Neal grabbed Ana’s hand and held it tight as the elevator doors opened. She’d spoken to Siobhan briefly since she’d returned from New Orleans, but this would be the first time they would be face to face following her trip and she wasn’t sure what to expect.
Ana hung back as they reached the door.
“What is it?” Neal asked.
“I wasn’t invited.”
“You don’t have to be. You’re with me.”
“No offense, but I’m not entirely sure that will be a good thing. They may have agreed to accept my help, but deep down, they think I’m trying to use you.”
Neal leaned down and grazed Ana’s cheek with her lips. “You were definitely using me last night,” she whispered. “And I loved it.” No matter what Siobhan and Royal had to say, she was convinced Ana’s feelings toward her went beyond physical attraction, and she’d fight anyone who tried to tell her something different. Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, her conversation with Dominique had left her feeling unsettled when it came to Siobhan. Having Ana by her side signaled she had options and was not to be taken for granted. She tugged on Ana’s hand. “Come on.”
Royal answered the door, holding it open only a few inches and guarding the open space. Neal spent a second resenting how she’d supplanted her role before the rational part of her brain kicked in. She wasn’t a bodyguard anymore, and the only person she needed to protect was herself, and with that realization came a sense of relief.
“Are you going to let us in?” Neal asked, not bothering to hide the challenge in her voice.
Royal gave Ana a once-over but didn’t say anything as she eased the door open and motioned them to come inside. Siobhan was on the couch with her laptop, furiously clicking away on the keyboard. Neal hung back for a moment, not sure if her new role meant she should take a seat or stand to the side.
Siobhan looked up. “I’m sorry. I was checking something. Please sit.” She smiled at Ana. “I see you were able to find her.”
“She did find me.” Neal reached for Ana’s hand. “Are you ready to accept that we can work together?”
Siobhan shot a very pointed look at their joined hands and met Neal’s gaze with an unwavering stare of her own. “The range of things I’ve come to accept has expanded greatly over the past few months. Do you not trust me to know what is best for this family?”
Neal recognized the tone. She’d heard Siobhan use it in court many times when faced with an adversary who didn’t see things her way. But she wasn’t an adversary. She was a dedicated and loyal member of this family. “You said you were making me a capo. If that’s true, shouldn’t you trust me as well?”
Royal stepped forward, like she thought it was her place to intervene and Neal moved to the edge of her seat, ready to take her on. Siobhan held up a hand. “Peace. We want the same things. I’m sure of it. But you can’t take off like that when we are under attack. Do you understand?”
She did, and no matter how much Dominique’s words had gotten under her skin, she knew she shouldn’t allow herself to be baited into hasty actions that went against the code. “I do.”
“It’s clear that Dominique didn’t abduct you, so she must’ve been trying to recruit you. Tell me what she offered.”
Neal kept her expression neutral. She should’ve known Siobhan would anticipate Dominique’s moves and expect her to share everything she’d learned, and it was only Dominique’s voice in her head that caused her to hesitate before responding. “She and Mikhail are taking Mikhail’s business mainstream. They’re opening speakeasies all over the area, designed to attract well-heeled customers who will pay big bucks for discretion. They’re set up for gambling and sex, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they sold exclusive memberships. Dominique is going to use the Mancuso name to give the whole enterprise legitimacy.”
Siobhan exchanged a look with Royal who nodded in response.
“What?” Neal asked.
“Royal’s brother managed to trace the funds Dominique squirreled away after Don Carlo died. She’s already started to make transfers to accounts offshore.” Siobhan turned to Ana. “I don’t suppose you know anything about that?”
Neal caught the accusing tone. “She came to us, remember?”
Ana placed a hand on her leg. “It’s all right, Neal.” She faced Siobhan. “No, I don’t know anything about it, but I can find out. I’ve spent years tracking Mikhail’s movements. If Dominique is sending money to his accounts, I can get you access. Would that be enough to prove that I am not working with him?”
“Possibly.” Siobhan closed her eyes for a moment. “Forgive me if I don’t know who I can trust anymore, but, Neal, you didn’t exactly answer my question. You told me what Dominique is up to, but not what she tempted you with.”
This was it. Once she divulged the details, any deal with Dominique was off the table. But had it ever really been a legit offer? Dominique cozying up to her now was a strategy, employed to not only get under Siobhan’s skin, but to divide the family in ways that could leave them fractured forever. The question really came down to whether she was a respected member of this family or a servant, rewarded just enough to keep happy but never really partaking of the spoils.
“I’ll say it again. You made me a capo in this family. Don’t you trust me not to be tempted by someone who doesn’t have our best interests at heart?”
