Underboss (With Me in Seattle Mafia 1)

“But the Tarenkovs don’t deal,” I say, shaking my head. “Nadia told me herself that drugs aren’t their game.”

“And I buy that,” Shane says, continuing. “Igor has always been adamant that their family isn’t into the drug game. But that doesn’t mean that Alex isn’t.”

“I need to ask Nadia—”

“Look, I know you’re in love with her. Jesus, it’s all over your face. But you need to tread carefully here,” Shane interrupts, turning to me. “Because I have reason to believe that she’s in on it with him.”

No. Absolutely not. Everything in me wants to rail at him in anger, punch him in the fucking face for even suggesting that the woman I love is connected to this.

But I don’t.

I wait.

Shane clicks more keys, and the photos on the monitor shift to ones of Nadia and Alex.

“These were taken just six months ago in Atlanta,” Shane says.

The two of them are walking down the street together, laughing.

“The Tarenkovs are based in Atlanta,” I remind him, but my gut is still in knots. Nadia hates her brother.

So why then is she in all of these photos with him, looking as close as two siblings can be?

“The point is, we don’t know, Carmine. She could be playing you. She could be double-crossing you.”

I remember what the goon in Cannes said: “She’ll just double-cross you, man. That’s what she does.”

Fuck, has Nadia been playing me this whole time? I’ve been falling in love with her, and she’s been playing me?

“Take me back.” I march toward the steps, my heart pounding. I need to get to Nadia. I need to look her in the eyes when I confront her about this. “Right now, Rocco.”

“We’re all going,” Shane says, shutting down the equipment in a rush and then running after us. “Goddamn it, slow down. I have to lock up.”

“This place is a fucking fortress. No one even knows it’s here.”

“I know,” he mutters before we all jog out to the waiting helicopter.

* * *

“I’m going in alone.” Rocco doesn’t even pull into the driveway, he just pulls up to the curb. “I’ll come to the office after I’m done confronting her.”

“Are you sure she’s here?” Shane asks.

“The car’s still in the drive,” I say with a nod. “She’s here. I’ll see you in a bit. Go see if you can find out where Alex is.”

Rocco drives away as I walk up to the house. Jesus, am I completely blind when it comes to Nadia? I didn’t go into this with the intention of falling in love with her. My guard was up, I was careful. Watchful.

I reach for the handle, but movement through the window in the door catches my eye, and I stop.

“Fuck me,” I whisper. Nadia is sitting on the couch, her back to me. And Alex, that son of a bitch, is pacing the living room, talking and gesturing with his hands.

Shane was right. The evidence is right here in front of me. Nadia didn’t expect me back for hours, so Alex came over, and they’re having a meeting in the house I’m paying for.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Shane.

“Yeah?”

“You need to come back here. Alex and Nadia are both here. I haven’t gone in yet. I want backup. I know how badass she can be.”

“On our way.”

I shove my phone back into my pocket and decide to walk around the house to get a better view. We’ll have to surprise them. Alex is weak and small, but Nadia is excellent at both hand-to-hand combat and with her weapon.

I ease my way around the opposite side of the room and peek my head around the window. Alex is standing in front of Nadia, his arms still flailing about.

And when he steps away, my blood turns to ice.

Nadia’s hands are tied in front of her. Both eyes are blackened. Her shirt is ripped, probably from a struggle, and there’s a gash in her shoulder with blood running down her chest.

The son of a bitch hurt her.

Nadia’s eyes roam away from her brother and meet mine. They widen in surprise for a moment, and then she recovers. She watches Alex, who’s still on a tirade, and then gives me a shake of the head.

It’s barely noticeable, in case Alex sees her, but it’s there.

She doesn’t want me to come in.

Well, she’s going to be very disappointed.

I hurry back around the house just in time to see my brothers hurrying up the driveway.

“He beat her up,” I say quickly and bring them both up to speed. “She’s not in on it, and he’s going to kill her.”

“No.” Rocco takes out his sidearm and disengages the safety. “He isn’t. How do you want to do this?”

“There are two entrances, aside from the garage.” I point to the front door and then gesture to the side of the house. “Both are within his line of sight, so when we go in, we go in firing. But you have to be careful. Nadia’s tied up on the couch.”