Page 55 of Rebel Hawke

Not that everyone doesn’t know organized crime exists, especially in places like New Orleans, where gambling, prostitution, and all other types of seedy practices run rampant.

It’s just not something you expect totouchyou or your life.

He nods slowly. “And it gets worse.” His jaw tightens. “Once Isaac found out about his daughter and what was going on, he obviously wasn’t going to allow that to happen. He killed Leonardo after he snatched Jack and was trying to force a wedding ceremony.”

The hair on my arms stands on end, and I shiver, my appetite suddenly disappearing. I take a sip of the coffee to try to warm myself. “So, Isaac killed Leonardo, and Jack and his daughter were safe?”

Atlas’ lips twist, and he returns to leaning against the counter. “We all thought so. Until Damon showed up hereand started hanging out at The Grind, Angelina’s coffee shop. Everybody just thought he was this nice older man who liked to drink lattes and flirt with the girls.” He shakes his head. “But it was a lot more than that. He eventually started working with someone else who had a grudge against the Hawkes, a guy named Cassius Whitaker.”

I narrow my eyes on him. “Isn’t that Kennedy’s boyfriend?”

He smirks. “Fiancé, and like I said, you missed alot. I’m not going to get into all of it now. The important thing is eventually, Satriano revealed himself, that he was still alive and that he was stepping up to run the family, with a vendetta against us for his brother’s death…”

“But Leonardo tried tokillhim! Why did he care?”

Shaking his head, Atlas offers a slight shrug. “Blood runs thick, I guess. Or maybe it was just an excuse to justify what he did next.”

The few bites I did take churn in my stomach. “Do I want to know?”

“You need to, so you’ll understand the danger.” He pushes off the counter near the stove and moves to the opposite side of the island from me, close enough that I can smell sex all over him. “The Rosellis were in control of the city at that point. We believe Satriano caused an explosion at The Grind that completely took it out. Then there were other incidents: a drive-by that killed Roselli and also hit Kennedy, Isaac, and Stone.”

“Jesus…”

Of course, my internet stalking ways had given me glimpses of some of these things—the fire at the café, the shooting—but none of those articles ever mentioned the name Satriano or in any way suggested a motive.

“The man will do anything to take control of New Orleans.” Atlas tightens his hands into fists on the counter, his bodytensing. “In fact, yesterday morning, I got dragged out of bed at 2:00 AM because of him…”

“What?” I set down my mug. “Why?”

“Because he took Pope again.”

“Hewhat?”

Atlas scowls. “He’s forcing him to be his mob doctor, patch up his goons when they get hit doing his dirty work. And two nights ago, he literallytookhim. Showed up at the house he and Allie share at two in the morning, forced him into a car, and just left with him.”

“Oh, my God. Is he all right?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “He is now. We got a call a couple of hours later from him saying they brought him home, but we never really know with Satriano. That’s the problem. He’s cagey. One minute, almost friendly. The next, kidnapping people.”

Ice floods my veins remembering Atlas’ reaction to finding the man in the studio yesterday morning—which suddenly makes so much more sense in the context of just having dealt with that situation hours earlier.

And that wordkidnappingflashes brightly in my head.

“What does he want with me?”

Atlas makes his way around the island until he’s standing next to me. He turns me on the stool and steps between my legs, taking my face in his palms. “He will make sure to insert himself anywhere he can to get close toanyof us, to learn what he can for leverage and touseit. And make no mistake, he’s going to useyou.”

“For what?”

“To get to me or someone else in the family since he can probably figure out that you’re important to all of us, given our connection with your grandfather. I don’t know exactly, but it’ll happen sooner or later.”

A cool shudder rolls through me, and he leans down and presses his lips to mine gently.

“But I promise you, Little Bird, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The absolute confidence and sincerity of his words make tears sting my eyes.

“You and me, Wren.” He dips his head slightly, ensuring to catch my gaze. “This was what was always supposed to happen. I knew it back then—”

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