Page 38 of Depths of Desire
As I walk into the office, I notice the spot of blood on the carpet. A small pulse of fear runs through me.
“I heard yelling. Is everything okay?” I ask, finally meeting his gaze.
Nico gives a small shrug. “Several of my men haven’t seen Blood Orcs before. Turns out they weren’t fans.”
I swallow. “Does that mean you...?”
“You can’t have people working for you who won’t fight for you,” he says, voice flat. “At least, I can’t.”
“I see,” I say quietly.
Nico moves from behind the desk and crosses toward the bar in the corner. He pours himself a healthy shot of amber liquid.
“Now,” he says, turning to face me. “You need to start talking.”
“I... I don’t really know where to begin.”
“Why don’t we start with the fact that you don’t seem surprised that magickal creatures exist?”
I take a deep breath, just as Nico’s phone buzzes. He glances at the screen, then sets his drink on the desk, and turns to hiskeyboard. A few keystrokes later, all the monitors behind him light up.
Renzo, Mia, Luca, and Pippa appear on screen.
Mia says immediately. “Are you okay, Luna?”
“I’m fine,” I lie. It couldn’t be further from the truth, but what else am I going to say?
“Were they the same... men from your apartment?” Renzo demands.
Nico snarls. “You don’t have to hide it from her. Apparently, she knows all about magickal creatures.” Every single eyebrow on the screens lift. Nico continues, “She was just about to explain to me how it is that she’s not shocked about their existence—or that I’m a vampire.”
I regret not taking that drink now. I grab Nico’s and take a swig. It burns all the way down. My knees are still a bit wobbly, so I take a seat and glare at my friends. “A heads up might have been nice. Some kind of hint that they’re vampires.”
Mia frowns. “Apparently, we’re not the only ones keeping secrets.”
“Touché,” I mutter.
“Let’s get back to it,” Nico says as he takes his seat. “Luna knows who has declared war on us. And she was just about to tell me all about it.”
I bite my lip. As much as I’m pissed at Mia for not fighting for me, I’m not going to turn her and Pippa in. Their husbands will lose their minds if they find out they knew about this.
“The person who blew up the boat...” I trail off. “At least I’m guessing it’s Malrick Comescu.”
Renzo explodes. “Why the fuck would Comescu want to take us on? That’s pretty bold. He’s only got a small following in Moldova.”
I clear my throat. “Not as small as you think.”
“What does that mean?” Renzo snarls.
I say nothing for a moment. The weight of Nico’s stare sits on me like a stone. Finally, I look at him, our gazes lock, and a burst of electricity dances across my skin.
Nothing about this is going to be easy. I brace myself and begin. “My father has been dealing with Malrick for years. And when I say years, I mean... since before I was born. I used to hear my parents arguing about it after his visits when I was small. My father has been supplying him intel on the family since Mia’s father led it. And now, as the Valdici famiglia—the intel has helped Malrick advance his goals.”
I turn to Nico. “I can only assume my father knew about your shipment on the freighter. He would’ve told Malrick.”
“But what makes you so sure it was Malrick who blew up the freighter?” Renzo asks.
“Fits with his personality,” Luca interjects. “He’s always been a bit of a show-off. Needing to be the center of attention. So, your dad’s selling him intel?”
