Ruthless Prince (Dark Syndicate 1)

“Knock yourself out.”

He chuckles, and I head out to go back upstairs to Emelia.

I get to the base of the stairs and stop when I see Candace. She packed a bag.

Nerves fill her expression when she sees me, and when I walk up to her, her breathing stills.

“What are you doing?” I ask, looking at the bag.

“I’m… leaving,” she replies nervously. “I thought I should leave. I know you won’t ask me to, so I’m taking the awkward decision out of your hands.”

“No,” I tell her before she can continue. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“Massimo, I… betrayed you. We both know if I were someone else, I’d be very dead. Manni’s alive because of me. You showed compassion because you knew what it would do to me. I really hurt you, and my actions could have resulted in much worse. I think I just need some time away. A break.”

She’s never been away from me.

“Where?”

“Well, knowing me, my anxiety will make sure I don’t go that far. I don’t really know where I’m going yet. I just think I need to get gone for a while.”

“For how long?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know. Good luck with everything. I saw you. The way you were with Emelia yesterday. You proved me wrong. Take care of her. She’s come to be a friend to me.”

She releases a little breath, stands on the tips of her toes, and plants a kiss on my cheek.

I watch her leave, knowing she’s right. We do need a break. I’ll worry about her, but maybe it’s best if she’s away from the shit that’s happening. I’ll send someone to watch over her, just to be sure.

I head to the bedroom. To Emelia. She’s sitting by the window, gazing out.

She gives me a little smile when she sees me, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Finding out the truth yesterday definitely took its toll on her.

He father proved that whether it was to me or Vlad, he was going to sell her anyway. Everything she knew was a lie. Everything she knew about her father was a lie.

We keep finding out more shit. I can’t help but feel there’s still more. There always is.

Not today though.

I walk over to her, pull the chair from the dresser and sit on it backwards.

“You alright?” I ask.

“No… but I’m trying to be.”

“I will protect you.”

“Thank you. I feel like I need more than just protection though. My world fell apart in one breath when I saw that contract. What’s happening now? I know you say you can’t tell me certain things, but I need to know.”

We always keep women out of business, but as I look at her, I feel I can’t honor that. She does need to know.

“Vlad is working with your father to bring down the syndicate. That was what Jacob was trying to warn us about. He didn’t know about your father though. He didn’t know the two were working together. I don’t know what happened after I let Jacob go at the church, but the other night, when I went out, I got the confirmation they were working together.”

Her face goes ghostly pale. God, this is what I mean about finding out more shit.

She gasps. “Oh my God. Massimo, do you think he had anything to do with Jacob’s death?”

I release a sharp sigh. “Emelia, I don’t know. I have no idea.” I won’t tell her I suspect it. I won’t tell her that I suspect big time now that maybe Jacob heard and saw too much again, and it got him killed. “What I do know is that I have to take precautions and protect what’s mine.”