Coercion (The Cassano Series Book 3) (20 page)

Simon

Sadie pads out of her bedroom at around nine a.m. Her head turns to me as I sit on her sofa.

“Simon. I see you
borrowed
my key again last night.” She rubs her eyes and smirks at me. “Why didn’t you come warm me up in bed?”

Strolling over, she climbs into my lap. Her arms wrap around my neck, so I can’t resist pulling her close. I don’t say a word.

Instead, I bury my face into her unruly chocolate waves and breathe in her alluring scent. I truly focus on how good she feels in my embrace. After a quiet few minutes, she pulls away and gazes at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I couldn’t come to bed because I’m too nervous to sleep. I have to tell you some things, Sadie.” Climbing out of my lap, she sits on the couch facing me and crosses her legs. I get a glimpse of her satin, black panties before she tucks one of my t-shirts over her knees.

I smile, thinking about how much time I’ve spent here already. “Tell me.”

“It’s a long story, but here goes …” I proceed to tell Sadie everything about our business and how it began. We’d already discussed my father’s death, but she knew nothing about the illegal poker, drug deals and arms buying.

I stop whenever Sadie’s overwhelmed or her eyes well up with tears. Once she’s asked some questions, I finish and finally wait for her response.

“I told you from the beginning that I didn’t even care if you were in the Mafia, so I guess I can’t be angry. But you’re such a kind person, Simon, so I didn’t expect what you were doing to be this large-scale.”

I take her hand into mine. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to involve or worry you, so it’s why I haven’t told you. What we’ve been doing was only to fight the terrorists, and it’s going to stop.”

“Why are you telling me now?”

“Because you and I are getting serious. There is something else you need to know, but shit Sadie, I don’t want to hurt you.” Tapping my foot, I press my fingers to my forehead. Her hand squeezes mine.

“Tell me, Simon.”

“The FBI figured out what we’re doing. They are going to let us off the hook if we can bust Noah Sanders for major drug dealing.”

Her hand covers her chest, and she fists her t-shirt.

“And if you don’t make this happen?”

“My brothers and I will go to prison.” It’s as if a dam broke as tears rush into Sadie’s eyes, making the blue of them glow.

“How long have you known this?” Her tone is angry.

“Since before I met you.” Darting from the couch, she paces in front of me. Her fingernail goes to her mouth, and she won’t look at me.

“Sadie, doll, talk to me.”

“You knew you might have to leave me, yet you let me fall in love with you.”

“I believe we will get out of this mess.”

Whipping around to face me, her hands shove into her curls. “But you can’t promise me, right?”

I hang my head. “No, I can’t.”

“You selfish, prick. Get out!”

Standing, I charge toward her. “Sadie, it will work out. Please, forgive me for not telling you.”

“Get out of my apartment, Simon. You’ve known all along that my heart could be completely shattered.”

“I love you, and I’m not giving up on us. I’ll fix this bad situation I’m in.”

Sadie bursts into tears and hurries to her bedroom. Her sobs feel like stabs to my chest, her harsh breaths the twists of the knife.

I don’t know what else to do right now, so I leave her place. No matter what she says, she’s still mine to love, and I’ll remind her as many times as it takes.

Victoria

My phone rings as I’m dressing for a night at the Royal lounge. It’s Sadie, so I answer. “Sis, hi.”

“Did you know?” she asks between cries.

“What’s wrong, Sadie?”

“Did you know the Cassano brothers could be sent to prison?”

Shit.
“I found out when Adrian and I broke up.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Sadie words are barely understandable, but her tone sends the message she is furious.

“It’s complicated, involves police business, and I didn’t feel it was my place to tell. I knew Simon would when he felt the timing was right.”

“I thought we were family, but I see where your loyalty lies.” My sister hangs up on me, so I pull the phone down to my side. I’m stunned. Was I disloyal to her? Should I have told her the truth once I knew?

***

Reluctantly, I have Noah following me from Hotel Submission to my condo. I threw the game again tonight, letting him win big at the table.

It wasn’t hard to do. My mind was distracted by my phone call today with Sadie. I’m feeling guilty, but she told me from the beginning she didn’t care what shady business Simon was into. She should’ve had the sense to know there are risks that come with that.

I’m reminded that Noah is behind me when I glance in my rearview mirror. I need to get my head straight before this meeting. Once I punch in the code to enter the condo complex, he follows me in and parks next to my BMW.

He makes chitchat about the oppressive heat as we approach my place. I open the door and invite him in. Checking things out, he wanders around my living room. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Bourbon if you have it.”

“Coming right up.” I stroll to the small bar as he takes a seat on the white, leather sofa.

“Pretty nice place you have here.”

“I’m soon purchasing a home much larger outside of the city. My realtor is looking for me.” I hand him the drink and take a seat in a chair diagonal to him.

We sit quietly, reading each other and sipping from our glasses. “I’ll admit, I’m a little hesitant having you here.”

His forehead scrunches, and he smirks.

“Why is that?”

“I heard through the grapevine that your father is Commissioner Sanders.”

His eyes avert to the tumbler in his hand.

