Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

ELENNA

I stepped out into the street with my friends close behind me as Aidan led the guys out of the restaurant on the other side. He glanced at me and headed over at a trot, reaching me as the car door opened.

Reuben stepped out, his two closest minions behind him, Damon and Gianni.

"It seems we need to have another conversation," Reuben addressed Aidan, ignoring the rest of us. "Your apartment." He gave absolutely no room for argument, even if Aidan was inclined to try.

Aidan nodded and gestured toward the front of the building, fifty metres or so down the block. "It must be important if you’ve come all this way."

"Of course it is," Gianni said. "Reuben is a very busy man, but when it comes to things like this?—"

Both Reuben and Damon cut him a look; Reuben’s glance telling him to be quiet, Damon’s almost as unreadable as Orion. His bright blue eyes seemed to take in everything while giving nothing back. Compared to him, Orion was an open book.

Gianni mimed zipping his lips, but smiled at me and even gave me a wink.

I gave him a faint one back. If I knew anything, it was never to underestimate Gianni. He was an expert in getting people to talk, whether it was with charm or torture. Men like him knew how to inflict the maximum amount of pain with the minimum amount of effort. From what I understood, his methods were a lot more subtle than Ice Miller’s, but just as effective.

I wouldn’t envy anyone who ended up in their hands.

Finley and Orion walked on either side of me, Orion carefully putting himself between me and Gianni.

Damon gave Wren and Sinclair a deliberate glance when we stepped through the front of the building and headed to the elevators.

"They’re involved now," Reuben said, giving neither of them an opportunity to leave before the conversation became intense. Or even deadly, judging by the expression on Reuben’s face. Would he come here personally if he was going to kill us?

Yeah, I honestly preferred not to find out.

We squeezed into the elevator and rode up in silence. I caught Sinclair looking at Damon and Gianni, but quickly dismissing them as potential ’other fish.’ Just as well given how dangerous they were. She could take care of herself, but these were not men to toy with. All three of them made me nervous as hell.

We exchanged the tight space of the elevator for the more comfortable one of our apartment, but with Reuben and his men, it felt tiny. Suffocating.

"Coffee?" Finley asked cheerfully. Without waiting for an answer, he stepped over to the kitchen and started the coffee machine.

"I see you got my message," Aidan said. Appearing unconcerned, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against a wall.

"Damon is in the habit of passing them on," Reuben said as though he didn’t appreciate the subtle accusation. "I preferred to hear it straight from your mouth. You’re proposing to work with Nicholas and Celine Fiorelli." It wasn’t a question.

"It’s less about working with them than it is about working against Geneva Mancini," Aidan said without flinching. "I’m sure you appreciate my initiative, in planning to take down a potential enemy before she becomes a major problem. I know Dante was a thorn in your family’s side for quite some time. Geneva seems hellbent on picking up where he left off. Including attempting to recruit people who work for you. I sent Damon a list of those I know of."

I glanced at Aidan, trying to keep the surprise from my face. This was the first I’d heard of a list. Were any of the Demons on it? If they were, did Finley or Orion know? I was going to be pissed off if they all kept that from me.

"I passed those on too," Damon said bluntly. The only hint of annoyance was a slight narrowing of his eyes. "Reuben wants them all eliminated."

"Not all," Gianni corrected. "Anyone who might tell us about others should be kept alive until I can talk to them."

Reuben nodded to indicate his agreement with both of them. "I would like Geneva and anyone working with her to be neutralised. As long as you understand the promises you made to the Fiorellis who are working against her are not promises from me. Even with Geneva out of the way, the rest of them are a problem. One I’ve spent enough time and resources on. Once Geneva is gone, I want the rest of them dealt with."

"Understood," Aidan said. "Will you be extending any further resources?—"

"I think you have enough," Reuben interrupted. "Every single member of the Dusk Bay Demons can be put to use."

"I’d rather not risk their hockey careers." Aidan scowled.

"Then deal with it yourself," Reuben snapped. "I don’t care how you get it done, just get it done. Otherwise the Demons will be looking for a new head coach."

Aidan visibly bristled. If this was anyone but Reuben and his men, he’d probably punch them in the face or pull out his gun. Threatening him was a sure way to piss him off.

"Here you go." Finley hurried over with a cup of steaming coffee for Reuben.

It wouldn’t take a genius to guess what Aidan was thinking. If that coffee was poisoned, his heart wouldn’t break. Six of us could overpower Damon and Gianni, surely?

We could, but Reuben’s brothers would bring down hell on all of us. No remote, deserted island would be far enough to save us.

With full knowledge of that, Reuben sipped his coffee, gracious enough at least, to nod his thanks to Finley.

"Who really killed Oscar?" Gianni asked.

I barely managed to keep from letting my mouth drop open, and gaping at him.

"I did," Orion said.

