different story—one about the passed-over, power-hungry son who couldn’t wait to take up the reins of New York’s most powerful criminal organization.

And to be honest, they’d done me a favor.

Fear had always played a significant part in our family business, and in many ways, being seen as the city’s latest boogeyman had made my accession to the top easier. Anyone vying to rule the dark corners of this city would face challengers looking to steal his crown. Having a ruthless reputation from the start made anyone considering crossing me think twice. After all, if I’d been willing to snap the neck of my own uncle, what other horrible things was I capable of?

It was a question that everyone in Manhattan seemed to be asking.

Everyone…but Liv.

To her, I wasn’t the personification of evil itself. At first, I’d just been the Good Samaritan who had run off the drunk idiot who’d threatened to ruin her night. Now, I was the man offering to indulge her most personal and secret desires.

A part of me was surprised that she’d agreed to leave the hotel with me. Liv might not know who and what I was, but just a few minutes of conversation made it clear she wasn’t an idiot. She knew I wasn’t a saint.

And neither was she…no matter how she tried to hide that side of herself.

All I’d had to do was scratch, and I could see traces of those hedonistic cravings right under that good girl surface.

And as I pulled my Bentley Continental up to the curb outside La Sera, I could hardly wait to get her inside and crack away even more of that shell.

“This is your brother’s nightclub?” she asked, blinking in confusion at the sleek black exterior.

“You don’t like it?”

“I didn’t say that.” She hesitated half a second before adding, “But it is kind of intimidating, isn’t it?”

She was right. La Sera was intimidating by design.

Unlike all the other Manhattan hot spots, there was no sign to advertise the club’s existence. Dark red velvet curtains covered the windows, obscuring any hint of what might be happening inside to those on the sidewalk passing by. But the line of massive bouncers completely blocking the door gave the final clue that this nightclub wasn’t for public consumption.

If you weren’t invited, you weren’t getting in.

Liv’s uncertainty became even clearer as one of the men came forward to open our doors, and she stepped out onto the sidewalk. I spotted her trembling fingers even before she wrapped her hand around my sleeve. I felt the nervous energy flowing through her.

And it only grew stronger as we neared the door.

“Second thoughts?” I asked as the door to La Sera opened for us.

She hesitated. “Well…”

I led her inside before she could finish answering and watched her eyes go wide as she took in the ultra-lux surroundings. Black marble floors glistened under the sparkling glow of a massive crystal chandelier. Mahogany paneled walls absorbed the excess light, giving the lobby a moody opulence.

“What do you think now?” I couldn’t resist asking as her jaw fell open.

“I…I think that I am horribly underdressed.”

Her answer brought a small smile to my lips—no small feat.

Even before taking over the responsibilities of boss, I hadn’t exactly been known for my sense of humor.

“Don’t worry about it,” I told her, and not just because if the evening went the way I planned, she wouldn’t be wearing that simple black dress of hers much longer. “As long as you’re with me, no one is going to say a word.”

“Sir,” the floor manager smiled as we approached the podium. Even though her voice was calm and sultry, I caught the slight flicker of concern around her eyes. “I’m sorry. We weren’t told to expect you this evening. Unfortunately, your brother isn’t in the office tonight.”

“It’s all right, Carla,” I said. “I’m not here on business.”

If Carla was surprised by my answer, she was professional enough to hide it. Not that I would have blamed her.

La Sera had always been my brother Matteo’s passion, not mine—a gentleman’s club that catered to the needs and desires of New York’s wealthy criminal elite.

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