“Well, don’t let that worry you. My father and I are nothing alike.”

“I figured that might be the case, seeing how you’re gambling illegally in Royal.”

“I guess you could call it payback for my childhood. I do anything and everything he wouldn’t want me to do. Those who appear the most honest and moral are often the most evil, and that man is evil.”

He shakes his head. “I can’t believe I told you that. I don’t usually discuss my personal business.”

“As long as I know you’re not working for the cops, I don’t care about your personal life. I want to discuss your other business. Your
dealings
.”

“So, you know what I do. What’s your story, Vicky?”

“I have my own
couriers
working mostly in the corporate world. I hear you mainly deal with college students. I was thinking we could join forces and grow this into something much larger.”

While examining me, he takes another swig of his drink.

“Why should I trust you? This all seems too convenient.”

“We have a mutual contact, Adrian Cassano.”

“Excuse me?”

“I will cut to the chase. I met Adrian when I was interviewed to be a member of Royal, so I’ve gotten to know him. He claims you’re holding out on a big deal, and frankly, he’s feeling out the water for someone new to work with.”

“I hadn’t heard,” Noah says, clearly pissed.

“So, instead of me stealing your business, maybe there is room for the both of us. What do you say?”

Zev

Once I’ve closed up Caged and the Royal lounge, I do what I’ve done several other days; I go to Tara’s in an early hour of the morning and crawl into bed with her.

I lie and watch her sleep. I told Simon and Adrian a week ago that I was going to sever ties with her, yet here I am once again in her bed.

She’s angelic and peaceful as I gaze at her, the complete opposite of me. I can’t continue this any longer. I’ve been selfish, spending time with her when I’ve known all along that I would ultimately let her go.

“Daisy,” I say softly while smoothing her hair down her back. She stirs awake and smiles.

“Good morning,” she says.

“Morning.”

Exhaling on a yawn, she glides her fingers through my hair. “I’ve missed you.” Without a thought, the same words flow right from my mouth back to her, and she lights up like the star Sirius.

“Good,” she exclaims. “I thought a lot about something last night, and I want to tell you.” Her half-lidded eyes stare off at her hand playing in my hair. “I’m falling in love with you.”

I feel paralyzed as I stare at her sincere face. The words sink in, and I abruptly sit up. Spinning around, I sit on the side of the bed, facing away from her, and bury my face in my hands. “Don’t say shit like that.”

Gentle fingers trail down my back, and I’m torn between wanting to flee and the desire to ravish her.

“Zev, I can’t help how I feel.”

“We were supposed to have a good time–nothing more.” I shift to face her, and she sits up, holding the sheet over her chest.

“How many parties did you expect us to have without
feelings
crashing one of them?” She’s giving me a stern look, and although her comment is witty, I can’t laugh. I’m about to crush her, and it’s killing me inside.

“You’re confined by your own walls,” she adds.

“You won’t like what you see if I take them down.”

“How do you know if you’ve never shared it with anyone? Have a little hope.”

“Tara, hope is a stranger to me. I only live in the present.”

“Do you? I think if you did, you would’ve kissed me already.”

I need to tell her at least part of why I won’t be with her. She deserves to know. “I have frequent bouts of depression. My mother is severely mentally ill and has been all my life. I refuse to share my pain with anyone. I won’t be a burden to someone else like she has been all these years to her family.”

Silently, Tara stares at me. Her hand cradles my cheek, but I pull it down. “I could be there for you during those difficult times.”

“You deserve more. A whole hell of a lot more.” Glancing away, her blue eyes fill with tears.

“OK.”

I gaze at her blankly. What does she mean?

“I’m not going to beg you, Xavier. If you don’t feel the same as I do, then there isn’t more to discuss.” Her fingers swiftly brush away the fallen tears on her cheeks.

She grants me one more of her breathtaking grins, and my heart caves in as I acknowledge it could be the last one I see.

“It’s been fun partying with you,” she says, choking back her tears and smiling even broader.

Fuck. What did you expect, jackass?

I kiss her forehead and whisper, “I’m sorry.” Shifting back to the side of the bed, I dress as fast as possible. I don’t feel her move. All I hear is her swallowing, battling not to shed another tear for me.

Fuck life.

Fuck heartache.

Piss on all of it.

I throw on my shoes and flee from her condo, leaving my heart behind.

Tara

Combing over the internet, I let the coolness of my ice cream chill my mouth, hoping it will somehow chill my heart. I want to be pissed at Zev, but I only feel sorry for him. He never promised me shit, so do I have any right to be mad at him?

Even still, I can’t subject myself to seeing him day in and day out. I tag all the jobs that look to have potential and cry off and on as I update my resume. This is something I should’ve done months ago. It’s time I put my business degree to work.

Hours pass, and I’m still in my PJ’s. Once I’ve submitted my resume to at least a dozen places, I head to the shower. While I’m searching through my dresser, finding an outfit, something catches my eye by the bed. There are a set of keys laying on the floor.

