CHAPTER XVII

I took a deliberate drag of my cigar, savoring the bitter taste before blowing smoke into the air, trying to calm my frayed nerves. “The Puppet Master is crawling through our territories like a fucking rat.”

“He’s been provoking chaos in other territories as well,” Marco, the New York mafia capo, replied. “Shipments are vanishing, our men are disappearing, and our influence is waning daily.”

“Whoever this bastard is, he’s got eyes everywhere,” I said in frustration. “He knows our every move before we make it. It’s as if he’s always one step ahead.”

“If he’s infiltrating our operations, it won’t be long before he takes us down one by one. Do you have any leads yet?”

“No. But if he takes one of us down, it won’t be long before he does it to the others. Our only chance is to work together.”

“I say we pool our resources and find out who we’re dealing with,” Marco offered.

Bringing the cigar to my mouth, I inhaled slowly and released a cloud of smoke into the air before I replied. “We need to bait him, lure him into a trap. If we can make him believe he has the upper hand, we can catch him off guard.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

“We create a diversion,” I replied, taking a hit of my cigar, the smoke swirling around me like a mist.

“Too risky,” Marco said. “If we do that, we expose our vulnerabilities. After losing ground already, we can’t afford to take that chance.”

My mind raced as I consider the only other possibility. “What if we each stage a fake shipment? We could leak the information to the right people in our territories and let it slip that we’re moving a significant amount of cash or product.”

“I like the sound of that,” Marco added with a dangerous grin. “We’ll make sure he knows who’s in charge.”

At that moment, a unified front was formed, and our commitment to eliminating the threat was sealed. Now we just had to wait.

* * *

The evening sun dipped below the horizon and cast long shadows across the garden of Eden, as my mother called it. I sat on one of the balconies of my mansion, nursing a glass of whiskey. After my phone call with Marco, I came directly here. I needed some time alone to clear my head and gather my thoughts to plan our next move.

The warm amber liquid swirled as I raised the glass to my lips, only to be interrupted by a nudge on my hand—my faithful Rottweiler, his obsidian eyes staring right at me. I chuckled and ruffled the fur on his head.

Again, I raised the glass to my lips, and my thoughts drifted from the meeting to Winter. Her image floated before me, her delicate features illuminated by the fading light. She was breathtakingly beautiful, like an angel sent from heaven to torment me. I remembered the coldness in my voice when I had lashed out at her. Yet now, as I sat alone with only the whispers of the evening breeze and my dog for company, I couldn’t shake the image of her soft smile when she first walked into the club and the warmth that radiated from her.

The whiskey burned in my throat, a bitter reminder of the darkness within me. How could someone so pure and innocent provoke such conflicting emotions within me? I felt a twinge of guilt for the fear I had instilled in her. Winter had awakened something within me, a feeling I couldn’t quite name. While lifting the glass to my lips once more, I made a silent vow to keep her at a distance to protect her from the darkness that consumed me. But deep down, I knew she had already begun unraveling the walls around my heart. I was falling for her, and what that could mean fucking terrified me.

I was the mafia king, a man with blood and death on his hands. There was no room for error. One mistake could have serious consequences, including death.

I was no one’s savior. I built these walls for a reason. Lowering them, even for a moment, would expose my weakness and blind me from my sole purpose of running the empire.

Even for Winter.

How fucking convenient that the girl, pure and white like snow, decided to create a blizzard and cause chaos in my life. My black heart and soul lay dormant for the longest time until she woke me up. And now that she was here, I found myself drawn to her.

Winter, a season I once despised, but now I wished it could last all year round if it meant I got to keep my angel with me 24/7.

I was abruptly brought back to reality by the sound of heels clicking against the bedroom floor.

Demon growled, and I smiled. “Down, boy,” I reassured him with another pat on his head.

I glanced up to see Davina standing in the doorway, as alluring as ever in a slinky black dress that clung to her every curve. Off and on over the years, Davina and I had made an arrangement, and it was fine at first—simple, no strings. But then the she-devil turned into this clingy nightmare, like a damn monkey. The fun we shared disappeared as quickly as it started.

Davina moved toward me with a seductive sway, a familiar smile playing on her lips.

“What are you doing here, Davina?” I asked.

Davina stood before me, giving me a clear view of her cleavage. “We’re friends, aren’t we? I thought you’d be happy to see me.”

“Can’t say that I am,” I replied coolly.

“Come on, Nico. It wasn’t that long ago that we fucked. Remember the passion, the intensity...” she whispered, her voice dripping with lust.

“Tell me, Davina,” I bit out, each word laced with contempt, “was it the way I fucked you from behind so I didn’t have to look at your face? Or was it when I shoved my fat cock down your throat while another man fucked your ass? Is that what you’re referring to?”

Davina’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she pressed on. “All of the above,” she rasped, licking her plump, bottom red lip. “No other woman would be able to handle your ways, Nico.”

Like a serpent slithering into my sanctuary, she made herself comfortable on my lap, her attempts at seduction falling flat. She rolled her hips against my dick, causing it to jerk in my pants. Despite her sultry whispers and knowing glances, I remained unmoved. The girl was a devil in human form, her vindictiveness seeping through every pore.

She smiled in triumph. “See? He’s ready.” Her hand traveled down to my dick, but I grabbed her wrist— hard —and she winced.

“Of course he is. You’re rubbing your ass on it,” I said, pushing her hand away. Plus, I had someone else on my mind, and she was causing my body to react the way it was. I wrapped my hands around her neck, and her eyes widened. I pulled her face closer until my lips hovered over her mouth. “You were never anything special, Davina. Now get the fuck off me,” I hissed, not bothering to mask my irritation, and pushed her off with a firm hand.

Davina pouted, her eyes flashing angrily.

“You overstayed your welcome. I suggest you leave and never come back.”

I stood up. “Demon, come.” My dog obeyed and came to my side. I exited my room and called to the guard down the hall. “Escort Davina out the door.” He nodded and promptly walked into my room to fetch her. “And she is not to set foot in my house without my permission,” I shouted over my shoulder. At least that was one problem taken care of.