“I’ve trusted you for many years to protect my life and you’ve always done so with no thought to your own,” Siobhan said. “Of course I trust you to be loyal, but knowing what others choose to offer you to switch sides is ammunition we can use against them. I guess the real question here is whether you trust me. Do you?”
Siobhan’s stare was fierce and unwavering, and Neal met it for several seconds before looking over at Ana. She didn’t need approval, but she wanted affirmation from someone who’d seen her at her most vulnerable. With her sister. Naked in the hotel. She wasn’t sure when it had started to matter, but Ana’s assessment was important to her, and she breathed a sigh of relief when Ana nodded in response to the unspoken question. “Yes, I do trust you.” She cleared her throat and dug in her pocket for the paper Dominique had handed her. “She gave me this.”
Siobhan unfolded the paper and scanned its contents. “That’s a big role and a lot of money.”
“Yes. More than I’ve ever made before. It should tell you something that I’m sharing this with you.”
“It does.” Siobhan handed the paper to Royal. “They must expect to make a killing in their new business.”
Royal read the paper and gave it back to Neal. “They will.” She pointed at the paper. “That’s a tiny fraction of what they can hope to make. The demand for black market gambling and prostitution is strong and the booze they’ll sell is gravy.”
“There’s more.”
Everyone turned to Ana who hadn’t said much up to now. “What?” Neal asked.
Ana shifted in her seat and grimaced. “The prostitutes. He’ll have some out front who are like the ones at Francine’s.” She shared a look with Siobhan. “But he’ll have more in the back room that appeal to a more prurient interest.”
“Say what you mean,” Neal said.
“She means they are young. Too young. Right, Ana?” Siobhan asked. “And, let me guess, they may not be here of their own free will.”
Ana clenched her jaw. “I told you he is a monster.”
Neal placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She felt Siobhan’s and Royal’s eyes on her, but she didn’t care, and she couldn’t begin to define her feelings. “We have to stop them.”
Her words hung in the air, buoyed by honor. Stopping Mikhail wasn’t simply good business, it was the right thing to do. If he’d known what was on the horizon and that his daughter was involved, Don Carlo would’ve sent Michael and a fleet of other Mancuso foot soldiers to take Mikhail out and spirit Dominique away until she regained her senses. But Don Carlo wasn’t here, the Dominique she’d talked to yesterday was fully aware of what she was doing, and stopping Mikhail by brute force was likely to start a war rather than remedy the problem. No, they’d have to do things Ana’s way if they wanted to solve the problem that was Mikhail, and if they were going to do things her way, then she needed to be part of the plan. The prospect was daunting, but doable. She was a capo now and part of her role was choosing who would work with her. Ana was her first choice and the perfect right hand, and the fact she was also a fantastic lover didn’t factor into the equation.
At least that’s what she told herself. What other choice did she have?
“And that’s why you’re the perfect person to help us.”
* * *
Ana had expected things between her and Neal to change, but she hadn’t expected the complete turnaround, and Neal urging Siobhan and Royal to join forces with her was welcome, but surprising still. Sex in a fancy hotel apparently had a transformational effect.
But it hadn’t been just sex. Every minute she’d spent with Neal over the past twenty-four hours had revealed more and more interesting revelations about the bodyguard turned capo, and the fact she was a wonderful lover was only one of the most interesting things about her. Seeing Neal with her sister told Ana she had a tender heart, one that she’d guarded carefully, but was now prepared to bare, and Ana took the gesture with the gravitas it deserved. She wouldn’t be responsible for breaking that heart, no matter what happened with Mikhail, but she would do everything in her power to make sure he went down.
“Of course, I’ll help,” she said. “It’ll be more difficult for you to gain access to him now that the rift in your family is official, but I can get close to him whenever I want.”
She saw the wince on Neal’s face, but she had to ignore it if she wanted to get through this. “He’s not going to simply fade away. There needs to be a permanent solution.”
“How do we know you’re not simply trying to get us to kill your husband so you don’t have to?” Siobhan asked.
“You don’t. But you should know enough about me to know I keep my word. I told you I would help your cash flow and I brought money. I told you Neal had disappeared, and she had. You sent me to find her, and I brought her back to you. I don’t know what you require in terms of proof when it comes to loyalty, but I believe I’ve displayed I have what it takes. Do you disagree?”
Royal spoke first. “We don’t. I…” She glanced over at Siobhan who was pretending to act like she wasn’t eavesdropping. “We, believe you are sincere when you say you want to break free of Mikhail, but you can understand our caution.”
“I do, but the time for patience has ended. It’s time for action.”
“I should take the deal Dominique offered,” Neal said. “Run the club downtown. It’s the perfect way to get close to their operation.”
