The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

LACHLAN

I hadn't expectedto get called back into Gabe's office so soon. I spent the last day training with Saff, unable to shake the idea that I knew her. I couldn’t shake that pull. Every time I was near the woman, I had a really unhealthy desire to drink her deep.

That would get my arse kicked by Gabriel.

Ever since we’d almost kissed, I’d been unable to think about anything else. When I was led to Gabriel's office, he was standing and pacing by the window. I didn't bother to sit. Instead, I inspected the books on his bookshelves until he turned around. "Those were my father's. He read a lot."

"These are all first edition classics."

“You know your bindings," he mused.

“You could say that. Mother founded a whole library somewhere."

“Yes, I feel like I knew that about you."

"Which one was his favorite?"

His voice coming soft, Gabe whispered, "The Count of Monte Cristo."

There was a thread in my memory. Something familiar. Like that was someone else's favorite book, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. And honestly, I was too tired. “Did I fail the mission in some way?”

He shook his head. "On the contrary. You were the only recruit to even come close. Saint came in second, but he got an extra set of bonus points because he got both assets out. Tough nut to crack, that one."

I smiled. "He's a good bloke."

Gabe nodded. “You know Massimo Igno, is that correct?"

It wasn’t a name I’d heard in years. “Why?"

"He went to Eton with you?"

I nodded. "Oh, yeah. That's why the name is familiar. He was a couple of years ahead of me. Friends with my brother. What's the problem?"

"What were your interactions with him while at Eton?"

I shrugged. "Minimal. I was on the rugby pitch most of the time. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the upperclassmen. There were some legendary rumors about him and women, but I knew nothing else. Why?"

He walked over to his desk and clicked something, and when the screen popped up, Massimo was on the screen an older version of Massimo who I could only assume was his father. "This is the Igno family."

"All right. What is this?"

"This," Gabe muttered, “Is the mission."

My blood rushed at the word mission. "Are you shitting me? The Ignos?"

He shook his head. "No, I’m not. If you can pull off this mission, it will be something Oversight won't forget."

"What is the mission?"

"Massimo here has a new girlfriend. Usually, the Ignos stay off our radar. The old man has managed to amass a fortune in the criminal underworld. He’s well connected and untouchable."

The way he said it, I could tell there was bad blood with the old man. I frowned. "What do you need?"

“Intel. The whole Igno family is private. Notoriously so. But recently, Massimo proposed to the Spanish actress and model, Graciella Natanya, so he's been more visible. We haven't been able to get close to him for any reason. But we have word that he is taking Graciella to the Winston Isles for a two-week holiday."

"Okay."

“I'm sending you in for surveillance."