Bloodied Hands (Bellandi Crime Syndicate 1)

"Business is booming. I own several properties, restaurants, nightclubs. I do very well. Your niece will never want for anything." Matteo smiled, the edges fraying as he addressed my uncle. Knowing Matteo, he knew exactly who Adam was—knew what he'd done. He knew that Adam likely had a thorough understanding of whatever illegal dealings Matteo had, and I knew the two men were on opposite sides of the law. In Matteo's defense though, Adam had never truly operated within the realms of the law either.

How you went about saving lives was insignificant, as long as you did. That was his philosophy, and it always had been.

"What made you come visit?" I asked, turning a beaming smile Adam's way. "It's not like you to just drop in without planning." His lips crooked in a bemused smile, and he shook his head at me in the same way he did every time he told me I was too smart for my own good—too good at reading people to waste away in my own kitchen. He wanted me working for him, always had. Getting a feel on his potential clients. For the first time, I considered it.

I had a feeling I'd want to leave Chicago whenever Matteo decided he was done with me.

Too many memories.

"I had a case end sooner than planned. Figured I'd come surprise you all."

"Coincidentally, as soon as you could get away after I was involved in a robbery?" I smirked, and he grinned at me.

"Complete coincidence," he lied. "I would like to know what they have done about it. Have the police found them?"

My father snorted.

Ah that was where I got my refined behaviors from.

"I suspect you know more about that than us," Mom laughed.

"Wasn't asking you," my uncle said, turning raised brows to Matteo. I turned to face him too, watching as he lowered his Bordeaux to the table after a generous sip.

"It's been handled." He shrugged, and my father stilled at the table, taking it as further confirmation that Matteo was dangerous.

Mom looked to Adam like she expected him to protest, require information about how it had been handled. But Adam merely looked thoughtful for a moment, before turning his attention to the menu in fr

ont of him.

"Good," he murmured. "Good to see someone around here is at least capable of getting shit done." Mom's horrified eyes looked from me to Adam, finally stopping when my dad cleared his throat.

"I think I'll have the lasagna," he muttered, and the conversation ended there.

I turned to Matteo, panic coursing through me.

What the fuck did he mean it had been taken care of?

He shook his head, signaling me to hold my tongue for the moment.

For once, I listened.

I listened, and I guzzled more wine.

I didn't need alcohol. I needed to be shit-faced to deal with that hell of a dinner.

Eighteen

Sadie

My fingers hovered over the keypad on my phone.

Could I really do this to her?

The answer was easier than it should have been.

I could, and I would.

Ivory was far too stuck in her own little world to realize that she had two men on her hook. She couldn't just bury her head in the sand and pretend they didn't exist while she added another man to the mix.