“Leave her alone, Mom.” Josh grinned at me from the doorway of the kitchen.

  “Speaking of the cop,” I teased.

  “Detective first grade, thank you,” Josh said, his eyes twinkling as he laughed. He’d wanted to be a cop from the time I could remember. While he’d been promoted at least three years before, I couldn’t help but to tease him.

  “You were always on her side,” my mother said, acting as if she was exasperated. I knew better. Josh had her wrapped around his little finger and always had.

  “Mom was ready to send out a search party for you.” Josh lifted me off my feet. He’d been my champion, arguing with our father about the career I’d chosen. It had always been assumed I’d become a doctor or God forbid an attorney. At least my second oldest brother had accepted the position of doctor instead of me, eliminating some of the pressure.

  My thoughts drifted to Valentin like they had far too many times over the past few hours. I was even wearing the lingerie he’d purchased for me.

  “Where’s the graduating senior?” I asked as I pushed Josh away, feeling the old familiar creep of embarrassment crowding my cheeks.

  “His usual. Playing football.” Josh grinned, winking at me as he nodded toward the outside door. “He has more reason to hone his skills now, so what the heck?”

  “Oh, my God. He got a scholarship?” I asked, ready to jump out of my skin.

  “Ohio State University, baby!”

  “That’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you guys.” I’d never seen my brother this excited. I waved to the rest of the family, pulling on Josh’s arm to keep him back for a few minutes. I was an investigative reporter. My mind was still fuzzy from the night before and I needed a clear reason to stay away from Valentin.

  “Yeah, he worked hard. Even managed to pull his grades up. I’m proud of him. You okay? You seem out of sorts.”

  Sighing, I studied the backyard. My parents had moved there after I was a teenager, but I’d always imagined growing up with a huge backyard, a swing set just like the one my father purchased for the grandkids. “I’m fine. Just working a lot.”

  “And Molly?”

  “Mischievous as usual.”

  “You didn’t bring her,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

  How could I tell him that I’d sent her to stay in a place that was safe just in case the threats were real? I could barely stomach what I’d been forced to do. That wasn’t any kind of life. “I’m here for a little more than a day. Maybe I wanted a little time alone.”

  Chuckling, he shook his head. “Now that I understand. By the way, I heard what you said to Mom. Is everything really okay?”

  “Stop worrying. I can take care of myself. I do have a couple of questions.”

  “Okay, shoot.” He eyed me warily.

  “What do you know about the Vincheti family?”

  Josh cocked his head, giving me his brotherly look. “Why in God’s name are you asking?”

  “Just curious.”

  “You forget I know you, sis. When you put your mind to something, it usually gets you in all kinds of trouble.”

  “Very funny.”

  “I’m serious. That’s how you ended up with that asshole.”

  “Don’t say his name. Don’t do it.” My ex had hidden his demons, finally losing his life to a crack addiction after cleaning out our bank account. That had left me limited choices and I’d refused to come crawling home.

  He chuckled, sliding his hands into his pockets. “What do you want to know?”

  “The eclairs I bought. I know the family owns the restaurant. She acted as if I’d walked into a den of vipers in doing so.”

  “Well, ordinarily I wouldn’t put much stock into what Mom is worried about because of how she is, but they’re bad news on every front. They control almost one half of the city while the Bratva hold the other. Even if the other crime families worked together, they wouldn’t have the kind of power and influence the Vinchetis do. Pops has been beating them down for years and it hasn’t mattered. They’re organized, have more money than common sense, and use blackmail as their main weapon, but not always. However, the restaurant is what some call a safe zone.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  He laughed, rubbing his jaw. “It means the location is used for various deals, other notorious groups using the facility as well as the family. I don’t know why the Vinchetis provide such a place, but it helps keep the peace, or so Pops had told me more than once. It’s been raided a single time and there was nothing there. Clean as a whistle, run by one of the nephews, but it’s the brainchild and baby of Martina Vincheti’s mother. They call her Mama Lucia.”

  “You seem to know an awful lot about the family.”

  My brother issued another laugh, only the sound was far less jovial. “Yeah, well, I found out the hard way not to mess with the people having dinner.” Only when I appeared confused did he continue. “I arrested a con artist inside the place when I was first made detective. I got the wrath of God from my captain.”

  “Wow. Even the police are under their thumb.” I hadn’t realized just how powerful they were. I’d only been able to spend a short amount of time doing any research on the ride over, but I’d found enough to pique my interest.

  “It’s called helping keep the blood off city streets, Cassidy. Don’t tell me you’re suddenly preparing a news report on them. Aren’t you satisfied with taking down a notorious Chicago crime family?”

  Taking them down was a strong phrase. I’d had nothing to do with leaking the information Lazor Adamos had mentioned in my notes. Someone else in the station had. That was the reason I was being threatened. I knew it. A cold shiver trickled down my spine, the attack from the night before looming in the back of my mind.

  “Just leave it alone. Okay? I’m just curious about the Vinchetis.”

