I wasn’t going to make peace. Not with my brother, not with anyone.
I didn’t hate Lucas. In fact, I loved my brother. He was the only person in the whole family that ever gave a shit about me. I wasn’t going to hurt him if I could help it. But he couldn’t stop this. Nobody could stop this. I was coming after the Barone Crime Family, and I couldn’t slow down.
Friday came, and things were quiet. We had hit a small factory the night before that was a mob front, but nobody got killed on either side. I was sitting at my computer, scrolling through news stories, when my phone rang.
I picked it up on the third ring.
“I was wondering what I’d hear from you,” I said.
“Hello to you too,” Wyatt answered.
“You can’t call?”
“I’ve been busy.”
“I’m sure.”
“You’ve been busy, too.”
“Yes I have been. So far, that idea of yours is working out.”
“So far, you’re right. Word is out that he’s running scared.”
“Not exactly. He’s hitting back, just not as strong as I thought he would.”
“Listen,” he said. “I want to see you.”
“Aren’t you in Carbondale? That’s about as far as you could be.”
“I am, but I’m going to Springfield for this charity thing. I want you to meet me there.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Why would I leave right now? Things are too tense.”
“Kasia can handle it. And it’ll only be a night.”
I bit my lip. He was right. Kasia knew the plans, hell, she had helped write them. Kasia could handle everything.
And I had to admit, I was aching to see him. It had been too long since I had tasted him. Too much had happened, too much violence and death and horror and although we were winning, it was still difficult.
I needed that release. That release only Wyatt could bring me.
“Are you sure we can do this?” I asked him. “We shouldn’t be seen together.”
“Do you know anyone in Springfield?”
“No,” I said.
“Does your father do business here?”
“Not really. He sends men to bribe state officials, but no, he never goes there himself.”
“What about the people here, do they know what you look like?”
”No. Not many people do.”
“Then you’re safe. You can be whoever you want for the night. I’ll know that you’re all mine, and that’s all that matters.”
“Okay,” I said despite myself.
“Good. I’ll send you the hotel information. Meet me there tomorrow night.”
“You’re an ass, you know that, Wyatt?”
“I know.” I could practically hear the grin through the phone. “See you soon.” He hung up.
I leaned back in my chair and sighed. This was stupid. There were just too many things that could go wrong. If someone recognized me and saw me with Wyatt, that could be a huge disaster. There were just so many reasons not to go.
But there was just one big reason that kept pulling at me: I wanted him. That was what really mattered. I wanted him, and nothing else could stop that. I wanted to go before he made me feel alive, made me feel good. I wanted to be seen on his arm, as absurd and dumb as that sounded. I wasn’t that kind of girl.
But maybe I was. At least for Wyatt. Maybe I could be whatever he wanted me to be.
He was standing in the lobby of the hotel, a drink in his hand, a small smile on his face as I walked across the room toward him. I thought for a second that all conversation around us had stopped, and all eyes were on the two of us, but that wasn’t right. It just felt like we were the center of the world.
“You look incredible,” he said. “Better than I remembered.”
“I don’t know if that’s a compliment.”
He took my hand and kissed my cheek. “It’s a compliment,” he said. “Truth is, all I ever think about is you without clothes. The dress is distracting me.”
I smiled. I was wearing a formal dress, slightly revealing but not too much. I wanted to tease him, but I didn’t want to draw attention. Clearly I made the right decision.
“So where is this benefit?”
“Here, actually,” he said.
“And what’s it for?”
“Does that matter?” He smirked. “I just wanted an excuse to see you.”
“I know.”
He turned toward the bartender and ordered me a gin and tonic. I took my drink, smiling, and sipped it.
“All these people,” he said softly, “they have no idea who you are. Doesn’t that excite you?”
“No,” I said. “Not really.”
“You could destroy them all if you wanted.”