Page 2 of Blood Money

“Nothing.” I fought to school my face. “I just…I still get a little dizzy when I walk around.”

“You should go lie down.”

“No, I’m fine. I want to stay here with you.”

“What did Mr. Kemp have to say?”

“Like I thought, he just wanted to check on me.” I hated lying to her, but I’d hate scaring her even more.

“He’s still going to hold your position?”

I took her hand in mine and squeezed it as I looked into her tear-filled eyes. “Everything’s going to be fine, Ava. I promise.”

Somehow it would be. I didn’t know how, but what mattered most to me was that Ava wasn’t left alone and that she got to finish school and have the start in life that she deserved.

1

VALENTINO

My father was scary as fuck. It was no wonder the new recruit who’d been sent to work with us was sweating as I led him to my father’s office. My own heart was beating much too fast. My father might have taken in me and my brother, despite only having our late mother’s word that we were his kids, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t take away everything he’d given us.

Tony, the unlucky man who had to pay a debt to my cousin Lucien for nearly starting a war with one of our worst enemies, ran a hand over his hair as I reached for the doorknob.

“Do exactly what you’re told, and you’ll survive,” I told him.

He nodded.

I opened the door, and we stepped into my father’s office. As usual the room was dark, keeping Dom’s scarred face in shadow.

Tony bowed to him, then waited to be addressed.

“I understand you’ve caused my nephew a lot of trouble.”

“Yes, sir. I’m here to make that up to the family.” I was impressed that Tony managed to keep his voice steady.

“You have a reputation as a hot head. Show that around me and you won’t have a head at all. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

It was hard to tell in the dim room, but it looked as if my father was assessing Tony.

“Are you as strong as you look?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then I suppose I can make use of you. Prove your skill and your loyalty, and you’ll survive as one of my men. Fail me and you won’t be here to make trouble for us again.”

Tony had lost all his color, and I watched a bead of sweat run down his face. My father had managed to unnerve Tony despite his much smaller stature and the way he hid in the shadows.

“Yes, sir,” he repeated once again.

“My other son Vito will give you an assignment. Expect a call from him within the hour.” He waved toward the door.

Tony bowed his head and turned to leave. I started to follow him, but my father stopped me. “Valentino, our new recruit doesn’t need any more babysitting. I have another assignment for you.”

“See yourself out,” I said to Tony. He hurried through the door, clearly grateful to be dismissed.

Most men were. Few people saw my father as anything but a monster. He was an assassin so prolific he’d been raised to mythic status. Even Vito and I often questioned whether he might snap at any second, no matter how generous he’d been to us. Would he go so far as killing us the way he had so many others? If we defied him, he might. At least family ties meant something to him, even though little else did at this point.

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