Page 1 of Worship
Present Day
“THAT’S SO FUNNY,MICHAEL, YOU’REhilarious,” my friend Blair laughs. “I can’t believe Gretchen has kept you hidden for so long.”
I smile politely at the meaningless joke, but I don’t want to laugh along. I should be happy. Why aren’t I happy?
I know why.
But the voice in my head is so loud that I’m scared everyone will hear it. I’m a terrible, awful fucking person.
I’m here at a party to celebrate the pregnancy of my very best friend, Drew Matthews and her soul mate, Dominic King. But all I can think about isthatnight. The one that makes me unable to catch my breath withhimbeing in the same room.
“You must be her dirty little secret.”
My spine stiffens at the sound of his voice.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Gretchen.” Luca’s hand moves to the small of my back as he leans in to kiss my cheek, sending heat through my body. “You remember my wife, Shelby.”
He motions to her, and she smiles coldly with narrowed eyes on me, or maybe that’s my conscience.
I nod hello, knowing all too well who she is. I hate her, and for no other reason than my own disgusting jealousy.
Nobody sets out to be a person like I’ve become: envious, angry, petty. No, this is what Luca King does to you. He’s made me into this messy woman who wants what she can’t have. Strike that—I can have it, but I won’t take it because of the consequence. The fallout is too much to bear for any person with a heart.
I have a heart. He doesn’t.
Six Months Ago
“YOU LOOK GOOD FOR Aguy that just got the shit beat out of him a month ago. Too bad they couldn’t have focused on your face, ya know, to give you a reason to get it fixed,” Antonio announces, walking through the doorway to where I’m seated outside. I smile at his arrival.
“Fuck you.”
I laugh, knowing we’re all relieved that my attack didn’t actually kill me. “You’re never going to be as pretty, so let it go.” I pat the side of his face roughly.
The guys I’ve known my whole life file out to the patio, giving me half hugs and pats on the back. My brothers, Dominic, my twin, and Dante, our older brother, set up this dinner to celebrate my recovery.
It’s also just a reason for us all to be a little crude, drink too much, and smoke cigars. But I’m more than happy to be sitting at this table because it was touch and go there for a minute.
“You hear the guys that did this to Luca didn’t even make it out of county? Apparently they all got caught up in some bad shit in a holding cell.” Vin smirks.
He’s better known as Vincenzo Gambino, son to the second-in-charge of the Chicago outfit. He’sfamilyand a dangerous fucking guy.
I shrug, uncaring, looking to Dominic, whose demeanor matches mine.
“It’s a shame though—they seemed so willing to confess their sins and seek redemption when Dante and I spoke with them that night.” Dom’s laugh is dark as he exchanges a knowing look to Dante.
Dante nods and hands me a tumbler full of amber liquid, raising his beer in the air.
“To this pussy—if he didn’t get his ass kicked, we wouldn’t have found our way back to family. To family.”
I raise my glass to the choir of cheers, and drink.
He’s right: a month ago I was attacked and left for dead in the gutter outside of an exclusive sex club we own named Church. That kind of violence may be traumatizing, but for us—the men at this table—it’s a reality we’ve come to accept.
Despite the fact that my brother and I have built a successful real estate empire, owning half of Chicago and more properties worldwide, we grew up in this bloody life. Dominic and I came in late, at fifteen, but it was always obvious to me that power is a commodity that can be traded. Secrets are more important than cash, and nobody, not even Dom, knew how well acquainted I became with them.
I’ve always maintained one foot in and the other out because what the others never seem to understand is real power comes from being able to control all the pieces and the players. We may not be head of this family—that sin falls to our uncle Giovanni Sovrano—but I control Giovanni.
His secrets have been mine since I was fifteen. That year, I lost more than just my parents. I lost all respect for the man that was my last link to my family name, and I lost my resolve to turn my back on the mafia I was born into.
