Page 130 of The Tempted

“You have any siblings Bianci?”

“A sister” I said, hesitantly wondering where he was going with this. There weren’t many people who knew about Lauren and I had done everything in my power to keep it that way. I didn’t need people using my sweet innocent sister as a ploy in this game that was my life.

“What’s it to you?”

“There it is…,” he said purposely, as he slapped his palm against the wood table. “Right there. The possessiveness one has over their blood.” He cocked his head to the side. “I bet not many people know of her.”

“Where are you going with this Parrish?” I complained, feeling irritable.

“Hear me out,” he demanded, holding up a hand. “There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to protect your sister is there?”

“No, I suppose there isn’t,” I said automatically. I’d kill for Lauren I’d lay down and die for her if it came down to it.

“What does your sister do?”

“What the fuck does my sister have to do with this?”

“Not a damn thing.” Jack bowed his head. “But my brother, that’s a different story.”

“Your brother?” I asked, not following him.

He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment before shedding light on whatever the fuck it was he was talking about. “My parents died when I was twenty years old in a car crash. They were headed south on the Garden State on route to bail my ass out of jail when one of those luxury buses, you know the kind that drive down to A.C., slammed into them.” He lifted his eyes to mine and continued. “My brother Danny was only eighteen but still considered legal and after we buried our parents I vowed to take care of him. My aunt in Detroit wanted to take him with her but I swore on our parent’s grave that I would do the right thing by him. I didn’t have much going for me then but I had a shitload of responsibilities. I tried my hardest to make ends meet until I couldn’t anymore. I had no choice but to sell my parent’s house or let the bank foreclose on it. I was packing up the house when I went into the garage and found my old man’s Harley that he was rebuilding before he died.” He shrugged his shoulders a faint grin playing on his face. “It was the last gift my old man ever gave me, and I don’t mean the bike I mean the sign.” He crossed his arms against his chest. “It all became clear after that and I suddenly knew what I had to do to get me and my brother through this.” He unfolded his arms and swept his hand around the room. “And here I am now the president of Satan’s Knights.”

“And your brother?” I asked my curiosity piqued.

Jack released a heavy sigh as he leaned over the table and peered up at me. “He became a straight A student, scored himself a fancy college degree, and followed that with a gig on the opposite side of my spectrum.” He paused for a moment. “Are the dots connecting for you Bianci?”

I squinted as I leaned in close to him trying to read between the lines he was drawing for me. “You telling me your brother is a cop?”

“No Bianci I’m telling you my brother is a Fed, the same Fed that’s sniffing around your boss and that dead body that surfaced.”

“Jesus Christ, Jack,” I said in disbelief, running my hand over my face and through my hair cupping the back of my neck as I studied him.

“I take it Victor doesn’t know that we’re gunning for your brother.”

“No, he doesn’t,” he replied, leaning back against his chair letting me digest the information he dumped on me. I didn’t even know where the fuck to start. This situation was fucked to begin with but now it was just a goddamn disaster.

“How do you plan on this playing out? Victor sent me to assure him you would do as promised and take out the Fed, but that’s not the plan, is it?”

“Let me ask you something; you think it’s a coincidence you’re here standing in front of me? Take a minute and think about it, why wouldn’t he send Jimmy to make sure the job gets done?”

“How the fuck should I know why that man does anything he does?”

“I agreed to this deal under the condition you would be Vic’s eye,” he said evenly.

“Why me?” I asked.

“Because, you my friend understand what it’s like to make a deal with the devil.” He laughed, cocking his head to the side. “You see, I did my homework Bianci, and I found it particularly interesting that you did three years for a crime you didn’t commit. A man can lose a lot in three years, his woman, his future, his sanity, and most importantly his loyalty when he’s been pushed too far.”

“Hold it right there Jack, before you say something you’ll regret. I’m not sure what you think you know about me and my problems with Victor but you’re questioning my character and that I won’t stand for. Yeah, I hate him, I fucking resent him for everything I lost including his daughter, but I took an oath to work for him and my word is gold. I’ve done a lot of shit for that man and you’re right, I lost a lot because of the things I’ve done for him. However, I’m not going to turn my back on him because then it would all be for nothing,” I stated, hoping I made myself perfectly clear to the man before me.

“I’m not asking you to go against him. I made a deal with Victor to shut down the investigation and to ensure that the Fed is dealt with. I’m not going to whack my brother Bianci and neither is anyone in Victor’s organization. I said I’d deal with him and I will but if I find out that one fucking hair on my brother is altered I will take out everyone that ever mattered to anyone in the Pastore organization. You get my drift,brother?”

“A man in your position shouldn’t be making threats and you sure as hell shouldn’t be making them against my girl.”

“I didn’t name names, did I?”

“You didn’t have to.” I replied gravely as I cracked my knuckles one by one.

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