Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 66480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Dario flipped through the pages, his expression giving nothing away. "These payment records," he said, pointing to a spreadsheet. "You're sure about these figures?"
"Certain. I overheard Acid talking about the take with Vex. They're pulling in close to two million a month, most of it cash that goes through the chop shop. The digital trail runs through offshore accounts registered to shell companies in Panama."
"And the buyers?" Dario asked, still studying the documents.
"High-end clientele. Politicians, businessmen, even a judge." I pulled out another packet with names and photographs. "They're careful about electronic records, but Acid keeps a backup ledger in code. Took me weeks to crack it."
Dario's eyes widened slightly, the first real reaction I'd seen from him. He flipped through the pages of clients, pausing occasionally. "This is way more than I expected, Rocky. Thorough and quite damning to several people." He looked up at me, a glint of approval in his eyes. "With this, we can dismantle their entire operation. You came through even better than I’d hoped you would.” He grinned. “As pretty much always.”
Pride flickered in my chest, but died just as quickly. There remained the matter of Wren. "There's something else," I said, my voice dropping. "Something that might complicate things with Bound in Blood.”
Dario's expression shifted, interest sharpening to focus. "Go on."
I cleared my throat, the words sticking like barbs. "The girl you told me to befriend. Ghost's daughter, Wren. Things..." I paused, searching for the right words. "Things… happened."
"Define 'things,'" Dario said, his voice suddenly cold.
"We became involved. Sexually." The clinical term made it sound hollow, nothing like the connection I felt with her. "She found a Copperhead patch in my bag the morning after. I denied any connection, but then she overheard a call from Acid about the upcoming meeting."
Dario's face hardened, the temperature in the room seeming to drop ten degrees. "Let me understand this correctly. You slept with Ghost's daughter, the Vice President of Bound in Blood's daughter, and then she discovered you working for the very club her family despises most."
"I mean, when you put it like that it sounds worse than I thought." No point sugar-coating it.
Dario slammed a fist on the table, his cufflink clinking against the polished wood as he stood to pace across the room. "Tori said to make friends with her. Create a connection in case you needed an emergency exit. Not fuck her and blow your cover!"
"I know I fucked up," I admitted, heat creeping up my neck. "But there might be a way to salvage this. I tried to explain and mentioned the Luca name—"
"You mentioned us?" Dario cut me off, incredulous. "Jesus Christ, Rocky. The only reason I put you in touch with her at all happened because Ghost trusts her implicitly. She provides the direct line to Jack Mason in an emergency. And I never even told Bloody Jack about using her as a safety line for you. Never. Because I knew he'd fucking kill me for even thinking about involving her even if she would never be in harm’s way." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "So now not only do the Copperheads potentially know you're connected to us, but Bound in Blood thinks we sent you to manipulate Wren. Because if they were watching you and you said something to her, they’ll know."
"She didn't believe me," I said quietly.
"Small fucking mercy," Dario muttered. He stared at me, jaw tight. "How compromised are you with this girl? Can you leave her alone?"
The question caught me off guard. Not how compromised my cover, but how compromised I felt emotionally? I opened my mouth, closed it again. "More than I should be," I finally admitted. "But it won't affect the job."
Dario's expression told me he believed otherwise. The city sprawled beyond the windows at his back, oblivious to the tension filling this private sanctuary of power. Everything in me wanted to defend what I felt for Wren, but loyalty to the Luca family ran too deep for outright defiance. They were the only family I had. I'd crossed a line, one I couldn't uncross, and now both my task and my heart hung in the balance. And I could admit I’d headed straight to falling for Wren. Might already be there.
"You know what this could cost us?" Dario asked, his voice deceptively soft. He turned sharply, facing me. "All because you couldn't keep it in your pants."
The accusation stung because it contained just enough truth. "It happened," I admitted. "I take full responsibility. But I’ll see this through no matter what."
"Oh?" Dario arched an eyebrow. "So you’ll stay away from Ghost's daughter? You’ll let me smooth this over with Jack? You’ll smooth things over with Ghost?” He scrubbed a hand over his face.
“I’ll do whatever I have to, Dario. You know I will.”