Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Fred

Fucking Zion! Fucking Vincenzo!

After I dismissed Zion I had Aiden drive me home, much to his dismay. It was late, and I had a shift the next day and dinner with my uncle Sean and Aine in the evening. I needed to sleep.

I stared out the window of the SUV, watching as Westford breezed past me. The bridge in the distance would take me from the city to the suburbs. Bright lights and chaos would morph into calm streets and a sky full of stars. Westford was big, bigger than Haven Hart, even. Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose and bumped my glasses.

Two years, and Vincenzo still refused to meet with me. The alliance was strong…if you could even call it that. More like a peace treaty. No one on my side of the wall was bothering Lex Talionis, and they weren't poking at us. So why were these monthly meetings even necessary?

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I rarely, if ever, called this man, but if anyone would know the answer to this question, he would.

"It's almost midnight—someone better be bleeding." Poe was a man of few words but many times, they were threatening.

"No one is bleeding. I call when I have a moment, and I've currently found myself available."

He sighed and the rustling of sheets told me that I had, in fact, woken him up. "Lucky me, you've chosen to spend it with me. Why exactly are you calling?"

"Beneath Haven Hart are the vaults. Information people would kill for is buried inside."

"Are you asking me or telling me, Fred? It's far too late for me to play games."

"Poe, you were able to find out who the leader of Lex Talionis was. It took you like maybe half an hour."

"Has something happened?" The sound of urgency in his voice made me realize I was freaking him out.

"No, but in the two years I've been dealing with them, never once has Vincenzo Belini shown his face to me. I get his number two or whatever. I've explained to Zion that I will no longer meet with Lex Talionis unless Vincenzo attends."

A deep sigh, more rustling. "You cut ties with a powerful and elite assassin organization because you couldn't get some one-on-one time with the boss?"

"I didn't call you for a lecture. I called to see if somewhere in those vaults there is information on a location to find him, and maybe a photo."

"Why?"

"Have you not been listening? Jesus, Poe, he knows everything about me, and I get bits and pieces. Are none of you over in Haven Hart at all concerned with the imbalance of it all?"

"Not really, no. And to answer your question, if you think I haven't already searched for that information, you're an idiot. All I have on Lex Talionis, I've given to you."

"Well, I sent Zion away. I have a full plate, and while I know you're going to tell me I offered to act as liaison between Lex Talionis and us, it's a waste of my time. I feel we can part amicably."

Poe was silent for a beat before he answered, "Let me speak with Christopher and Black. We trust your judgment on this, so I don't anticipate an issue. I'll let you know tomorrow…or later today, it seems."

"Thank you, Poe."

"Now, I'm going back to sleep." He disconnected without letting me respond, but that was fine.

"I overheard Zion tonight." Aiden's voice broke through the silence.

"And?"

"I understand your need to have an in-person meeting with Vincenzo, but that isn't always feasible. That said, Zion was able to offer some ground rules to meeting the praeses, and you dismissed it."

I grimaced, knowing he didn't see me, but the man knew me well.

"You're being a brat, sir."

"I'm under a lot of pressure, Aiden. Lex Talionis has no more interest in us than we do in them, so there's no reason to keep this sham of a relationship going. I'm sure Zion would like to end these monthly flights just for us to stare at each other and say nothing of importance."

"Pushing away a powerful ally at this time, sir, isn't a good idea."

I didn't respond to that. I was aware of the rumblings, thanks to Aiden, but Aine would no longer attend meetings, and that should shut them up. I'd have dinner tomorrow with Sean and Aine and, unfortunately, close the chapter on her leading the family.

As I glimpsed at Aiden, his eyes securely on the road, I wondered if perhaps he should, in fact, take over for the family. Would he let me step down?

I hated uncertainty. I would broach the subject with him, but it could force an unnecessary hole in a floating ship.

I'd wait until after the dinner tomorrow. One thing at a time.

Morning came way too soon. I stumbled out of bed and moved as if I were on autopilot. Bathroom, brush teeth, shower, change, style hair, phone and wallet, and off to the kitchen, where the scent of coffee was like a beacon calling a ship home.

"Thank you, you beautiful goddess." Sarah, my housekeeper, came early every morning and on top of being in charge of the cleaning and cooking staff, she made sure I always had coffee and was feeding myself.

"Good morning, Mr. Fred." She giggled as she went about fixing my plate.

I sat at the table in the kitchen, preferring it to the dining room, and scrolled through my messages.

I paused over an email from Zion. What now? I clicked it and as I read, I could feel my eyes getting wider and wider.

"Bad news?" Aiden said in way of greeting.

"Vincenzo has agreed to meet."

Aiden froze, coffeepot in hand. "Seriously?"

"Yes!" I smiled because this was huge. "I guess being a little bratty pays off."

Sarah placed my breakfast in front of me. "Mr. Aiden, would you like food?"

"No thank you, Sarah. I ate already." He jerked his chin. "What's the email say?"

"He said Vincenzo is willing to meet but requests my presence at his home and not here in Westford. Zion would like to discuss it over dinner."

"Oh, Mr. Fred, you have dinner with Mr. Sean tonight," Sarah reminded me.

"I'll give Zion the address to the restaurant and tell him I'll meet him for after-dinner drinks to discuss it."

Aiden didn't say anything, just sipped his coffee, his gaze a million miles away. I was sure he was thinking about the hundreds of ways this could be a disaster, or perhaps he was just in awe of how epically this had worked out for me.

I sent off the message, shoved breakfast down my throat, and was out the door and heading to the hospital in under an hour.