Beautiful Seduction

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.

“Risky. What if he surrounds the place?”

“His father and my father do have a certain amount of respect for each other. I’m going to put that to the test. Make certain there are several soldiers keeping watch on the club. If the man wants a war, allow him to bring it to us.”

“At the club.” He stared at me incredulously.

“Even Filip won’t start a war with innocent bystanders. His father won’t allow it.”

“You don’t know that.”

“They own four smaller clubs, their claim to fame. They know exactly what will happen if they dare attempt any violent uprising against me in my own club.”

“Whew. Your father will not approve.”

“My father isn’t in control any longer, Brando.” I lifted a single eyebrow, staring into his eyes. He was pushing boundaries given our friendship. That was becoming a problem. “This is your last warning not to cross me. If I’m forced to tell you again, I think you understand better than anyone else what will happen.”

The tension between us was palpable. This is what Cassidy had driven me to.

“Yes, boss,” he snapped, pulling away. “I was out of place. Do you want me to keep tabs on her?”

“Not necessary. I’m certain her family will have that under control.”

The knock on my door only pushed my mood further into the toilet. “Yes? Do as I commanded, Brando. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“Fine.”

I noticed my assistant standing in the doorway. She had a sense of urgency on her face, shifting from foot to foot. What the hell was wrong now? “Just do it. Then be prepared. We may be hunting tonight.”

He glanced over his shoulder, finally nodding. “Look, I don’t mean to challenge your authority, Valentin.”

“Then don’t. Next time could mean I carve my name into your chest as a reminder of who you work for.”

“Jesus Christ,” he said, glaring me in the eyes, “I get you deserve a personal life. We all do. I know you’re still grieving, but for God’s sake, be careful. You met that woman less than twenty-four hours ago, but you’re acting as if she’s more important than business. You’re playing with fire on this one.”

Careful. When the hell had I ever been careful? Fire was a tool that I’d used over the years. Now it threatened to consume me for an entirely different reason. “Noted. Let me know what you find.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“And send Casimine the invitation.”

As soon as he started walking out, Julie rushed in. “I’m sorry, sir, but there’s a detective here to see you and he’s fairly insistent.”

I laughed. It had been some time since I’d had a visit from a member of law enforcement at my office. What the heck? I was spoiling for a fucking argument. “Send him in.”

“Yes, sir.”

Even though we owned a good portion of the police department, there were always rogue detectives who believed they could undermine my family’s operations. As the man walked in, I smirked, studying his every move. Finnegan Walsh was the firstborn son of a prominent Irish family, his father the head of the buildings and trades council, and a constant thorn in my side. I glanced at the picture, fingering her face before shoving it into my desk drawer.