Bratva Sinner (A Possessive Mafia Romance)

“We can use it.” I pointed at the dossier. “You want to pretend to sell it and lure the Lionettis out into the open, right? But instead of doing that, why don’t we actually use what’s in there?”

He frowned at me, head tilted to the side. “You mean blackmail someone in here.” He waved the dossier in the air.

“Exactly. Imagine what we could do with all that stuff.” I started pacing again, unable to contain my excited energy. “The guys in there deserve it too. I mean, they’re supposed to be leaders, and instead they’re busy fucking prostitutes. Half of them are wearing a wedding ring, and I bet the other half took it off.”

He studied me for a long moment. “You’re pretty keyed up.”

“Damn right I am. These guys all probably think they’re invincible, but imagine what we could do to them? We could ruin them all if we wanted, or we could make them do something good for once in their life.”

“What sort of good do you want to do?” He reached into the dossier and took out the top picture. It was that guy with the acorn birthmark. “This man right here, he’s a developer. All he does is buy shit and build.”

“We could make him, I don’t know, donate money to the children’s hospital.”

He snorted. “I’m sure he does that already.”

“We could make him do something to hurt the Lionettis.”

That got his attention. He frowned at me, then down at the photo. “Like what?” he asked slowly.

“I don’t know, that’s not really my thing. I mean, I don’t know how any of this works. But he’s in their file for a reason, right? Why are we assuming they’re not already blackmailing him into working with them?”

I saw it dawn on him slowly, the same thing I realized in the back yard.

Of course the Lionettis were blackmailing these people.

Why would they go to all that trouble to gather up this evidence and then not use it? As some sort of insurance policy? That seemed pretty tame for a gang of violent criminals.

They were using it. Of course they were using it, half the men in that folder were worth blackmailing.

“You think all these guys are working for the Lionettis?” He said it with a touch of awe and fear. “Honestly, Cara, that would explain a lot. The Lionettis seem to get away with things the rest of the families never do.”

“They’re blackmailing judges, cops, and politicians. Obviously, they’re getting away with it.” I walked up to him and tapped my finger against the dossier’s cover. “But now we have this and it’s our chance to get a piece of that action.”

He stared at me like I was crazy then burst out laughing. He tossed the dossier down onto the table then wrapped his arms around me. I grinned as he pulled me against him and held me tight.

“You realize how dangerous this idea is, don’t you?”

“Of course. But hey, if the Lionettis could do it, then why not us?” I stood up on my toes and kissed his chin. “Imagine what we could do if we tried.”

“You’re crazy and I love it.” He kissed me deeper and slow. “I think I have an idea. That developer guy, I’m betting I know why he’s involved with the Lionettis. How about we pay him a visit and ask some questions?”

“I would like that very much.” I tilted my head. “Are you going to tell me how smart I am?”

“You’re a devious little genius.” He released me and grabbed his beer, holding it in the air. “To your brilliant, twisted mind.”

I gave him a little bow. “Thank you, thank you. My only concern is that they’ll go to the Lionettis and make things harder for us.”

“At this point, I’m not sure it matters. They already know we have the file, so what are they going to do? Be even more pissed off? Can’t get even angrier than they are already.”

“Fair point.” I sat down at the table heavily. Exhaustion moved over me suddenly as my energy slowly sapped away. I told him my idea and now that it was out in the air and moving forward, I didn’t have the excitement of it to sustain me anymore.

He sat down across from me. “Want to hear something funny?”

“Absolutely.”

“Franklin pulled off that job.” His grin spread wide.

“You’re kidding me.” I gaped at him then laughed. “I thought he got shot or something.”

“Apparently, those were warnings and it went off without a hitch. He called me earlier saying he came into some cash and was willing to cut a deal.”

“What a snake.”

“I know.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I told him I’d think about it, so I’m guessing we’ve got a day or two before the whole city knows what we’re about.”

“How do you want to make this all happen?” I leaned toward him and reached out my hand.