Page 35 of Blood & Loyalties
“Other than that, you had fun?”
I nuzzled into the pillow and looked at my best friend. “It was one of the best nights I think I’ve ever had in my life.” I felt the tears spring to my eyes and I tried to push them back.
“You’re falling for him.” She didn’t ask, she was telling me. She was right. When I didn’t answer, she said, “Sometimes our heart doesn’t listen to our head.”
Yeah, and then it ends up getting smashed like glass on concrete.No matter how this ended, part of me would leave when Jag did.
“Sleep,” Kiera whispered, and I did sucking back my hurt.
Chapter Seven
THE BOYS—Val,D, and Matteo—walked in as I stood with Dan and Brett at my side in the rush. I would have liked to have Diego on speaker for this meeting, but that wouldn’t be happening in this room. The glares from Catarina’s brothers and cousin stabbed me like knives, but I would deal with their problems later.
“I got a call from my ex-wife. Apparently, my uncle paid her a visit in California,” I told the men at the table.
“Zan’s on the West Coast?” Matteo asked with puzzlement on his face. I hadn’t told anyone of the meeting with Vinny yet, as I kept that close to the vest. It was now time to get it all on the table.
“He skipped town and headed to my home turf.”
“What did he want with your ex?” Val questioned calmly for once, surprising me.
“That’s the thing. Nothing except to call me and tell me he stopped by.” I tilted my head. “So, he wants me to know where he is, but I already knew because he hit up Vinny to join him, and Vinny told me. I know Zan. He has something brewing there, and I need to get back and find out what it is.”
Fuck, that was the last thing I wanted to do. Even though I knew it was coming, I didn’t realize it would be this soon.
“We’ll look on this end,” Matteo stated firmly.
“Good.” I rubbed my hands over my face in frustration. “Zan appears to be unstable. With that shit with Johnny and now disappearing to California and visiting my ex, I don’t know what his next move is going to be. I need you guys to up security on Catarina and Kiera. I don’t know what the hell he is capable of at the moment, but I need to get there and find him.”
“You staying here tonight?” D asked, looking more self-assured than I had seen in a long time. He might actually be growing up, and the fact he could keep his temper in check was a deep plus in comparison to his brother.
“Yes, Dan and Brett will be with me, and we’ll set the alarms at the house. I know the girls go to work tomorrow. What’s security like there?” I pressed my fingers into my nose and breathed in and out calmly. Catarina was my first priority. She would be safe at all costs.
Matteo, Vino’s oldest, spoke up. “Security is tight, but I’ll put a call in to the head and make sure it’s stepped up. There are two main entrances to the building, and both have guards. As soon as a person steps foot in the building, their face is digitally recorded into the computer software that runs for any recognition, and there is always someone manning those computers. Most of the time, two people. People go through metal detectors and a 3D machine that circles them and can pick up a speck of metal up their asshole. State of the art.”
I expected nothing less with Matteo’s knowledge. Sal and Vino had put most of their boy’s good heads on their shoulders.
“Good. What about meetings offsite?”
“Not allowed. All meetings happen on-site. No exceptions. If Billy Billionaire wants to invest in Lambardoni, he comes to us. We never go to him.” Nice.
“Do Catarina or Kiera leave the office during the day?” One might call this overprotective; I called it diligent.
“They may go out to lunch sometimes, but normally their assistant picks it up for them,” Matteo answered. “I’ll make calls to make sure they keep their asses there.”
I grunted. “Great. This isn’t gonna be pretty, and boys, just because he’s my uncle, that doesn’t mean shit when you break trust. My loyalties are to this family.”
They nodded in understanding.
It was after two in the morning before we broke the meeting. I knew I would have to call Vino first thing in the morning to update him. Scraper and Dune showed everyone out while I stopped Dan and Brett.
“We stay here.”
They grunted then headed to one of the many spare rooms in the place.
“No. She said for you to leave,” Scraper chimed in. The man had fucking balls that was for sure, but at least he was loyal to Catarina. I had to give him that.
I got in his face, our noses almost touching. “I’m staying and so are the boys. Shit’s going down. Even if it wasn’t, you couldn’t stop me from being with my girl.” As I said those last two words, I mentally froze. Yep, fucked. Maybe I could just throw her over my shoulder and take her with me.Yeah right.Sal’d have my ass in a sling for that one.
