Wicked Liar by Faith Summers
Chapter Forty-Four
Dominic
“That wraps it up, men. That’s what I call an honest day’s work,” Massimo declares.
“You can say that again,” Aiden says with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so tense in my life."
We just got back to the office for a final meeting. It’s just my brothers, me and Aiden. The Chicago crew made their way back home after we left San Pedro.
Everything is done. We took out the king and his men.
It's been a long fucking day, and I just want to get home to Candace.
"We just need to get Jacques now," Tristan states. "Then hopefully the threat will be over,”
“I hope so too,” I agree.
“I know the mission is accomplished and we can close this chapter, but I’d like to see what else is on Alfonse’s files," Aiden says. "Just to smooth things over and make sure there’s nothing more to worry about.”
“I agree, we should continue that together.” I chuckle and we shake hands on it.
“Okay, M.I.T boy.”
Massimo’s phone rings and he answers. When his brows knit together, I know something else has gone wrong.
“Candace, no, she hasn’t called,” Massimo says into the phone.
Those words are enough for me to yank my phone from my pocket and check for any missed calls from Candace. There’s nothing, so I call her phone and I’m met with her voicemail.
I hang up at the same time Massimo does.
“That was Emelia. She and Isabella took Candace out to lunch. She went to the bathroom half an hour ago and didn’t come back out. They can’t find her. The guards are looking around for her.”
“Fuck,” I rasp. “She wouldn’t have just left. She wouldn’t.”
They all look at me as I ball my fists.
I’m about to rush through the door when my phone rings. I whip it out again and my fucking heart stops beating when I see that good old unrecognized number.
I don’t waste time mentally bitching about how I hate calls like these. I answer.
It’s strange, I almost knew who it was going to be before he started speaking.
“Dominic D’Agostino,” Jacques says. “I believe it’s time we do business my way. The beautifully sexy Candace Ricci is in my hands. I’m going to offer you a chance to get her back.”
“You motherfucking dog,” I growl. “Give her back.”
“I don’t know who you think you are, but you aren’t telling me what to do. Wonderful stunt you pulled off today, but it lost me everything. I talk to you because of what she means to you. She is leverage to me, and the only thing I wanted more than a taste of her pussy was the power of the Syndicate. Things would have been fine and I would have had it if you hadn’t come home and shit on everything my father and I put together.”
“Father?”
“Yes, asshole. James Astley was my real father. Richard Fenmoir was a name he used for business. You people killed him. He promised me a lot, and I still want it. Here’s what you’re going to do. You can talk to your fearsome leader and let him know I want the Syndicate. I want it. You will make sure I get what I want or Candace dies. Meet me on the roof of warehouse seventy at six with your answer and we’ll make the exchange.”
He hangs up and all I can do is look at Massimo and Tristan, then at Aiden. I can’t believe after everything we’ve gone through this happened.
“Jacques has Candace. He wants you to sign over the Syndicate.” It always fucking comes back to that, and now it’s a question of what’s worth more. Candace or the Syndicate.
I have my answer, but the fucking Syndicate isn’t mine to sacrifice.
Massimo grits his teeth picks up one of the paperweights on the desk and lunges it at the wall.
It smashes.
“It’s not fucking over,” he snarls.
I stare back at him, and he looks around the office. I don’t have anything to give but no way am I going to allow Jacques to take my girl without a fight. I’ll die tonight if I must, but I’m not letting him get away with this.
I take one step toward the door and a hand clamps down on my arm yanking me backwards. It’s Massimo.
“Dominic where are you going?”
“Where the fuck do you think?”
“You seriously think I’m going to choose the Syndicate over Candace?” He raises his brows so high I think they might disappear into his hairline.
“I hope not.”
“Do not offend me with shit like that. Where do we need to meet him?”
“Six o’clock on top of warehouse seventy.”
“Then that’s where we’ll meet him. Anybody want to fight me, do so, or join me.” He looks to Aiden and Tristan.
Both move when he does toward the door.
