Page 67 of Kings & Carnage

"What did you just say?" I asked.

She waved away my question. "It's what they do in our family when they're training soldiers for leadership. They cycle them through all the major holdings so they have a handle on the business operations at a high level.”

"You said RAA," I reminded her.

“That’s because all our holdings are funneled through shell companies," she said. "Come on, Willa. You know this. All the families do it.”

I felt like time had stopped. The noise in the cafeteria receded as the reality of what she was saying made its way through the shock echoing through my mind.

"You're saying RAA is one of the Irish family’s holding companies?" I asked.

"It's the one that owns most of our properties," she said. “There are others for finance and such. Is this really a surprise to you?”

I spent more hours than I could count poring over the binders from Dean Giordana's study. The names next to the cabins around Aventine — cabins like the one owned by Roberto Alinari — were burned into my memory.

Genarro.

Neon Corp.

Global LTD.

RAA.

I put down my fork and looked at Neo, who must've had some kind of instinct for big moments, because he was already staring at me.

I tried to keep my voice steady. "I need to talk to you alone."

Chapter32

Oscar

We flew up the snow-covered trail, the headlights of our snowmobiles cutting a path through the darkness. Ahead and behind us, I heard the whine of engines as the other houses made their way towards the quarry.

The pressure of Willa's arms around my waist, her thighs pressed against mine behind me, called forth the possessiveness I usually tried to ignore.

One word beat a rhythm through the noise of the snowmobiles.

Mine.

It wasn't true. A more accurate word would beours.

It didn't have quite the same ring to it. But I could live with it.

Up ahead, Neo eased off the gas, the snowmobile he was driving slowing as we approached the clearing at the top of the cliffs. Rock hadn't been thrilled about being his passenger, but he hadn't had much choice given his broken arm.

I slowed down and cruised to a stop next to Neo's snowmobile, satisfied by the fact that the guys we'd sent up to prepare the site had done their job. A clearing had been shoveled in our normal spot and a massive fire already raged in the center, sparks drifting upward into the dark winter night.

A crowd had already gathered, everybody bundled in winter clothes, some of them drinking from thermoses while others tipped flasks to their mouths.

No one was up for dragging coolers through the snow.

I cut the engine on the snowmobile and waited for Willa to climb off, then immediately missed the heat of her body against mine.

I couldn't fucking get enough of her. I didn't want to break the habit even though it was going to hurt like a motherfucker when she left.

I climbed off after her and turned to remove her helmet. She looked adorable bundled up in snow clothes, her hair tousled, and I pulled off one of my gloves to touch her face.

Her skin was cold against my warm palm and I rubbed my thumb along her full lower lip before kissing her.

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