Ana’s stomach clenched at the idea of Neal in close proximity to Mikhail and Dominique. “They’re more dangerous than you realize. This isn’t the same as selling bootlegged whiskey.”
Neal laughed. “You make it sound like we’re playing games over here.” Her expression turned serious. “I know what danger is and I’m not scared to face it head-on.”
Ana looked at Siobhan and Royal. “It’s a bad idea,” she implored them. “You have to tell her that.”
“I’m not sure it is,” Royal said. “It might be brilliant. And it’s a perfect way to find out if Dominique was serious about the offer or if she was merely baiting us to see how we would react.”
“Royal’s right,” Neal said. “If she’s bluffing, we call it, but if she was serious about giving me a job with total access to their operation, it’s the perfect way to lay the groundwork to take them both down.”
Ana wanted to scream. Simply hearing the words “Royal’s right” come out of Neal’s mouth convinced her she didn’t appreciate the scope of what she was being asked to do. She wanted to pull Neal aside, talk to her privately, but she sensed Siobhan and Royal would become suspicious—not a good plan when she’d worked hard to gain their trust. She settled on a simple “Let’s think about it.”
“Ana.” Neal spoke her name in a firm but quiet tone that told her the decision had already been made.
“Yes?”
“I have to go now. We’ve been back for hours, and Dominique is probably watching me, and knows that we’re with Siobhan. She has to know that with every hour I don’t get back to her, there’s a chance I’m plotting against her.”
“Which you are.”
“Right. For all this plotting to work, there has to be a plan.”
“And your plan is to help them. I don’t think so.” She watched the features on Neal’s face freeze, but she couldn’t stop the lecture. “This isn’t a plan, it’s a poorly executed maneuver. Trust me when I tell you that they are several steps ahead of the game and no matter how smart you are, how well you prepare, they will find you out and they will not merely kick you out of their house. You will be finished and there won’t be anything I or Royal or Siobhan can do.”
“Not true,” Siobhan said. “We may be weaker than we were, but we still have friends.” She placed a hand on Neal’s shoulder. “Trust me when I tell you we will not let anything happen to you,” she said before turning to face Ana. “There are others who would benefit from your husband going out of business, and our enemy’s enemy is our friend. I can’t tell you more, but Neal can vouch for my ability to negotiate deals, even with adversaries. I earned the title of consigliere.”
Ana studied Siobhan’s face, searching for any sign she was being played, but she found none. It all came down to the same thing. She trusted Neal and Neal trusted Siobhan. “I will hold you to your promise. You may think I’m nothing more than a bored housewife, anxious to rid myself of a piggish husband, but I too have abilities if not the title to go with them.”
“Then, together we should be able to accomplish whatever we set out to do,” Siobhan said, holding out her hand.
Ana flicked a glance at Neal who nodded. Resolved to tying her fate to these women, she gripped Siobhan’s hand in both of hers. This alliance was her best hope, and she would see it through.
A few minutes later, she and Neal were standing in the lobby. She touched the collar of Neal’s shirt, wishing they were not in public. “When you say you have to go now, do you mean right now?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Dominique’s going to know I was here, and if she knows that then she knows I was with you. It may already be too late to convince her I’m willing to switch sides.”
“Tell her I wanted to meet with you. That I wanted to betray Mikhail.”
Neal looked horrified. “No way. She’ll tell him. I will not put you in danger.”
Ana held up a hand. “Tell her you agreed to meet with me so you could hear what I had to say and report back to her. She’s crafty. She may be in business with Mikhail, but I doubt she trusts him. If she thinks there’s a way to take him down so that she has total control, don’t you think she’ll take it?”
“That’s a big risk. If she tells Mikhail, they will come for you.”
“Then we’ll have to trust Siobhan and Royal when they say they have friends looking out for us all.” She noted Neal’s frown. “What is it?”
Neal shook her head and reached for Ana’s hand. “Nothing. I can handle whatever they throw my way, but the idea of them harming you…I don’t even want to go there.”
“Neither do I.” She reluctantly eased away. “Go. Be fierce, but careful. Contact me when you can.”
Her stomach sank as she watched Neal leave. Neal was right—pretending to align with Dominique was the smartest thing she could do, but it was also fraught with risk.
As if on cue, her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She pulled it out, hoping it was Neal with words of encouragement, but it was Katia’s name on the screen.
Where are you? Mikhail is pissed. Tried to calm him down, but he’s convinced you’re up to something. Call me.
Great. Mikhail on a tear didn’t bode well for Neal. She looked outside, but Neal was no longer in sight, so she fired off a quick text. He suspects something. Be careful.
It wasn’t much, but it was something and all she could do right now without raising suspicion. Now she had to get back home and convince Katia and Mikhail her sudden disappearance had nothing to do with any long-term plan.