I pick them up and study them. They are labeled with words like office, storage, and Caged. Shit, these must be keys Zev uses at Submission. They probably fell out of his pocket while he dressed as if he couldn’t get away from me fast enough.

There is that part of me excited they’re here. I have an excuse to see him again, but the other part of me wins. The part that is all too aware of the sadness that would bring.

I’m off tonight, but I settle on delivering them to Shannon. No, then she’ll question where I found them. I’m going to have to face him.

***

Ed lets me into Caged, and I start my way down the long hallway to Zev’s office. My nerves are shot, and I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. I pray he doesn’t touch me. I don’t know if I would have the will to resist him.

Hearing voices coming from his office I freeze. It doesn’t take long to recognize them.

“Vicky Stuart and I have developed a professional relationship instead of personal, so I need a good fuck. I’m not telling you again; send Tara my way, or you’re not getting the coke.

“I can’t believe a chick is more important to you than money. I thought you were different than Simon. I thought you actually had a set of balls,” Noah says.

“I could say the same about you. Wouldn’t you rather make this deal than have one night with one of my servers?”

“It’s about trust, Zev. I need to know this is more important to you. I want to see your loyalty.”

My heart hammers in my chest as I think about the danger I’m in from overhearing this conversation. I conjure up the courage to quietly turn around. I pad as silently down the hallway as I can.

Once I’m through the doors of Caged, I lean back against a wall of the hotel and take a few laborious breaths as reality sinks in. Victoria isn’t only after Noah Sanders. She’s probably investigating the Cassano brothers, too.

It hits me to give Zev’s keys to Ed at the door. As I walk to my vehicle, I pull out my phone. Calling Victoria, I anxiously wait for her to answer.

“Hello.”

“Victoria, please say you’re not in Royal this evening.”

“I’m not. What’s wrong?”

“If you won’t let me see you at your new condo, then I need you to come to mine as soon as possible. I have to speak to you about something important.”

“OK, sure.” I drive back to my place and pace the floor, deciding how much I should tell her about what I have overheard between Zev and Noah. She arrives fairly soon, appearing puzzled.

“Please, have a seat.” Victoria takes a spot on the sofa, but I continue to stand.

“What’s so urgent?”

“I’ve been patient, not prying about your police work at the hotel and casino, but you have to tell me who you’re investigating.”

Victoria tilts her head a little and sighs.

“I can’t share that, but obviously something has happened for you to ask me.”

“Something did, but I’m not sharing it unless you tell me you’re not investigating the Cassano brothers.”

“Tara, I’m not.”

“You’re not dating Adrian to bust him for something?”

“No, I love Adrian. Listen …” Victoria bites the corner of her lip, and I think she’s now weighing how much she wants to disclose to me. “When I went to work in Elite, I was investigating them.

“Then, Adrian and I fell for each other, and I found out the facts about what goes on at Submission. It wasn’t what I thought, so I stopped the investigation.”

Confused, I scrunch my forehead. “If you’re not investigating them, then who are you trying to bust?”

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“I wouldn’t tell a soul. I hope you believe you can trust me.”

“Actually, I’ve wanted to tell you since I need you to stay away from this person. It’s Noah Sanders.”

Shit, what if she doesn’t know that Zev is dealing drugs and then has to bust him, too?

“Tara, there are tears in your eyes. You have to tell me what happened.”

“I can’t. I’m fearful it will get someone I care for in trouble.”

She studies me. “Does this involve Xavier?”

All I can do is nod to keep the tears at bay. Victoria pats the spot next to her. “Take a seat.” I do as she instructs, and she promptly takes my hands into hers.

“I can tell you with absolute certainty that unless he has hurt you, and you tell me to report it, I won’t turn him in for anything.”

“You swear?”

Her head ducks to better look me in the eyes.

“I swear, Tara. My loyalty is to the Cassano family.”

“I overheard Zev and Noah having a conversation about what I believe is a drug deal. It sounded important.”

“Shit, yes, I’m aware of that.”

“What’s happening? You have to tell me. I’ve been so worried that Zev is doing something illegal.”

“This is absolutely all I can tell you. The Cassano brothers are helping the FBI bust Noah for dealing.”

I’m shocked by her words, and I don’t want to tell her what Noah wants in exchange for making that deal go down. She will only worry, and I’m uncertain as to what I’m going to do with that information. I need time to think.

“I won’t breathe a word about this, Victoria.”

She sighs, and this time it is with relief.

“Thank you. I don’t want you getting involved in this, Tara. It’s messy enough, and Noah is a dangerous threat.”

“I’m so relieved Zev is not going to get into trouble.”

Victoria bites her lip again and glances away.

“What? There is something else, isn’t there?”

“Ugh, I’m breaking so many rules here. If the Cassano brothers don’t make this drug deal, they will likely go to prison for other illegal activity going on at Submission.”

I cover my mouth with my hand and feel the tears building. Is this the real reason Zev won’t be with me?

“It’s not my place to tell you what that activity is, so please don’t ask me.”

“This explains so much. Zev ended things with me this morning. He also said under the circumstances, none of his brothers should be in relationships.”

Victoria nods. “This is why.”