12. Drake

“When were you going to tell me about Demassi?” I ask over the loud thumping sounds of Shado hitting the worn and tattered punching bag. He has been nervously pacing all day, so I threw my old gloves at him to let him blow off some steam.

The thumping stops and I can hear the deep heaves of his breaths as he hangs onto the bag dangling from the support beam.

“I didn’t think you needed to know,” he chokes out through ragged breaths.

“What happened to going into battle with people we trust?” I say as I get our guns ready for tonight.

With one last punch to the bag, he grunts, “I’m the enemy”s son, or did you forget that?”

“Did you forget my father spearheaded the first attack? We all have fucked up pasts, Shado. It’s how we choose to move on from that, that makes us who we are.”

He looks at me. “When are you going to tell CiCi about your dad? Don’t you think she deserves to know who she’s in bed with?”

“I’m not him.”

“Exactly, so why aren’t you telling her? You almost flipped the computer desk over last night when she questioned you.”

“My father killed her parents, Shado. I am terrified she won’t see me, but the man who killed her parents, or worse, the man who couldn’t stop him in time.” Looking down at the ground, I exhale. “The failure who”s been chasing vengeance for the last thirteen years.”

He lets go of the bag, unwrapping his hands as he approaches me.

“You’re not a failure, man. You’ve saved this city more times than I can count. She will see that if she truly is the one for you.” He holds his hand out to me. “I’m glad to call you a friend.”

Returning his grasp, we shake hands. As he walks away from me, I can feel a weight lift from my shoulders. I’m no longer in this fight alone.

I need to be the one to tell CiCi the truth before someone else does.

***

The sun has set behind the building of Vanguard Enterprises as I pack up the three black armored SUVs. I can hear the clicks of heels hitting the cement approaching behind me. I turn around to see the girls walking toward us.

Shado stands by the driver”s side of his car and lets out a catcall. “Well hello, ladies!”

He bows in their direction. I whip my head toward him and glare. He throws his hands up in surrender and backs up, chuckling.

Miranda follows Shado around to the passenger side of the SUV as CiCi walks up to me. She will ride with him, and CiCi will ride with Daniil’s men. More moving targets are harder to hit in case this plan goes sideways.

I have to keep my mouth from dropping when I look at CiCi. She is wearing a long black halter dress that hugs her breasts, reminding me of a pin up doll from the fifties. It cinches around her waist and ass with a slit at the top of her left thigh. My eyes graze slowly down her leg to the black strappy stilettos that tie up her leg to the middle of her calf. Her black hair flows in silky waves down her back, her makeup is simple, and the deep red lipstick coloring her lips makes my dick twitch as I imagine her lips wrapped around my cock with her green eyes watering and looking up at me from her knees.

Clearing my throat, I have to adjust the neck of my buttoned up shirt, “W-What are you wearing??”

“Well, you look handsome too.” She giggles, pressing a soft kiss against my lips.

Her eyes move up and down as she takes in my suit. I can see the heat in her gaze and I am dying inside with the need to pin her against the car just so I can see the effect I am having on her.

You can’t get distracted tonight.It’s not safe. For her.

“I’m sorry. That came out wrong. You look breathtaking. I am going to commit murder tonight with you looking the way you do, CiCi.”

I softly take her hand and pull her towards me. Wrapping my arms around her, I can feel the warmth of her bare skin under my hands as I rub them up and down her back.

She runs her hands up the folded flaps of my suit jacket and pulls me to her until her lips are brushing against mine. “You sure know how to win a girl”s heart.”

Leaning back, she shoots me a wink.

Daniil clears his throat as he approaches. “I apologize if I am interrupting, but we need to get the girls wired. We’re going to lose our window of time; the game starts in thirty minutes.”

Two of his men round the corner of the car, dressed in suits. One of them looks CiCi up and down with a hungry look in his eyes.

“What are they doing here?” I grit out through clenched teeth.

“We’ve already established that neither of us can go in there with them. It would be…how do you say? Suspicious to my father?” He chuckles, as if sensing my annoyance. “Don’t worry, Draco, your girlfriend will be safe under the protection of my men.”

“If this goes sideways, and she gets so much as a scratch on her…” I snap, holding CiCi close to me, as though if I let her go, I’ll never hold her again.

“Hey,” she croons, “As sexy as this over protective thing is, we will be fine. We’re tougher than we look.”

She pats my chest and smiles, “C’mon, Mr. Bad, we have to go.”

Pulling away from my embrace, she walks around to the passenger side of the first SUV with Daniil’s men, flashing another smile at me as she slides into the back passenger seat.

Another wave of fear washes over me as I watch them drive off heading to Spinners, the tavern that hides the casino rooms in the back.

Something about tonight tells me this is not going to go off without a hitch.