Page 25 of Power & Punishment

It makes me smart.

“I’m going to be very clear so make sure you’re listening, Emilia. I did not kill or have Vince Russo killed. The deal we made involved him being very much alive, and whoever shot him really screwed with my plans.”

Her breath stutters, a new wave of grief flattening her face. She parts her lips to speak, but I cut her off. “Vince agreed to help me in exchange for something he wanted, and we struck a deal. But the deal we made was never finished. I’ll tell you everything I know about what happened leading up to his death if you help finish what he started. Until then, you’re going to be a good little lap dog and do what I say.”

She’s lucky I’m being so nice. I don’t have to give her anything, and yet here I am being an upstanding citizen. But I never do anything without a motive, and part of me wants the head of whoever messed with my plans.

Mia is silent, but I can sense the war going on inside her head. I’m searching for words of my own until she surprisingly drops the subject and switches tactics.

“How did you find out?” she asks, cutting me off.

I contemplate pushing her buttons more because it feels like the beginning of a new hobby. But I need to wrap up this meeting before I bend her over the table and finish what she started last night.

“About your long-lost family? After some very strategic digging, a colleague of mine found a record of your name change. But don’t worry, you did a good job covering your old identity up, and I’ll make sure it stays that way if you stay in line.”

She closes her eyes, and my gaze dips to the way her chest rises and falls with each harsh breath. And then her tongue darts out, swiping across her bottom lip. My fingers itch to reach out and touch her mouth, but I restrain myself.

“Fine, but—” her bright amber eyes pop open with a refreshed hatred steaming in them, “—I need your word that he won’t get hurt. If Dante ends up like Vince, I’ll burn your entire world to the ground. And I won’t care if I come out the other side or not.”

“You’re so cute when you threaten me. If we keep doing this, I’m going to mistake it for foreplay.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know,” I reply. “It wouldn’t be fun if you weren’t serious.”

She rolls her eyes, trying to slide away from me, but she’s already pressed against the wall. Her hands tremble on her thighs, but her chin stays pointed high. She drips with defiance, and it’s glorious.

“What do you want with my brother?”

“I don’t want to give too much away,” I say, placing my hand in the space between us. She stares at it like she wants it to catch on fire. “I just need you to get him to agree to help me. You’re simply the appetizer, and he’s the main course.”

“How poetic,” she spits out. “Dante warned me to stay away from you, so how are you so sure I’ll be able to convince him to help you?”

I let out a weak laugh. “Sounds like you’re on better terms with brother dearest than you originally let me believe.”

“I talked to him right after Vince’s death. He was a suspect, so I had to,” she says, biting her lip. “But we’re not on good terms. It won’t be easy.”

“Once he finds out his baby sister got the wrong kind of attention, he’ll cooperate,” I explain confidently.

Her jaw tightens. “You’re using me as bait.”

I shrug. “It’s worked pretty well for me so far.”

“You’re the devil,” she mutters.

“Oh, I’m actually being very nice right now, Cara,” I say, leaning in close enough for my voice to brush across her ear. “Besides, you’re not ready to meet the devil. We’d have far too much fun together.”

She squeezes her eyelids together again and her breath comes out in sharp, jagged puffs. When she opens her eyes, they shoot back with fire. “What do you want from him?”

“It’s more of a mutually beneficial arrangement. He gets what he wants, and I get what I want. It’s a great opportunity, but he’s been too stubborn to take it until now. I guess he just needed the right kind of push.”

Silence stretches around us as her fingers tap against her jeans. “How much time do I have?”

I tilt my head, desperate to wrap my hands around her silky hair again. “Forty-eight hours.”

Her eyes flick up, but I don’t see panic. “How generous of you.”

“You know me so well.” I smirk. “Here’s what you’re going to do. Call your brother and tell him the truth about your little predicament. The rest should fall into place nicely.”