Page 15 of Ice
He took in the scene and cracked a smile as he made introductions. “Looks like Ms. Barbati is getting herself acquainted with your vice pres.” He clapped the pres on his shoulder, before continuing to speak. “Told you. Smoke is a hothead. That cut don’t make him invincible to people like me and her.”
Sofia looked back at Smoke as recognition seemed to hit him at the mention of her name. He quickly dropped his hold on her and took a step back. One of his brothers handed him a napkin, and he wiped the blood from underneath his chin.
Smoke smiled when he saw the blood and winked at Sofia. “Marry me?”
Sofia laughed. “My crazy wouldn’t play well with yours.” She looked back at Wolf. “I believe we have a meeting?”
Wolf nodded and moved aside, motioning for her to step into his office. Sofia’s attention shifted to the Pres standing next to him. “You too, Mr…?”
“Carter, and why would you need me in there?”
“Because this meeting will decide whether we do any future business with you.” Sofia smirked. “Considering how easy it was to sneak my knife in here and pull it on your VP, it doesn’t look promising for you.”
THEY WERE INWOLF’S OFFICE. The back wall was filled with monitors showing every part of the casino, including the surrounding areas. There were two doors, one leading out the way they came in and the other Dom assumed was another exit that led out of there in case of an emergency.
Dom stood behind Sofia with his hand on the back of her chair as she sat down across from Wolf and Carter, the president of the Unhinged Brothers, the Long Beach charter. He knew the second he saw the symbol on the back of the cuts they weren’t going to get through this meeting without any issues. While Carter was levelheaded until he was pushed, the rest of the brothers were as unhinged as their name suggested, especially Smoke.
The bastard gave a new meaning to the word crazy. Dom saw it in his gaze when he watched Sofia walk into the room. He looked like a predator sizing her up like she was no more than a piece of tenderized meat for him to devour. It took everything in Dom not to react, especially when Smoke had his hands on Sofia like he had every right to touch her.
Dom tried to keep himself in check, but it was like walking through quicksand. He felt the muscles in his jaw tick every time the bastard pulled her closer and when his brothers licked their lips hungrily at Sofia.
He knew she could handle herself, but that didn’t stop Dom from wanting to wrap his hands around Smoke’s throat for even thinking he and his boys were going to pass Sofia around like a piece of candy.
In Dom’s irrational mind, Sofia was still his.
His to protect.
His to defend and his to touch.
Short of Dom sinking his teeth into Sofia’s flesh and marking her as his, she was fair game, and in this business, regardless of her last name, these schmucks were going to try and fuck her before they took her seriously. Luckily for his sanity, Sofia was quick to rectify that misconception with a knife to the throat.
“Dom’s already told us what you want to do, Ms. Barbati,” Wolf started, his gaze bouncing back between Sofia and Dom.
Wolf had been the only one aside from Bebo who had been around him since he was younger—right after Sofia left. They helped him drown out what they dubbed a broken heart in the bottom of the nearest liquor bottle and uncomplicated pussy. Bebo had been a good friend, and Wolf’s casino was the only neutral territory aside from little Italy in the ongoing mob wars. He was able to let down his guard here without worrying about getting shot in the face.
The tips of Wolf’s lips lifted slightly when he no doubt pieced together who Sofia was to him. Dom wasn’t worried about Wolf trying to expose or exploit him, but he knew it was only a matter of time before everyone else figured out what they meant to each other. Dom didn’t want it fucking with Sofia’s chances at succeeding.
“My casino and its surrounding area are supposed to be neutral territory. It’s been that way before your father took the reins. It’s what allowed me into the gun business.” Wolf looked over at Carter. “I’d like to keep that business in my pocket.”
“And you will. Has Dom gone over the particulars?” Wolf nodded. “Then you know I only want a small percentage”
“And loyalty,” Wolf countered.
Sofia shrugged. “In the grand scheme of things, I’m not asking for a lot. Anyone else would be taking a sixty-forty deal, and if you refused, that would be your life and the lives of anyone you care about.”
Wolf crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled. “Threats are unnecessary.”
“I don’t make threats. I’m stating the obvious. You have a meeting with Vinny, no?” Sofia asked, and Wolf nodded, narrowing his eyes. “It’s a power move, buying up all the unclaimed territory. He needs an empire to cement his place in my family’s organization. I’m going to take a guess that if you don’t sell to him, he’s going to take this place with your blood instead.”
Wolf stood up and went over to what looked like a closet. He opened it up and took out a bottle of rum and four shot glasses. He walked back over to his desk and made quick work of pouring the liquid into glasses. “Why do you need this place?” Wolf questioned.
“Same reason Vinny wants it.” She sat up in her seat. “But where Vinny is looking to rule with an iron fist like they did in the old days, I’m looking to bring about a new era with the Council. You will still be in charge of your own territories, but ten percent of it is mine, and you answer when I call. The internal beef also stops, which means less police involvement.”
Wolf picked up his shot glass. “You forget. I’m neutral. I don’t deal with the police. I gotta say, Ms. Barbati. You’re not really selling me on this.”
Sofia smirked. “I don’t have to. You either give me the ten percent or deal with Vinny trying to buy you out. He’s not going to settle for anything less than forty.”
She stood and turned, intent on leaving when Wolf cursed under his breath. Dom watched as her eyes lit up in triumph. She had Wolf exactly where she wanted him. He was going to accept Sofia’s deal for no other reason than it keeps him in charge of his business with little to no interference from her.