  I could tell my brother was playing the cop at this point. He knew me better than almost anyone. I refused to get anyone in the family worried about my stupidity. Maybe that was foolish. I thought about the phone number I’d programmed into my phone, the opportunity that had presented itself only three days before I’d left Chicago. The job of a lifetime. A possibility to work on the Today Show.

  I’d turned down the interview but had kept the number. My sudden possible good fortune was all because of the goddamn interview I’d done with Lazor Adamos.

  “I have a feeling you’re playing with fire and I’m going to give you my honest opinion. Let it alone. If they get whiff of who you are, especially given who our pops is, you’ll disappear. I don’t know for certain if there’s anything active going on and maybe I don’t want to know. It’s more likely there’s an issue with one of the families out of Chicago stepping foot on their territory here.”

  “It’s my job, Josh.”

  “Self-appointed from what I understand.”

  He was right, at least in the beginning, but I’d proven myself to be a damn good crime reporter, making a name for myself. Hence the threats, stupid girl. “Not any longer, big brother. I even won an award recently. I’m just trying to put a few pieces together. The Irish and the Poles run Chicago for the most part. I don’t think the Irish want to tackle the unions.”

  “You’re too smart for your own good. No, they wouldn’t, but the Polish mob isn’t as aggressive here, although I heard rumors they took out some of the Italians recently. If that’s the truth, the Vinchetis will be on the warpath. Even if the Poles are considering combining forces, I’m not certain it will have much if any effect. However, that’s not my area of expertise. Just watch yourself. The Vinchetis are dangerous. People disappear around them.”

  I shuddered from the thought. Valentin definitely had two sides. I wondered how often they collided together. “Duly noted. Just curious.”

  “As I said, I know you. Try not to get yourself into any trouble while you’re here. I’d hate to skulk into whatever precinct in the middle of the night trying to make certain Mom and Dad don’t find out about an indiscretion.”

  I punched him playfully in the stomach. “You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you? I was fifteen.”

  “Not a chance in hell and you were old enough to know better. Come on. It’s a party.”

  I hung back, chewing on my inner lip. Why did I have the feeling I wasn’t done with having Valentin interrupting my life?

  Even more important: why didn’t that bother me?

  Valentin

  “We need to talk, Valentin,” Brando said as he closed the door to my office. I could tell by the concerned look on his face that whatever he’d discovered about Cassidy would disturb me. In his hand was an iPad, which meant he’d found a photograph of some kind.

  “What is it?” A part of me didn’t want to learn the truth about her, although it was necessary. I’d enjoyed pretending to be someone else if only for a short while.

  “Just look.” After a few seconds, he turned the iPad in my direction.

  The lovely face staring back at me was Cassidy. She stood with a microphone in her hand, standing in front of a courthouse. The wind was lightly blowing her long strands of hair in her face, the bright sun casting a shimmer across her porcelain skin.

  He turned the sound up, forcing me to face the obvious.

  “While the Adamos family has held Chicago in the palm of their hand for years, strangling the economy with their vicious crimes, it would seem that today, justice might prevail.”

  The voice was the same, her tone exactly as it had been the moment I’d walked out of the kitchen the night before.

  Defiant.

  Angry.

  Confident.

  He allowed the newscast to continue for another full minute before shutting it off. “Is that her?”

  After casually giving it a quick glance, I sighed. Whatever he was going to tell me would only add to the difficult situation. “Yes. That’s Cassidy.”

  “She’s one hot mama, Valentin.”

  I bristled, snarling as I threw him a harsh look.

  “What I mean is, she’s on the number three rated local news program in the entire United States. I checked her out extensively. There’s talk this chick will be sent to the networks in a matter of months. She’s gritty, doing a lot of her own investigative work. Somehow, she got close to the Poles. She even scored a goddamn interview with Lazor Adamos, which was used against him later. That takes balls. He lost a son and his second in command in a recent assassination, which might be the reason for the interview, but it still shocks me.”

  Lazor Adamos. Casimine’s brother, who was reported to be more of a pig than Casimine. “Yes. It also places a target on her head.” I moved toward the window, absorbing the information.

  “No shittin’ me. I’m surprised that woman isn’t dead by now. You know that can’t be a fucking coincidence that she ended up here while the fuckers are threatening us.”

  “A possibility.”

  “Come on, Valentin. She came to La Travitorria on purpose. You should do something about it.”

  “You need to stay in your lane, Brando.”

  I stood staring out at the New York skyline, trying to guess what the hell Casimine was up to, especially if Lazor was involved. At this point, I didn’t like what either of them was planning. There were rumblings that the Chicago Poles were attempting to merge their territory, but I’d heard that years before and it had proven to be false. While that should surprise me about Casimine and his penchant for control, the Don of the Chicago brood offered extensive power as well as connections. Together, they could be a force to be reckoned with.

  And blood was definitely thicker than water.

  “I’m sorry, okay. But you asked me to find out about her. There’s something else you need to know.”

  “Meaning what?” I asked, slowly turning to face him.

