“Everything okay in here?” I asked and grabbed some water from the fridge.
Luca Gibraldi was another mob boss. Standing next to him and on his side in a world where I’d spent a lifetime on the opposite side of the line from men like him, left a sour pit in my stomach. But he’d come through today, so for Addi, I’d try to push it aside.
“Today’s actions will have ripple effects for us back home.”
Interesting that he’d be so honest with me. Typically men who lived their lives outside the law weren’t so forthcoming, but he’d owed Jaxon a favor, and I wasn’t going to turn my nose up at what he’d done for us. I brought the water bottle to my mouth. “War?”
“Most likely.” He slid a glance toward one of the men with him and brought it back to me. “We’ll be on the winning side. Trust me, if I can end their human trafficking ring, I don’t care who goes down in the process.”
He stunned me with his ferocity. His teeth were bared like an animal, and I almost expected him to turn into a wolf. Like Wolverine.
And frankly, more sex traffickers off the street was something I could get behind.
“I appreciate your willingness to jump into a situation that wasn’t yours to handle.” His expression blanked, telling me I wouldn’t get any more out of him, and I was A-okay with that. I didn’t need to know how criminals planned to handle problems with rival mob families. “How did you know where they were anyway?”
“I wouldn’t be a good leader if I didn’t know my enemy’s whereabouts, or their hidden locations.”
“Right. And the hotel? How’d you secure this?”
It was a hell of a building. I’d noticed the glamour of the lobby and the rooms as we hurried in. While most of my thoughts were about getting to Addi, it was nearly impossible to miss the chandeliers and gold-plated handles. There was elegance and money. While it didn’t surprise me that a man like Luca, dressed in a suit that had to cost more than I made in a year as if he hadn’t just gotten into a shootout with a rival mob family, would stay in a place like this, that he could get the suite at a moment’s notice did.
A muscle twitched in his cheek. The guard he was talking to dipped his chin and stared at his feet. My body braced for unwelcome news.
“I own it.”
That was not unwelcome news. Shocking as hell was more like it. “What?”
“I have several legitimate properties. A few luxury hotels are only some of them.”
“That, is…well, that’s great.” Gibraldi had family all over, as far west as a Chicago syndicate. They were ruthless.
And he owned luxury hotels?
He flashed me a look that might have been a friendly smile had there not been malice in his dark eyes. “We keep that a secret.” And I was clearly absolutely expected to do the same.
“Of course.” I tipped my bottled water in his direction and headed back to the kitchen table.
Addi had moved from soup to breadsticks, dragging them through a plated oil-and-vinegar mixture. I took the seat across from her and flipped through the dome-covered plates until I found what I was searching for: a nice BLT to take the edge off the weird conversation with Luca and the entire past forty-eight hours.
“There’s steak,” she said when she noticed what I was eating.
“I know. BLTs are my favorite though. Simple, filling, and easy to make when I live alone.”
Her eyes lit. Every time I gave her a small piece of information of myself without her having to ask for it, she gave me the same look. Now I understood why. Her family and social circle were completely selfish, showing they never gave a single shit about her. She wasn’t used to people being open with her, and while she’d never had that issue with me, I did understand it was difficult for her.
Which was fine. I’d get her to see she could trust me implicitly soon, with anything and—most importantly—with all of her.
Addi and I were on the couch; she was resting against me, curled into me with her knees bent, resting on my thighs. In her hands, she cupped a glass of wine like it was the most precious gift in the world. She’d eaten, the sun had set, and she’d just finished telling all of us everything she remembered, everything about what MaryAnne had said to her and the guy.
It was MaryAnne’s words, calling Addi a selfish, stupid little bitch and saying she’d ruined everything, that didn’t quite make sense to either of us. Even Jaxon’s brows puckered microscopically at that, the only twitch or move he made while Addi spoke.
But now she was done, and it was our turn to fill her in on everything we’d learned. God, I didn’t want to, though. She had no idea the shitshow that had gone down in Charleston all the way up to New York once we realized she was gone.
Luca spoke first, stepping further into the room from where he’d stood while she told her story.
“If you’ll excuse me, with MaryAnne most likely headed to New York, we need to get back. There will be hell to pay for Antonio’s death.”
Addi tensed next to me. “Antonio?” she asked.
“The man I shot. He’s closely related to them, a nephew of one in command. There will be repercussions for our involvement.” Her face paled, but as he registered her fear, his expression softened in a way I didn’t see coming. “You did well today, and you’re all welcome to stay here. The suite is yours as long as you need it. I’m taking some men, but there are others guarding all exits and the elevator to this floor. You’ll be safe until you figure out your next steps.”
As he spoke, he scanned the room, tipping his chin toward Jaxon and me. He came closer to Addi and crouched down on the other side of the coffee table, below her eye level. He was anything but submissive, and the move was shocking.
“You take care of yourself. Trust these men to keep you safe. And if I can offer a suggestion?”
She nodded, her cheek bobbing against me.
“Self-defense—learn it. All women should, in all forms you’re comfortable with. Do not mistake me, you did nothing wrong and none of this was your fault, but it will help you feel stronger moving forward.” He offered a brief look that might have been a smile and stood, straightening his suit pants.
“Thank you,” Addi whispered.
It was a damn good idea. I’d brought up teaching her how to shoot, but I should have already taught her defensive maneuvers, at least a few ways she could escape if necessary. Based on what Charlie said, I doubted they would have helped much in this situation, but he was right—it’d help Addi feel more in control.
I kissed her temple, holding her close, and turned back to Luca. “Thank you for everything.”
“I’ll keep you posted on my end. You as well?”
“We will,” Jaxon offered before I could. “And if you see Daniel—”
“I’ll alert you immediately.”
Both had a deadly gleam in their dark eyes. I’d have pitied Daniel for what would soon be coming to him if I didn’t want a part in it myself. No, there was no pity for an animal like that.
The deal struck, they shook hands, and Luca left the room on an abrupt spin, no goodbyes other than the handshake. His man was already at the door, and his gaze scanned the room quickly before they departed.