Theo stalked toward me, backing me against the wall and caging me in with a hand next to either side of my head. His voice was a fierce growl, the edge barely restrained. “Like fucking hell you will.”
There was a sick thrill that traveled through me, arousal soaking my panties even as I tried to ignore my reaction to him.
“Then talk to me,” I demanded.
He inhaled slowly, softening his expression. “In the late nineties, parts of the American Mafia began to change. Some held strong to old school customs and traditions, and those are the same guys still getting arrested. My dad had already began making changes during his time as boss. I took over around the same time Amaric was growing successful. This allowed me to change things further.”
My mind raced as I tried to take it all in. “But it’s not all legal?”
Theo shook his head. “Far from it.”
I thought back to any of the mobster movies I’d seen. “Drugs?”
“No.”
“Women?”
His head jerked back like I’d slapped him. “No.”
“How do you steal? What do you do?”
Who are you?
“I own a number of buildings,” he said, “and use the abandoned ones for illegal fighting. I’m not usually directly involved in the fights, but I get a cut of it.”
That doesn’t sound too bad.
“Usually?” I pushed.
“Occasionally, I need to step in. A fighter who’s upset, an investor who is being difficult, or a manager who isn’t doing his job. Things like that.”
I could live with that. In fact, it was more exciting than not.
Which was how I knew there had to be more.
Crossing my arms in the limited space between us, I demanded, “What else?”
“Around half the businesses in Boston and the outlying areas pay me for protection. It’s a much smaller percent down in New York City where I have a capo and crew, but it’s growing.”
“How many people do you have working for you?”
“Including everything? A few hundred. More if you count the businesses I have control over right now.”
I drew on my movie memory. “Do you… force the businesses to pay you?”
He laughed, the sound bitter and painful. “Who do you think I am, Dahlia?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted on a whisper.
“There’s no reason to force anyone. The world is a fucked up place and crime is everywhere. If someone doesn’t want to pay, I withdraw the services. It’s only a matter of time until someone else, completely unrelated to me, makes them realize they’d made a mistake. And if not, there are plenty of other people who want my protection.”
Feeling numb, I tried my best to focus on his answers and not let my mind run wild. “And Senator Larson fits in how?”
“Larson was a bored sociopath with money and power. He was a thrill seeker who was reckless. A dangerous combination. When I told him he couldn’t work with me, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He began interfering with fights and drawing too much attention.”
“But that’s not reason enough to…” Guilt landed on my shoulders, twisting in my belly like a vice.
“It was. Having hundreds of people under me means they’re my responsibility. If I’d let him drag me down, I’d have pulled all of them with me. He had plenty of warnings, but he pushed.” His eyes narrowed. “And then he brought you into it.”