Enzo pats my shoulder. “Stay,” he says like a cantankerous prick.
Goddamnit, Smoke. We agreed. I hand over Ivy and leave. Enzo wasn’t part of the deal.
I watch as Enzo strolls in with a cocksucker’s grin, fanning himself with several pages of paper. He and Smoke circle Ivy before they each take a seat. They’re both dressed in black suits, their faces hard and serious. Smoke alone would’ve been enough. Enzo’s too hotheaded and bloodthirsty to be rational.
My position was clear. Scare her, fine—but leave me out of it. Harm her, and—fuck. My wrath wouldn’t end until either they were destroyed, or I was.
I glare at Smoke, but he ignores me. “Take a seat, Ivy,” he says and motions for the couch. Trembling, she doesn’t move.
Smoke sees my frustration. “You made a vow to my father, Leo. To protect the D’Angelos. At all costs. Sit her down. Now.”
I don’t even have to look at Ivy to know that I have to comply. Get her off her goddamned feet before Enzo mistakes her fear for defiance. I drag Ivy to the sofa and stand by her side—a silent reminder of our arrangement, in case Smoke forgets.
I see so many memories in the sadness on her face. Me, being an ass. Me, using her like a drug before throwing her away.
And her, the very first time we met. I didn’t devastate her to tears that night, but her sadness was unmistakable. She was seated across the way from D’Angelo Towers. What was it she said?
I think my future might be in that building.
Could she have meant Antonio? I thumb through my brain for snippets of our conversation. Fuck, did I convince her to stay? To take this job? To do this?
Her gown is torn, and her eyes are burned red with tears. My heart squeezes, but I do what I always do. I shut it down.
Smoke takes the pages from Enzo’s hands. “It appears you’ve filed a lawsuit, Ms. Palmer.”
“Lawsuit?” I seethe, tight-jawed. I grab her shoulder and force her to face me.
Ivy winces. “No,” she sobs, pleading. “Leo, you have to believe me. I don’t know about a lawsuit.”
“Of course, you don’t,” Enzo says, laughing. “It’s a lawsuit miracle. An immaculate conception of greed.” Enzo slithers up to her and pets her hair.
My fists ball up, white-knuckled with restraint. I know he sees them secured at my sides. This isn’t just about Ivy. He wants to take his shot at me.
“I must admit,” Enzo says. “You’re very convincing. You even managed to seduce our chief of security.” With one hand, he lifts her face. “I would’ve paid good money just for that.”
Blood thumps hard in my ears. But no matter what Enzo’s agenda is, I hold my post. I have to.
I can tell he isn’t hurting her, but what does it matter if he is? She lied to me. Maybe she deserves what she gets.
“Leave us,” Enzo says. To my what the fuck surprise, Smoke motions for me to exit the room.
He walks out and I rush after him. The door barely has a chance to close before I lose my shit. “You want to tell me what the hell you’re doing?”
Smoke glares in warning. “You want to watch your tone?”
“You’re leaving Ivy alone in a room with Enzo. The man is psychotic.”
“Did you know?” Smoke’s patience is razor thin. “Answer me,” he snaps. “Did. You. Know?”
I’m seconds from going thermonuclear on both my boss and best friend. “I told you everything I knew the second I knew it.”
“You didn’t say anything about the lawsuit.”
“I’m security, not a goddamned psychic.”
Smoke pinches the bridge of his nose. “Leo, that girl has lived with us. She’s probably sitting on enough ammunition to decimate our entire family, and you rolled out your dick like a red fucking carpet.”
He tosses me a small stack of paperwork that I try to decipher. The name Olivia Ann Palmer is listed amongst the plaintiffs. The rest of it may as well be written in Greek.
I hand it back. “Since when do the D’Angelos care about a lawsuit? Dante lives for that shit. Send him and his two dozen lawyers after it.” Smoke gives me a look, and I can see it. I’m missing something. Something big. “What?”