  “Meaning I was right. She is the only daughter of Police Commissioner Worthington. The man who has been yanking our chain for years?” He studied me intently, waiting for my reaction, sighing when I didn’t respond quickly. “At least she didn’t lie about arriving in town. Her plane was late. What do you want me to do about her? I’ll handle everything.”

  While I wasn’t prone to emotional explosions of any kind, he knew I’d been more on edge lately. At my father’s insistence, we’d removed the selling of narcotics from our business, concentrating on the casinos already in operation, online gaming, and other even more lucrative ventures I’d undertaken with the development deals over the years. We’d even made Mama Lucia’s restaurant a haven, a place of peace. That also allowed us to keep watch on what was going on in our city.

  Even amongst other criminal organizations.

  The benefit had been real, although there’d been added tension over the past few months. We had a tentative agreement with the Bratva, who had a firm hold in place, but the other crime families were always vying for another piece of the pie. It was just a matter of time until one or more attempted to move in with force.

  Exhaling, I closed my eyes briefly. It was impossible to get her out of my mind for more than a few minutes. While my instinct about her had been correct, I wasn’t ready to make a decision that would alter the rest of her life.

  As well as mine.

  When I didn’t answer, he snorted, rattling off more data. “She started out as a typical crime reporter, at least from what I can tell. Small shit. Now she reports on some pretty heady shit about the local mafia organizations. You know she’s pissed off more than just the fuckin’ Poles.”

  What fascinated me was that finding out about her profession didn’t shock me, nor did it infuse my vision with red, my need for blood increasing. No wonder she hadn’t provided her real identity.

  “I don’t think you need to be so alarmed, Brando, although I am curious if the reason she gave for her trip is the truth,” I said more to myself than my second.

  “She’s not on assignment, if that’s what you mean. Still, she’s bad news. There’s nothing official on the street about her, but she doesn’t pull any punches. That might not mean anything in New York, but if she really had something to do with Lazor’s second in command being arrested, additional charges pending, then they want blood. Maybe she found out about their plans. God help her if that’s the case.”

  “Yes, God help her.” I looked away, pacing the floor. Even if she had no plans on creating a scathing report while in town, her presence could set off more than a few red flags. The fact she’d been attacked meant she was being watched. It also meant there was a possibility that we’d been seen together. Her image flushed my mind of all rational thoughts, my cock twitching.

  “At minimum you need to question her.”

  “It would seem you continue to forget your place, Brando.”

  “Maybe because I give a damn about your family.”

  My family. I found his words curious.

  A low growl erupted from my chest, and I fisted my hand, trying to pull my mind out of the filthy locations it remained. “I’ll handle the woman, Brando. That’ll give you time to learn your place. However, I won’t change the course of my business practices based on an interesting fact.”

  “An interesting fact? Why do I have a feeling this girl means more to you than just finding out why the dirtbag tried to kill her?”

  “I find her… fascinating.” He was the one person who could get away with challenging me, but for some reason even his mild condemnation pissed me off.

  “Why does that make me nervous?”

  I rubbed my jaw as I thought about how to handle the information. Was it entirely coincidental that she’d shown up on my doorstep late at night? If she was the one who had a target on her back, the man sent to kill her had either followed her from the airport or she’d made the mistake of doing some undercover reporting while in town for her family celebration. What I knew about the Poles was that they refused to stop until their target was dead. “Keep searching. I want to know everything the Adamos family is doing, and I do mean everything.”

  “So you’re going to leave her alone.” He dropped the photograph of her he’d copied on my desk, shaking his head.

  I stared into his eyes, trying to keep my anger from presenting itself like a fire-eating dragon. The dark cravings I had extended beyond all common sense, but the bold intensity of my longing transcended business. “That sounded like an order, Brando. I certainly hope I’m wrong.”

  He walked closer, planting his hands on my desk. “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “I suggest you change your tone.”

  “She could ruin you.”

  “She’s a woman. Nothing more.”

  “That’s bullshit. Even if you won’t admit it, I certain as fuck will.” Brando’s voice had risen.

  I walked around my desk, prepared to snap my hand around his neck. He stood up straight, feeling the full three inches of my additional height, his face strained. “Who I fuck is of no concern to anyone.”

  “This isn’t about fucking, Valentin. I’ve never seen you this way. You need to stop thinking with your dick.”

  The hard punch I gave him sent him reeling back by several feet. He slapped his hand across his jaw, throwing a nasty glare in my direction. “I’ll be damned. You’ve already fallen for this girl.”

  I shook my head, loathing I’d lost my temper, but no one was going to challenge me. No one. “As I said, find out more about the Poles. I need to make a statement.”

  “I’ll see what I can find. A statement?” He continued to rub his face, shifting his jaw back and forth.

  “Send a message to Casimine that I request a meeting at Club Raven tonight.”

  He snorted then his eyes opened wide. “You couldn’t care less about Casimine. You’re trying to draw Filip out into the open.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. It’s time to deal with this head on.” Filip was a cautious man, more so than any other member of his family. He stayed in certain boundaries, protected to the point he was almost unreachable. The man had a God complex, but he was also lured by the thought of garnering power.