Gianni laughed. "Pull the other one, it plays ‘Jingle Bells’. Who was it really?"

Sinclair and Wren looked at me speculatively. I should have insisted they stay inside the coffee shop. They wouldn’t be involved now if they had.

"What makes you think Orion didn’t do it?" Finley asked. He handed Damon and Gianni each a cup of coffee.

"Because Orion was with Reuben’s youngest brothers when Oscar was killed," Gianni said. "Don’t worry, it’s a little-known fact, only everyone in this room and the twins are aware of it. There’s no need for the Fiorellis to find out."

I glanced at Aidan. I had a feeling Gianni knew exactly who was responsible and this was some kind of test. If we didn’t tell them, we’d fail. I saw the same thing on Aidan’s face.

I swallowed and stepped forward. "It was me," I said softly.

"With my help." Aidan moved to stand beside me, his arm around my shoulders.

"You." Reuben regarded me for several long, painful moments. Finally, he gave me a curt nod. "He tortured your brother. Retribution for that is understandable."

"Ike wasn’t the only one," I said. "If it wasn’t me, it would have been someone else."

"It would," he agreed. "I had people looking for him to take care of him."

"Hunter and Parker were disappointed it wasn’t them," Gianni said with a grin. "They enjoy killing assholes like Oscar as much as I do." He stepped over closer to me. "Did you enjoy it?"

I resisted the urge to step away. "No. No I didn’t. He can’t hurt anyone else. That’s the only thing that makes it worthwhile." But hundreds of others were ready to take his place. People like Gianni and the Brantley twins. At the end of the day, they were no better than Oscar.

"That, in my humble opinion, is a very good reason to kill someone," Gianni said. "Oscar was a sadistic asshole. I’m a sadistic asshole, but I’m a discerning, sadistic asshole, in that I only kill people who deserve it. Especially people who do things to animals, children and women." His gaze went to Reuben, whose expression was grim.

I had a feeling there was a story there, but this wasn’t story time. Not even if they wanted to share with us. Being curious about men like this was a dangerous pastime I didn’t indulge in. Fuck knew I had enough on my plate as it was.

"That’s admirable," Finley said to Gianni. He seemed genuinely impressed. Then again, it was Finley, so of course he was. He wasn’t a man who’d go around killing innocent people for shits and giggles. He wouldn’t admire anyone who was.

Gianni grinned. His smile was almost as terrifying as Reuben’s scowl. "Isn’t it though? I might not be pretty, like Reuben and Damon, but my heart is in the right place."

I wasn’t sure if it was, but I kept that thought to myself. He was a criminal like his boss. Like Finley smuggling Caleb’s goods. Like me helping him. Like everyone standing in this apartment.

"I trust your knowledge of Elenna killing Oscar won’t leave this room," Aidan said to all of us. His tone clearly said he’d personally kill anyone who spoke about it.

"I see no reason for anyone to discover that information," Reuben said. "At this point, it serves no purpose." He seemed disinterested in the topic. That was fortunate. He could have been angry I took the privilege away from his brothers, or whomever else he sent after Oscar.

I mentally translated that as meaning that if at some point it served a purpose, he’d share it. Until then, there was no need. If there were no Fiorellis left, it wouldn’t matter anyway.

"In case you need a reminder," Reuben added, "Amity Fiorelli is off-limits. My brother Lucas has her well in hand."

"She’s knocked up again," Gianni said gleefully. "For the third time." For some reason, he seemed to find that hilarious.

I wondered if Reuben sent Lucas to seduce Amity and get her pregnant in the first place. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me for a moment. He’d likely do that with the rest of the Fiorellis if it would get them off his back. And onto theirs. Thinking about him seducing Geneva was a thought I didn’t need in my brain. Or any other woman, for that matter. That was firmly in the ’it’s his business’ basket.

"Noted," Aidan said. "If she stays out of our way, we’ll stay out of hers." Which would change the moment she became a problem. Hopefully she wouldn’t. Leaving three children without a mother would be terrible, no matter what her crimes.

"Do that." Reuben nodded. "Make good use of the resources you have. Keep me informed. The minute Geneva is gone, I want to know. And anyone else who is working with her."

"Consider yourself informed," Aidan said. He was obviously running out of patience for this whole conversation. Having to answer to Reuben clashed with his need to be in control.

In another lifetime, it would be Aidan calling all the shots. Imagining him with all that power at his fingertips shouldn’t have been hot as hell, but it was. I loved it when he took charge, whether it was of me, Finley and Orion, or the Demons. I had no doubt we’d pull off what Reuben wanted us to pull off. And then some. Aidan was too ambitious, too precise not to.

Without another word, Reuben downed the rest of his coffee, handed the cup back to Finley and left, his minions in tow. Only Damon glanced back as a silent reminder of what was at stake.