Chapter 20

Knox

"Wait, so she fucked you, stabbed you then she jumped out the window?" I glare at Taylan as the doctor finishes stitching me up. I have no fucking idea where Tay found the doctor but the guy doesn't seem nervous or panicked in the slightest, which leads me to believe he does this type of shit often.

"Yes," I grit out.

He whistles between his teeth. "Wow, she really does hate you."

"Fuck off, Taylan," Xander snarls at our friend. "What's the plan now?" he asks, looking at me.

"I have no choice but to wait and meet Knight before we go after her."

Xan nods. "Okay, we have about an hour before the meet. Floyd and Hendrick have split the men but none of them have been able to locate her." The doctor finishes and dresses the wound before gathering his things and exiting quietly. Xan and I both shoot Taylan a questioning look.

"What? I know a guy who knew a guy who gave me the number to a local doc who does this shit on the side for a sum of money." Rather than asking more questions I just nod and accept his bullshit ass answer.

"What are the chances of anyone here knowing who she is?" I ask.

Xander and Tay take a minute to think before Xan answers, "Anyone in our world would know about her, they would be keeping tabs on you." Fuck, I stab a hand through my hair and nod, I thought as much. When my phone rings, I tune out of Taylan and Xander's conversation and answer when I see Floyd's name on the screen.

"What's the update?"

He sighs. "We had to fall back."

I sit forward in my seat. "Why?"

"She's in New York city. We didn't want to start a war with the Murdoch's by crossing into their turf."

"Mother fucker!" I snap. "Get your asses back here," I order before ending the call.

"What happened?" Tay asks as I climb to my feet and yank my shirt on.

"She's in New York. I need to call Bishop and ask to enter to get her."

"Well, isn't it a good thing I smoothed things over with the Don?" Xander and I both glare at the cocky fucker. I send both of them away to pack their shit so we can leave after the meeting with Knight, and so I can be alone as I call Bishop. If he denies me then I'm fucked or I have to start a war with the American mafia to get her ass back.

He answers on the fourth ring. "Knox?"

"Bishop, I need to ask?—"

"To enter my city to track down your girl?" I reel back astonished that he even knew about this.

"How did you know?"

"I knew the moment you landed here with thirty-seven of your men, your two underbosses and the daughter of Percy Deveraux, who I am also informed is in business with your uncle and Karl." Surprised doesn"t even begin to explain how I am feeling right now, he knows things he shouldn't and I'm not fucking sure how.

"How–"

"My brother is the best at what he does but one thing you didn't factor in was that his wife is twice the hacker he is. So, of course whenever someone from another family calls to ask for Knight's services, his wife gets protective and digs deeper making sure we have blackmail material if we need it and it turns out you, Knox Bronson, have a shit load of skeletons in your closet." Grinding my teeth I try to force myself to calm down. I'm fucking raging at the fact they were able to find all this shit out about me without even having to try hard.

"What do you plan to do with that information you have about me and my family?"

He stays silent for a moment which just sets my nerves on edge. "Give me your word you won't touch Karl no matter his involvement in whatever is happening between you, your uncle and Percy." Clenching my fist at my side I curse. "If he is involved, you will get your chance to take him down, but not until I find an adequate replacement for him, one that doesn't deal in the trade of women and children."

That is something I can support. "How long would that take?"

He chuckles but there is no humor to it. "As long as it takes. This treaty is new and still has kinks in it. Prove to me that you can be someone I can count on."

"How do I do that?"

"My family has suffered a great… loss recently." That stumps me, I've heard nothing about it through my sources. "Knight will not be meeting you today. Luka will be the one to deliver the information you need. You are not to contact my brother again. If you need information, you come to me."

"With all due respect, why would I do that?"

"Because he just lost his fucking son and because I told you to." My jaw unhinges at that information. "My nephew believes his girl escaped into Canada–"

"Grant me entry to your city and your nephew, son and niece may enter my territory but only the three of them."

"You have my word, you have forty-eight hours to get in and out of my city."

"Thank you."

"Thank me by agreeing to push the meeting with the heads of the families back until my family can deal with this tragedy."

"You have my full support, I understand your nephew's loss."

"One more thing?"

"Name it."

"Knight and Koby will go after everyone involved in the death of their son, my nephew will seek vengeance for his brother as well."

"Your brother, sister in law and nephew have every right to claim the lives of any fucker who aided the death of their loved one. Your family has my full support on the matter."

"Good, as a show of my gratitude, I included a few extra things in the report you requested from Knight." He ends the call without another word. I stand here silently for a moment, replaying what the fuck just happened and then it hits me, I think I just made an alliance with Bishop and by default the Memento Mori, that shit could come in handy. I"m actually looking forward to this meeting now. Karl may have immunity but Percy and Gio don't.

Stepping out of the elevator with my boys, I come to a halt at the sight of my men surrounding someone. The three of us share a look before I push my way through my guys to see a man standing there unbothered by the show of force. He lifts his gaze to meet mine and a smirk tilts the corner of his mouth.

"Knox Bronson, I presume?" he says.

"I guess you're Luka," I say, stepping into the man-made circle. He reaches into his jacket but my men all shift and draw their guns forcing him to freeze with his hand inside his coat.

"Calm the fuck down, dipshits, any of you fire a single fucking shot and you will start a war you can't win," he snarls.

"I don't think the Murdoch's care that much about a lackey." Tay snickers, earning a sneer from Luka.

"Considering Rook Murdoch is my brother in law and fucking hates seeing my sister cry, he would willingly wage a war against you all just to put a smile back on her face." I did not see that coming. "Bishop may be the Don but he isn't the only ruthless one in the family." He pulls a manila envelope from his jacket and tosses it to me. "You have forty-seven hours, Knox. When your time is up, look for my face because I will be the one chasing you out of our city."

