Page 39 of Mafia Don's Twisted Proposal
Kozlov, that sick fuck, following through on his promise to send Will back piece by piece.
Each delivery made me more furious, which was exactly what he wanted. Maybe he was hoping I’d make a reckless mistake. Maybe he just got off on fucking with me.
Either way, he’d crossed a line.
“Where?”
“They dumped what was left just outside the hotel.”
“Here?” I’m on my feet before I realize I’ve moved, voice booming off the office walls.
“Yeah, the bastard’s got steel balls. Lucky for us, Matteo spotted it and covered the body before anyone else saw it and called the cops.”
“Give him a bonus. He saved us a world of trouble.”
I’ve got members of the police force on my payroll, but so does Kozlov. Can’t be sure which cops belong to whom, and if the wrong officer had responded to a body dump at my hotel, I’d be facing a shitstorm of epic proportions.
“What do you want to do?” Dario asks, though he already knows the answer. He knows me well enough to see the murder in my eyes.
“They crossed the line when they started dumping body parts at my legitimate businesses. Time to show them how fucking annoying that can be.”
Dario’s grin is sharp as a blade. “How?”
“Take a couple men to Volga Vista tonight. Late. Burn it to the ground.”
I don’t like sending my people into Bratva territory unless absolutely necessary, but sometimes hard decisions come with the job. Volga Vista is one of their most successful legitimate fronts—a high-end Russian restaurant that brings in serious money and helps launder their dirty cash.
Losing it will hurt Kozlov where it counts.
“No civilian casualties,” I add. Should be easy enough since the place will be closed. I don’t want innocent people dying, it draws too much attention. Apparently that’s not something Kozlov worries about, considering he dumped a body at my hotel, but I like to think I have more common sense than he does.
“You know this is going to escalate things, right?” Dario’s expression is steady, no doubt or hesitation. He’s loyal to the bone and will do whatever I ask.
“Good,” I say, my voice cold as winter. “The Bratva might have started this war, but I’m going to finish it.”
15
MIA
When Lorenzo saidhe was throwing a party, I should’ve known he meant turning the backyard into something that would make the Met Gala look like a Tuesday night potluck.
I’m standing in one of his spare bedrooms, being poked and prodded by two women who were probably flown in from Milan just to make me sparkle. For the past two hours, I’ve been waxed and polished within an inch of my life, and styled to perfection.
Which has given me way too much time to think.
Tonight, I’m meeting Lorenzo’s family and business associates. Translation; the entire Las Vegas mafia. These are people who deal with severed body parts and street shootouts like I deal with morning coffee. Meanwhile, I’m a secretary—well,wasa secretary before I got dragged out of my office kicking and screaming—whose biggest crime is shoplifting the occasional lipstick for the thrill of it.
What the hell am I supposed to talk to these people about?
The hair stylist is securing the last of my dark curls while the other swipes burgundy lipstick across my mouth with the precision of a surgeon. I haven’t seen a mirror yet, but judging by the sheer amount of effort they’re putting in, I’m either going to look stunning or like a Vegas showgirl who took a wrong turn.
The crazy thing is, a week ago I wouldn’t have cared what a bunch of criminals thought of me. But it matters to Lorenzo that this goes well, and somehow...that matters to me too. When did that happen? When did I start caring about this man’s opinion more than my own survival instincts?
Maybe it’s because my life has become completely unpredictable, and there’s a part of me that’s addicted to that rush. Everything feels dangerous and exciting and alive in a way it never did when I was answering phones in LA.
“We’re done,” Hair Stylist announces, stepping back like an artist admiring her masterpiece.
Makeup Artist follows suit, then leads me to the bathroom mirror for the big reveal.
