Page 49 of Unfulfilled Promises
She lowered her eyes then her head as she hunched her shoulders and tightened her body. Stella, seeing Regan’sdemeanor shift, patted her on the back. I wanted to be the one to comfort her but knew she would probably cut my balls off before she would give me another chance.
“I need to know what you know about this man so we can find him and stop him,” Lucian said.
She lifted her eyes and glanced at me before looking back to Lucian. “His name is Giovanni Marcora, and he’s set to be the new head of the Syndicate.”
“Like hell he is,” Devlin barked as he stood from his seat and started to pace. “How did I not see this? I mean, fuck.”
“See what?” Rhys asked, and Devlin marched off, grabbing his hair and turning back again.
“Marco, the man Sergey gave Devlin to and the man who kept us both locked up as his personal whipping boys, spies, and hackers . . . his full name was Marcus Marcora, and I assume this Giovanni is probably his younger brother,” James responded.
“He was his son from an affair,” Regan remarked, and everyone looked at her. “Sergey told me about him. The oldest boy died in a car accident, and Sergey discovered a son outside the Syndicate who was eager to take his place. With Marco and the other brother gone, the family had no one to put forward and they lost their place within the Syndicate. Giovanni was in boarding school with John, and they were both promised money and power if they did the bidding of the Syndicate.”
“But with Sergey dead, the last two initiations getting busted before they could be completed, and a dwindling list of potential heirs, they’re getting desperate,” Rhys reasoned.
I could see everyone’s wheels spinning, but it was Wren who added something we weren’t thinking about. “What about the person he was talking to on the phone about owing them money?”
“Who? Giovanni?” Regan inquired.
Wren clarified, “The day after they took me from my dorm, we were at the house and the younger one was gone when the phone rang. The older man tried to keep his voice low, but I could hear everything. Apparently, he borrowed lots of money from some person in Atlanta who is demanding repayment. When he hung up, he yelled that Regan had better give him the account information or he was a dead man.”
“I heard him on the phone with someone too, and they demanded he show his face in the morning, which I’m guessing is in a few hours, or they were coming after him. He left us in the house with John and returned to Atlanta. He said he would be back today.”
“Who has that kind of capital to front without wanting a piece of the Syndicate?” Lucian inquired. “And still be connected to Dick Pickens?”
“Whoever it is, they’re back in Atlanta, and if we’re going to end this, we need to be there,” Devlin surmised.
“We need to get the ladies secure and get on the plane. I want this finished today, and for the first time, we have information that can lead us where we need to go,” Lucian said, and Regan shook her head.
“There is no way you’re securing me while you go and save the day. Giovanni Marcora is going to die at my hands, and if you try to stop me, I swear I’ll go by myself,” Regan warned. “He’s a sadist who needs a dose of his own medicine, and I’m going to deliver it.”
“Regan—” Rhys started, but I stood up and cut the line of crap off right there.
“Regan can come with me, and I’ll make sure she’s protected. But she’s correct—she has every right to be there, and with what she knows, there might be a need for her information. It would be better if she was there to react in real time instead of her being hidden away.”
“I don’t think she needs any more blood on her hands,” Rhys replied.
Grace, who had remained quiet while this whole thing unfolded in front of her, finally spoke, and instantly, I loved her. She wasn’t pulling any punches. “Fuck you, Rhys.” He snapped his head at her, looking stunned by her bluntness. “For years, you’ve taught women to take back their power, and the first chance your sister has to take back hers and make that motherfucker who hurt her pay, you want to lock her up again. Fuck that, and fuck you for suggesting it.”
Stella spoke next as she sat beside to Regan. “If you try to keep her away from her revenge, any of you, I swear, I will make your life miserable.” She looked at her brothers. “You two know what kind of mindfuckery Sergey liked to pull on people, so tell me if Regan should be denied her chance to get her pound of flesh.” Both men shook their heads. “Then it’s settled.”
Carefully, Regan went to stand, and Stella helped until she was steady on her feet. With small steps, she walked to me and looked up the plane of my chest as she spoke. “I should’ve been more honest with you, and I’m sorry for pushing you away. But don’t ever try to manipulate me again.” I nodded, feeling like shit for setting this whole shitshow into motion. Regan reached out and placed her soft hand on my arm. “We both deserve a fresh start.”
I slowly leaned over and placed a kiss on her temple, being sure to avoid the ugly bruise Dick Pickens gave her. For that little move, I was going to bash his skull in with the heel of my boot and wipe it off on his face.
She smiled at me before turning to speak with Hailey and Wren. Grace and Jacob were close by while Devlin and James spoke with Skid off to the side. Rhys and Lucian were conversing while I watched it all. Booker and Caldwell caught my gaze over the heads of the group, and I joined them far off to the side.
“What’s up?” I asked.
Booker shook his head. “Wren was right. Her birth certificate listed Adrik Volkovs as her father, but from all indications, she wasn’t connected to him at all. I don’t think her mother realized the heat that could bring to Wren.”
“I’m guessing they found it from a public records search, so I’m going to ask James to start one with the names of known families while we’re headed back to Atlanta to track that weaselly little fucker,” Caldwell said, and I could tell this was getting to him as much as it was me.
There were so many secrets, so many deals made behind closed doors, so many lies and manipulations, that I wanted to scream and bash someone’s face in.
“Will one of you make sure Wren is okay while we’re gone? I don’t want Regan worrying about her, and I made a promise.”
Booker nodded as he glanced at the girl. “Hailey extended her a place to stay on the compound until we get this settled and she can go back to her college. Jacob said she’ll be guarded, and no one will badger her for any reason.” He shook his head and added, “Girl can’t help who made her.”
