Page 45 of Sold to the Syndicate

The sun is starting to peek over the horizon when we reach Coney Island and drive towards Dolma. As I park behind the restaurant, Sal pulls his gun from the waistband of his pants, “We got you.”

The three of us slide out of the SUV and walk towards the backdoor of the kitchen. Without hesitation, Sal shoots the lock and pulls the door open for us to enter.

We stride towards the stairwell leading down to the poker room, and are met with a large man who likely heard us enter the building. Lifting my gun, I shoot once before he has a chance to react to our presence. My bullet strikes the center of his forehead and his body immediately falls to the ground.

Picking up our pace, the three of us quickly traverse the stairs before barreling into the poker room with our guns drawn. Entering first, Carlo quickly puts two bullets into the chest of one of the dealers, after which no one else makes a move for their weapon.

“I’m looking for someone,” I shout as Sal and Carlo make their way around the room relieving everyone of their weapons, “And one of you assholes is going to help me find her.”

Eyes follow me as I stalk around the room. Tucking the gun into the waistband of my pants, I reach for my knife and slide it between the ribs of a man whose back is to me. The blade punctures his lung and not a sound comes from his mouth as blood trickles down his chin and he gasps for air.

“Her name is Avalie,” I continue to stalk around the room determining which man to approach next, “And word has it you and the Yakuza took her from me.”

“Fuck the Yakuza. And fuck your girl,” a man spits from the other side of the room before Sal pumps three bullets into him. He obviously doesn’t know what is going on and is going to be of no use to us.

I watch the facial expression of an older gentleman sitting at a table in the back corner. The look on his face is inquisitive, as though he is trying to figure out how we know what we do.

“What do you know old man,” I stare at him as I approach.

“I don’t know shit,” he grumbles back at me.

Grabbing the hair of the man sitting next to him, I yank his head back and slide the blade of my knife across his throat. Using my grip in his hair, I pull him from the seat to make room for myself to sit.

“I am not a man you want to fuck with,” I stare at the older man while twirling my knife in my palm.

The fact that his eyes continue to stay fully fixed on mine tells me also is not a man to be fucked with.

ChapterThirty-Five

Avalie

This is fucking insane.

I have been locked in this room for hours, and I still cannot seem to comprehend everything my mother shared with me.

My estranged mother is an heiress to a crime family. The father I didn’t know I had is the head of a different crime family. What does that make me? Heiress to two crime syndicates? And I’m fucking the man who will soon be taking over his family.

What the hell have you gotten yourself into Ava?

What does this mean for me and Renzo? I’m literally his enemy.

And why now? Why after all of this time are both of my parents suddenly so concerned with me? Years of abuse by Frank and they did nothing, yet they needed to save me from the Botticelli’s? The first place in my life where I actually happy.

The distinct sound of heels clicking down the hallway stirs me from my thoughts. They stop just outside of the door and I immediately hear the jingle of keys. The lock clicks and the door opens.

It is my mother…Karyan.

Truth be told, I really don’t know what to call her.

She has changed and freshened up from the last time I saw her. She is wearing a sleek black business dress, which is accentuated with her matching black and white snake skin belt and stilettos. Her make-up is freshly applied and her hair has been pulled into an up do.

With her current appearance, she could either walk the runway or create absolute havoc in the boardroom. Based on her cold demeanor, I’m quite certain she is nearly all business.

She is carrying a garment bag and a shoe box, both of which she gently places onto the couch next to me.

“I’m going to need you to get dressed, Avalie,” she gestures towards the items she set next to me, “We have a big day ahead of us, and you my dear are going to be a very big part of it.”

“And if I don’t want to,” I smugly question.

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