"Thanks," I mutter. He turns to leave but stops and looks back over his shoulder.

"Since you are doing Knight and Chaos a solid, I'll do you one. The cab that took your girl away dropped her at Central Park. I"d hurry since the cabbie called the cops on her for doing a runner and not paying." I nod my thanks as he strolls out of here without a care in the world.

"Let's move," I snap. We all usher out of the hotel and climb into the waiting cars. We have about a thirty minute drive to reach Central Park, so I spend that time texting each of my men where to go so we have the park surrounded. She isn't fucking getting away from me this time. Once I finished directing them, I turn back to the envelope, debating if I should open it or not. If I do, the contents could distract me. If I don't, it will eat at me.

"I vote we chain her fucking ass up," Xander snarls, pulling me from my thoughts.

"We get her then we head home," I say.

"Wait, like home as in home home?" Taylan asks. I peer out the window as I answer.

"Yeah, I'm done fucking around. We get her, head home and move in on Gio. I'm tired of waiting for Christiano to lead us to his brother. We storm through his borders and take out any son of a bitch that is loyal to the Dario family."

"Are you going to give his men a chance to surrender and join us?" Xander says.

"Why the fuck would I do that?" I snarl.

"Because you are the rightful heir to the Da Luca family, they may not know who you are because you're under your mother's last name but if you tell them who you really are, I think a lot of Gio's men will jump ship and follow the true heir to Canada." I mull over Xander's words. I know they hold merit but if I come out of the shadows and admit to the world who I truly am, that means I would never be Knox Bronson again.

Stepping out of the car, I look around and take in the crowds of people strolling through the park, like it's just another ordinary day in their lives. I see them smile and take photos. I spot a family wrangling their three kids to try to capture the moment in a picture but the children refuse to stand still and just want to go off and play. I bet that family has thousands of photos, unlike mine. I never met my father until the night I killed him. My mother never had any photos or wanted to share any details about him with us, she claimed we were safer not having anything to do with him.

"Let's go," I bark as I make my way into the circus that is Central Park. Xander and Taylan flank me as we scour the area for one little girl who has started a fucking war. If Percy hadn't promised her to Gio I would have stayed out of her life like I said I would. Agreeing to that deal with River was the only thing that kept her safe from me. I guess it turns out even with me staying away she was never truly safe. Her father has lied to her and manipulated her for years. She has no idea how much danger she is truly in.

"Knox." I grind to a halt and turn to where Xander is pointing. My brows raise in surprise.

"This seems way too fucking easy," I grit out as I make my way toward the park bench where Lakeland sits under the shade of a tree. Me and the guys are on high alert. Either this is a trap or she really is fucking stupid. She should be hiding or at the very least running and not sitting in plain sight. I motion for Xander and Taylan to stand back and keep watch as I approach Lake, keeping my eyes peeled and remaining on high alert for anything out of the ordinary or anyone acting sketchy. At the sound of my approach, she doesn't look up or even make a move when I sit down beside her. She looks like a homeless person sitting here in my clothes with her hair in a tangled mess. I see the stains of her tears marking her cheeks.

"You were right," she says barely above a whisper. Narrowing my eyes, I debate if I should indulge her with an answer or drag her ass out of here. The decision is made for me when she continues, "I stopped by a local Pharmacy to see if they stocked the medication I have been taking for years."

I take in the way her shoulders are hunched and she keeps picking at the cuticles on her fingers. Intrigued by what she is saying, I reach out, grip her chin and force her gaze to mine. "What the fuck does that have to do with you thinking I am right about something?" My tone is hard and unyielding but she doesn't flinch, it's the sight of shame in her eyes that has unease crawling up my spine.

"The pharmacist had no idea what I was talking about. The labels on my medication said the names were Xanoral and Linoium. I could never pronounce the names correctly and thought that was the issue but when she handed me a pad and pen and I wrote them down, she still looked at me like I was nutcase. I explained to her what the pills looked like and how often I took them. She called a friend who said they had never heard of them either. It took the better part of an hour for four of us to figure out that the medication I was on wasn't legal." The bitterness that laces each of her words has me searching her eyes for the reason why.

"What did you find out?" I push. She inhales sharply as her eyes begin to harden when she looks up at me.

"My father was drugging me." This news has my brows raising and my teeth clenching. I knew he was a sick fuck after what he allowed to happen to River but this is sadistic.

"How?"

"The names, Xanoral is Xanax and Doral mixed together. Linoium is Librium, Klonopin and Valium mixed together. Percy had someone mixing these fucking medications. I took those fucking pills every day for the last six years!" She's getting hysterical now.

"What does mixing them together mean?"

Her eyes spark with anger. "Mixing them together and taking them daily makes them act as a memory suppressant." I recoil, dropping my hold on her chin as I stare down at her.

"What?" The amount of anger that laces that one word has her tensing and drawing back slightly. She darts her tongue out to moisten her lips in a nervous gesture.

"I think my sister was right. Percy was drugging me to keep me from remembering that night." I heard her words, I heard her speak them myself, but it's not sinking in. My mind won"t process what I very plainly just heard her say. If she lost her memories then that means she really can't remember who I am or what happened that night. The fact her own father continued to drug her means that something bigger is at play here, something I am not seeing and in my world, that shit can cost you your life if you aren't vigilant and a step ahead of your enemies. Feeling suddenly exposed, I grip her arm and pull her to her feet as I drag her back to the car with Xander and Taylan following after us.