Smoke folds the stack neatly into thirds before pocketing it. “If that girl is my sister, it means that our father cheated. My grandfather’s will was explicit. Any discovery of infidelity at any time nullifies the original will. And the codicil stands. It all goes to Uncle Andre. The mansion. D’Angelo Holdings. Everything.”
Fuck, now I remember. Twenty-four. She turned twenty-four. “There’s more,” I say, wiping my hand down my face. “Whoever gave her that photo was probably on Andre’s team. They gave it to her on her twenty-fourth birthday.”
For the first time in my life, the look behind Smoke’s eyes isn’t confident, methodical control. It’s fear. Could Andre really take everything? What would that do to them? To Trini?
“No,” I mutter, shaking my head.
Smoke narrows his gaze, confused.
Nothing makes sense. “No. Ivy would never do this to Trini.”
Smoke puffs out an annoyed breath. “Is that your dick talking?”
I shake my head. “No. And it isn’t my heart, either. I watched them—the connection they have. I’m not saying I believe everything that comes out of her mouth, but on this, I believe her.”
Smoke blinks, underwhelmed.
“Think about it like she is one of you.”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”
“If Ivy is Antonio’s daughter and she wins the lawsuit, guess what? She loses, too. It’s not just your inheritance on the line. It’s hers.” Smoke rubs his jaw. I say it again. “It’s a catch-22. If Ivy sues you and wins, she still loses her inheritance like the rest of you. The only winner in this is Andre.”
“Maybe she didn’t know that,” Smoke scoffs.
“Or maybe you’re being played.”
A blood-curdling scream howls from behind the door, and I bolt through it. Ivy is on the floor, wailing and clutching her hand. I grab Enzo by the shirt and shove him hard against the wall, ready to end him. “What did you do?”
He shoves me off. “Nothing to warrant this, Z. I assure you.”
In an instant, my Glock is lodged at his throat. My voice lowers in warning. “I’m not asking again. Five seconds. What did you do?”
Smoke tries talking me off the ledge; the one I’m ready to freefall from. “Calm down.”
“Four,” I seethe.
Enzo begins to sweat.
“Three.”
In surrender, Enzo raises his hands. “The toy. Her stupid, fucking toy. I only meant to scare her. When I tossed it into the fireplace, psycho bitch went after it with her bare goddamned hand!”
By the time I turn around, Smoke has Ivy on the sofa. Her face is buried against a big square pillow as he’s busy assessing her hand. “What the hell were you thinking?” I hear him fume.
Shelled-shocked, I stare. Mr. Whisker is still clutched tight in her hand. “How is she?” I ask, my voice weak with worry.
Smoke lets out a long huff. “The burns are superficial. I can take care of it.”
“She doesn’t need you; she needs a hospital.”
He looks at me, incredulous. “I am still a surgeon.”
“This isn’t a bullet wound or a goddamned mob hit. She needs a hospital,” I repeat.
Smoke ignores me and turns to Enzo. “In my room, in the safe. Grab both bags on the floor.”
“I’ll do it,” I insist.
“No,” Smoke demands. “It has to be Enzo.” Once Enzo leaves, he turns to me. “Get out, Leo.”
I stare in disbelief. “I’m not leaving.” Arms crossed, I cement my feet to the floor.
Smoke stares me down. “Well, I’m not starting until you leave.”
Enzo returns and hands him the bags. They exchange a glance, and without a word, Enzo walks out. True to his word, Smoke sits down, hands clasped, silently refusing to do a thing. Fucker has me by the balls, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
God knows I’d take a bullet for Smoke and any one of his family. Still, I glare at him in warning. “I’ll be right outside.” Slowly, helplessly, I make my way from the room as uneasiness sets in.
There’s nothing I can do.
Ivy didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth. And I didn’t trust Ivy enough to give her the benefit of the doubt.
There’s pain in my chest—the torturous agony of my heart caving in.
We both fucked up.
And I’d sell my soul to the devil if we could just undo today and make it fucking right.