I lie awake as Mia sleeps beside me. My arm under her neck, her bum pressed up against my hip. She refused to submit to me, and part of me is furious about it. My need to protect her is growing, and it’s complicated things.
I shouldn’t have reacted to Nathan tonight.
I shouldn’t have told Joe Mancini I didn’t love his daughter. I’m distracted and can’t focus.
I slip out of bed and go down the hall to my office. After I punch in the code, the door opens, and I stand in front of the wall with all the photos and Post-it notes. Seeing her photo now seems odd.
In fact, I fucking hate that it’s up there and want to tear it down. Maria Luna Mancini. Daughter of Joe Mancini.
She doesn’t feel like theirs. She is mine.
Soon, she’ll be Mrs. Barrett.
Another lie.
My name is Connor Beaufort. Was. My change of name was legally done and then buried so no one will ever replace it.
Still, the idea of her having my name, real or not, sends a strange feeling through me I know doesn’t belong in my life.
One which threatens to destabilize me.
How, though? How the hell has she crept inside me without trying?
Mia wants her freedom, but I can’t give it to her. Temporarily, while she is with me, yes. After that, no.
If her family gave the kill order on my family, it will be worse than that. I will destroy her family—the people she loves—and she will hate me.
I am her enemy.
I stare at the trail of names, details, and roles of the people on the wall. Do they know who Carlos is or was?
He could be dead. I’m aware of that.
It has been twenty-three years since the deaths of my family. Nathan infiltrated the mafia six years ago. Ditto Decker in Mexico. Neither have heard of a single mention of the man.
My phone on my desk beeps.
Fuck.
That phone number is only accessible by three people: Mack, Nathan, and Decker. The Dark Kings.
Saw the news. What the fuck? Decker.
I knew he would eventually be in touch. It was more important to speak with Nathan first. Any contact is risky, so I waited for Deck to reach out.
Not legit. Door opener. I reply.
On U.S. soil in two Fridays. Decker replies.
I rub my forehead, thinking.
He’s in the country infrequently, so we have to take advantage when he is. A Dark Kings meeting is completely overdue, so I make the call.
Friday 7pm. King’s base.
Got it.
Then I shoot a message off to Mack to let him know so he can get a message to Nathan. The stakes have never been higher, so with me being inside one of the mafia’s, we need to debrief and get clear on our strategy.
Especially between Nathan and me.
I also want Decker briefed on Cade’s planned coup. A change in the top job can unsettle the other cartels around the world.
Right now, my plan is to stop him. First, if Joe is responsible for giving the kill order, I want his fucking head. I’m not that arrogant to think we have full control over this, but we’re in an excellent position to do so, with both Nathan and I having access.
There’s another thing on my mind.
Joe’s comment keeps playing over in my head.
You remind me of a man who double-crossed me.
If my father, Ian Beaufort, was somehow responsible for all of this, it will fucking break me. Blaming others has been far more comfortable.
I don’t want to learn my father was one of them.
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