Read Online Fearless: Mob Boss Book Two (Volume 2) by Michelle St. James - Free Book Online
Authors: Michelle St. James
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She’d gotten access to her father’s office. Frank would either let something slip or he wouldn’t.
“Good, good,” he said. “You hungry? Want to grab some food?”
She shook her head. “I can’t. I have an appointment.”
He looked relieved. “I’m sorry to hear that. Next time then.”
“Sure.”
“I’ll walk you out,” he said, taking her elbow and propelling her out the door.
She waited until they hit the lobby to face him. “What’s going on with the Vitale family?”
A look of panic crossed Frank’s face before he recovered. It was all she needed to see.
“What do you mean?”
He was stalling for time, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t tell her anything, but now she was sure that he knew something about what was going on.
“I heard about Carmine,” she said.
He almost sighed with relief. Carmine’s murder had been splashed all over the news. Her knowledge of it didn’t imply any kind of contact or sympathy with Nico.
“I don’t know about that.” He looked around, then lowered his voice. “But we shouldn’t be talking about that kind of business here.”
She nodded.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked.
She met his watery gaze. “I think I have everything I need.”
He shuffled a little on his feet, like he was unnerved by her stare. “Glad to hear it. Just let me know if you think of anything.”
“I will.” She headed for the elevator, than remembered something and turned around to look at him. “Actually, there is one thing.”
He smiled. “Anything.”
“Make sure the security guards downstairs know I’m not a visitor. After all, I own this company now.”
11
Nico was still on edge when they landed in Miami later that day. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to stay in the cafe across the street while Angel went inside alone. He’d killed some time calling John Lando in LA, trying to feel him out for information about the uprising against him. But John had been distracted and unhelpful, and Nico couldn’t tell if it was because he really didn’t know anything, or because he was hiding something. Nico had spent the rest of the time watching the clock, more than willing to go in after Angel if she didn’t return in time.
But she had, safe and sound, and he’d been surprised by the resolute set of her spine, the stubborn lift of her chin. She even looked a little pissed. She hadn’t gotten anything but a piece of paper with a couple of words on it, but Frank’s reaction had made her almost certain he knew something about what was going on.
It wasn’t good news for Nico. It meant the conspiracy against him was probably bigger than one person, or at the very least, was being allowed by other members of the family. He revisited everything that had happened, wondering again if Carmine and Raneiro been right. Had Nico’s reorganization of the family proven too much for the old world mentality of the men who had been a part of it for generations? Was the added income too small an upside for business strategies that might have seemed soft to men who had made their living wielding power through brutality?
Or had he lost their respect when he’d spared Angel? When he’d revealed his weakness for her by keeping her safe and killing her father?
He knew there were people in the family who supported him, but they were young, mostly members of his own generation. He’d tried to pave the way for the older members to retire in comfort, but it was impossible to know if they’d left with their dignity intact. And then there were the others. Members of the family for whom age wasn’t an excuse.
Like Dante Santoro, who simply liked violence for the sake of it.
He looked down at Angel as they walked through the airport. She was as beautiful as ever in a sundress with slim straps, her hair falling in waves around her shoulders. He would kill without hesitation to protect her, and yet here she was, drawn back into the web of danger because
“Good, good,” he said. “You hungry? Want to grab some food?”
She shook her head. “I can’t. I have an appointment.”
He looked relieved. “I’m sorry to hear that. Next time then.”
“Sure.”
“I’ll walk you out,” he said, taking her elbow and propelling her out the door.
She waited until they hit the lobby to face him. “What’s going on with the Vitale family?”
A look of panic crossed Frank’s face before he recovered. It was all she needed to see.
“What do you mean?”
He was stalling for time, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t tell her anything, but now she was sure that he knew something about what was going on.
“I heard about Carmine,” she said.
He almost sighed with relief. Carmine’s murder had been splashed all over the news. Her knowledge of it didn’t imply any kind of contact or sympathy with Nico.
“I don’t know about that.” He looked around, then lowered his voice. “But we shouldn’t be talking about that kind of business here.”
She nodded.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked.
She met his watery gaze. “I think I have everything I need.”
He shuffled a little on his feet, like he was unnerved by her stare. “Glad to hear it. Just let me know if you think of anything.”
“I will.” She headed for the elevator, than remembered something and turned around to look at him. “Actually, there is one thing.”
He smiled. “Anything.”
“Make sure the security guards downstairs know I’m not a visitor. After all, I own this company now.”
11
Nico was still on edge when they landed in Miami later that day. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to stay in the cafe across the street while Angel went inside alone. He’d killed some time calling John Lando in LA, trying to feel him out for information about the uprising against him. But John had been distracted and unhelpful, and Nico couldn’t tell if it was because he really didn’t know anything, or because he was hiding something. Nico had spent the rest of the time watching the clock, more than willing to go in after Angel if she didn’t return in time.
But she had, safe and sound, and he’d been surprised by the resolute set of her spine, the stubborn lift of her chin. She even looked a little pissed. She hadn’t gotten anything but a piece of paper with a couple of words on it, but Frank’s reaction had made her almost certain he knew something about what was going on.
It wasn’t good news for Nico. It meant the conspiracy against him was probably bigger than one person, or at the very least, was being allowed by other members of the family. He revisited everything that had happened, wondering again if Carmine and Raneiro been right. Had Nico’s reorganization of the family proven too much for the old world mentality of the men who had been a part of it for generations? Was the added income too small an upside for business strategies that might have seemed soft to men who had made their living wielding power through brutality?
Or had he lost their respect when he’d spared Angel? When he’d revealed his weakness for her by keeping her safe and killing her father?
He knew there were people in the family who supported him, but they were young, mostly members of his own generation. He’d tried to pave the way for the older members to retire in comfort, but it was impossible to know if they’d left with their dignity intact. And then there were the others. Members of the family for whom age wasn’t an excuse.
Like Dante Santoro, who simply liked violence for the sake of it.
He looked down at Angel as they walked through the airport. She was as beautiful as ever in a sundress with slim straps, her hair falling in waves around her shoulders. He would kill without hesitation to protect her, and yet here she was, drawn back into the web of danger because
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