Big Bad Wolf by Diana A. Hicks
The Celtic Cross Pendant
Santino
Manhattan, New York
I turned the silver ring on my finger and rubbed the wolf’s head engraved on it—a family heirloom of sorts, a gift from Dad the night I had my first kill. I rapped it against the handrail. Standing at the entrance of the VIP loft, near the grand staircase, I let my gaze linger on the betting tables below me. How Rex put up with this club scene, day in and day out, was beyond me. All the people down there in their fancy garb and drinking expensive wine were exhausting to me.
This was Rex’s M.O. I was good at hunting people down. He was good at keeping secrets, their secrets. He kept them all here, hooked on gambling, booze, and sex, so he could manipulate them into doing whatever the fuck he wanted. All in all, I’d say he was a good king for the Society.
I scanned the crowd below me. Of course, I wasn’t expecting her to be here. Red—the woman who slammed into me at the airport. I didn’t get a chance to ask her name, so I gave her one that made me think of her fiery red hair. Since the night I flew in from Chicago, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The resignation in her eyes disarmed me. I’d punished plenty of assholes in my time. There was always a point during our interview, right before they broke and started talking, when a glint of surrender would flash in their eyes. That was always my cue to push a tad more to get exactly what I wanted.
Red had the look and the scent of someone who had already surrendered. What happened to her? She was too young to have already given up. The illogical part of me wanted to see her again. That same part wanted to show her that there were still a few things in this life worth living for. Without a doubt, that same illogical part would be the part that could destroy her. Someone as innocent as Red didn’t belong in my world.
For whatever stupid reason, my pulse spiked when I spotted a redhead sitting at the bar. I leaned closer to the banister to get a better look. Her long legs and graceful fingers caught my attention. Those features were seared into my mind’s eye. As if sensing my eyes on her, the woman at the bar tensed then shifted her weight to face me. With a knowing smile, she slid off her seat and ambled toward the stairwell that led up to the VIP loft. When she reached the bottom step, the bouncer glanced up at me. She wasn’t Red. She wasn’t the woman from the airport. Disappointment washed over me, and I shook my head no. He immediately stepped in and sent her away.
“How’s your dad?” Rex appeared out of nowhere, patted me on the shoulder, then braced both his hands on the handrail, watching over his flock.
“He went home last night.” I blinked a few times to bring his features into focus. “The old man is not going anywhere. If that’s what you were worried about.”
“I want you to unseat him already.” Every move Rex made was calculated.
To him, people were at his disposal, no more than chess pieces to use as he pleased. The problem was, whether I liked it or not, I was an integral piece on his board. He wanted me to step up as Don and take my seat at the table as Don Buratti because Dad was a liability to the Society. His heart condition was the least of his health concerns. The dementia could get us all killed.
“Half the time he doesn’t know what year we’re in. He wants to shoot everything that moves, Al Capone style.” His tone was cool and casual.
“Do you mean unseat or kill?”
“He’s making it easy for you.”
“Right. We’re back to the marriage thing.” I rested both forearms on the rail and formed a steeple with my hands. “The answer’s still hell no.”
When he didn’t come back with the usual retort, I turned to face him again. I followed his line of sight to the woman at one of the poker tables. She wore a backless dress that offered a full view of her smooth back and a tiny bit of the curve of her waist. Next to me, Rex released a breath.
“You know, I was thinking maybe I should throw my name in the hat for the king position.” Such a thing wasn’t possible, but I knew his attention had shifted to Caterina Alfera, the woman who almost got him killed last year. As a reward, he had married her. “Still thinking with your dick, I see.” I gave him a hard pat on the back.
“Fuck off.” He adjusted his jacket, his gaze never leaving his wife.
“Your obsession for her should’ve killed you.”
“But it didn’t.” He smiled in her direction. It was there only for a second. If I hadn’t been studying his profile, I would’ve missed it. He shifted his weight, then turned to me, apparently satisfied now that Caterina was making her way toward us. “I hear my message wasn’t well-received in Chicago.”
“That’s one way to put it.” I shrugged. “I gave them their first and only warning. They seem to think they no longer answer to the Society.”
“We’ll have to remedy that.”
“Yes, we do. How are we going to do that? You’re the mastermind here. I’m just your puppet. Do make it something not diplomatic, though.”
“Agreed. We’re past that point with that lot.”
I cocked my head to make eye contact with Caterina. I adjusted my cufflinks and flashed her my most charming smile. “Caterina, half the men in this room can’t stop staring at you. You look more beautiful than I remember.”
She chuckled at my cheesy flattery, shaking her head. When I made to bring her in for a hug, Rex put out his hand. “They can look all they want, as long as they keep their distance. That includes you.”
I put my palms up in mock surrender—finally, some good entertainment to keep me busy. “Does she get to speak?”
“Enough.” Caterina wedged herself between Rex and me and offered me her hand. “Good to see you, Santino. I called the hospital this morning. They said your dad had gone home. He gave us quite a scare.”
“I don’t think Rex was that worried.” I shrugged.
Rex leveled me with one of his glares. For whatever reason, he cared if Caterina saw him as the monster he was. We were all monsters here. I was certain she knew that. But he liked to pretend. For her.
“Of course, he was worried.” She pressed her delicate fingers on his chest.
His features softened, and he wrapped a possessive arm around her waist. “The old man wants to step down, but Santino won’t meet him halfway.”
“Are you telling on me now?” I furrowed my brows at him.
“I already knew.” She beamed at me. “What about Donata? She’s smart and beautiful.”
“And would possibly kill me in my sleep. Pass.” I turned my attention to the room below us, still scanning for redheads.
“This is new.” She pointed at the Celtic cross pendant hanging from my neck.
“It’s Irish.”
“I know.” She cocked her eyebrow. “We’re not Irish. Where did you get it?”
“I stole it.” A crime of opportunity, really. The piece of jewelry slid out of Red’s purse when she dropped it. I couldn’t resist taking it.
“Why?” she asked.
“I don’t know. A memento, I suppose.” I yanked at the silver chain and the pendant fell into my palm. I lifted it up and let it spin a few times.
“Tell me you didn’t do anything stupid in Chicago, like mess with the Irish? We’re on the brink of war as it is.” Rex stepped closer with his usual lethal stare.
What was he going to do? Make me return it to its rightful owner? I would love nothing more. “This has nothing to do with your war.” I switched my gaze to meet Caterina’s.
Here was a woman who was ready to fight for her family. The glint in her eyes was all strength and something feral—a basic instinct to protect her own. Even now, she stood next to Rex as if ready to jump in front of a bullet for him. What would make Caterina lose that desire and give up on life? What the hell happened to Red? Or who happened to her? The idea of anyone inflicting pain on her soft skin made me want to punch a wall. No fucking idea why.
“One of your victims?” Caterina’s playful tone told me she thought I had slept with the owner of the pendant.
No, I hadn’t slept with the woman from the airport. But Caterina’s intuition wasn’t that far off. Without meaning to, I had developed an obsession for the redhead with sad eyes and plump lips. I had vivid dreams of Red’s slim fingers gripping my suit coat and yanking it off my shoulders. The next image quickly had her naked and brushing her long curls over my cock. I’d had plenty of time to conjure several scenarios in my head.
“Not a victim yet.” I captured the pendant tightly in my grip. “I have to find her first.”
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