Page 2 of Vanished in Vegas

“What? Why would he send us off?”

Arianna glances at the open door then back at me. I nodded in understanding. One of our dad’s goons was probably listening at the door.

“Nosey fucker!” I yelled in the direction of the door. Arianna laughed and grabbed her purse.

“Let’s go find Rose then we can get this show on the road,” she said, still laughing.

“Sounds like a plan.” I grabbed my purse then linked arms with her as we walked out of my room and down the hallway towards Rose’s room.

“Rose will still go off to the university and join E.C.M.P. Right?” I whispered into Arianna’s ear.

“No. And this will probably be the last event we go to for a while,” she admitted. There was a look of sadness in her eyes. It wasn’t like Arianna to show weakness. She was the toughest out of the three of us. Seeing her vulnerable made my stomach knot and struck fear into my soul.

What the hell was going on?

CHAPTER TWO

ANTONIO

“Why the fuck am I even going to this mother fucker’s wedding?” I growled, stepping out of the car. Howard closed my door and stood a few steps ahead of me.

Howard was the youngest of the crew. Twenty or twenty-one. Didn’t care enough to ask. I just knew he looked wet behind the ears. Niccolai, my underboss, had picked him and asked to bring him into the crew. I trusted Niccolai with my life; therefore, I gave the kid a chance. As long as Howard worked hard to do as I said and stayed the hell out of my way, he and I would get along just fine.

“You said you wanted to show your face, while we were here in Miami, Boss,” Eddie reminded me, chuckling. I glanced at him. He was standing on the sidewalk, waiting for me. He smirked and shrugged slightly.

Eddie was my cousin, on my mom’s side. We grew up together. He was like a brother to me. When I took over the head of the table for our family, it was made sense that he run one of my caproregimes.

“Thank God I’ll be far away from this hellhole and back inmycity.” I stepped onto the sidewalk next to Eddie.

“Still complaining about this wedding, I see,” Niccolai laughed, walking up behind us.

“Fuck you, Niccolai,” I laughed.

Niccolai and Eddie both chuckled. The other guys who came with us, stuck to what they did best. They kept their eyes on everything around us. Prepared to do whatever it took at any given moment.

“After you, Boss,” Eddie gestured for me to walk ahead.

“Maybe I want you to go first just in case someone shoots up the place,” I retorted. Eddie’s eyes searched mine, no doubt looking for a glimpse of humor in them.

When you’re the head of the family, it is hard to crack jokes. Everyone always wants to take my words seriously. Not that I blame them. Going against any of my orders would be hell to pay.

“I’m kidding, Eddie. Fuck,” I growled, walking ahead of him.

“Sorry, Boss,” Niccolai called out behind me. I waved off his words and headed towards the front of the church. Harold and Flint ran ahead of me, clearing my path. Niccolai and Eddie caught up to me. Niccolai walked to my right. Eddie walked a few steps behind me with the rest of the crew behind him.

We passed by several groups of men standing around outside, who were smoking. They were dressed in expensive suits and designer shoes. Men with or from money. They all eyed me as I walked by but didn’t utter a word. If they had, one of my guys would have popped off at the mouth.

A smug grin tugged at the corners of my mouth. It was a majestic feeling to know the power I held in my hands. To know that I didn’t need to ever lift a finger. I had guys that would take care of my light and dirty work.

“Whoa. Who are they?” Eddie’s words had me stopping in my tracks.

I turned to see where he was looking. The guys parted like the sea, allowing me a view of the three women they were staring at. They were standing next to a blackEscaladewith men in suits posted around them.All three of the women were beautiful, but the one in the pink dress had my attention. My full attention.

“Yes. Who are they? The one in the pink specifically,” I said, looking the woman over.

She appeared to be in her early twenties. A bit young for my usual taste, considering I was thirty-two, but there was something about her. Her dark brown hair was pinned up. She wore pink-jeweled earrings that matched her dress and heels. Her make-up surprised me. It looked like she barely wore any. Generally, women who came to these big events wore make-up like a damn clown. But not this woman.

I glanced at the other two women. They weren’t painted with make-up either.

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