White Knight (Dirty Mafia Duet, #2)(5)

“I’m sorry, Tanny. I’m so sorry. I only wanted one more night out, just to prove that I didn’t really need help. That I could handle myself.” Teal doesn’t even sound like she believes herself.

Every feature on Tanya’s face freezes into a hard expression I thought she only reserved for me. “You lied to me?” Her question is whispered with such quiet, lethal force, it could slice a woman to shreds.

Tanya bends at the waist and yanks the car seat forward so she can reach into the back and drag her younger sister out by her messy hair. “Are you fucking serious right now?”

“I’m sorry!” the other girl wails. “You were right. I need help. I’m sick.”

Tanya shakes her sister by the shoulder, and I inch toward Cannon without even thinking.

“I told you we were getting you help, and then you pull this shit on me, the one person who would literally do anything for you? How? Why?” Like she knows she won’t get an answer that matters, Tanya keeps going. “Do you know how fucking terrified I was when I went to get you, and you were gone and your roommate said that you went out last night to a Legend club? And then when I called in every favor I could to find you today, I found out they delivered you to Dom after you’d been with one of the Rossetti crew last night? What the hell is the matter with you? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Someone clears his throat from behind us. I shoot a glance over my shoulder to see Warren walking in our direction slowly enough for us to realize he’s there and not feel like he’s not eavesdropping. But from the look on his face, it’s obvious he’s most definitely catching every word we say.

“What place did you pick out, Tanya?” Cannon asks, but his gaze is on Warren and not the head waitress.

“It’s in Albany. Not too fancy, and not too skid row. I’ll take her there right now. I was going to track her ass down and take her there today, whether she wanted to go or not. I swear.” Tanya pleads her case, her fingers trembling as they rake through her hair.

Cannon nods at Warren. “You’re taking them to Albany. Bring Tanya back to the club when it’s done.” He stalks around the car, passing me like I’m not even there, and stops in front of Tanya. “You’re working the late shift tonight. I don’t fucking care that I gave you the day off. You are so goddamned lucky that your sister isn’t in a shallow grave with a bullet in her head. Remember that, and work your fucking ass off to say thank you. No more attitude. No more bullshit.” He leans in closer, but his voice doesn’t get any less threatening when he asks, “Do you fucking get me?”

Tanya couldn’t have possibly nodded faster. Her head was already bobbing before Cannon was finished speaking.

“I get you. I’m sorry. Thank you. Seriously, thank you. I don’t know what I would do—”

He lifts his hand in the air, halting her. “I don’t want to hear it. This conversation is over. I’ll see you tonight.” With that, Cannon strides toward the elevator. “Hurry up, Drew. Time to get to fucking work.”





4





Cannon





I’m a stupid fucking idiot. I wouldn’t be bringing the fox back into the henhouse on purpose if I wasn’t. Then again, if I fired her on the spot, Dom would know something was up, and then I’d actually have the situation on my hands that I only thought I had earlier.

“It’s time to prove yourself. You take care of her, or I will.”

It’s been a long damn time since words could send a cold chill through my blood. Even the words of a man who is more than capable of murder. But the whole time, it wasn’t me I was worried about.

I jab the elevator button as soon as she steps inside, then sneak a sideways glare at her.

When the door closes, I’m tempted to slam the emergency stop button and ask her what the fuck, but I can’t do that either. I know for a fact the elevator is bugged.

I have a million fucking questions for this woman, starting with Do you have a death wish? But I can’t ask her a single one of them until we get out of here tonight.

“I’m sorry,” Memphis whispers from beside me.

Something seizes in my chest as I jerk my chin in her direction. She’s pale beneath the thick layer of makeup on her face. The thick layer that was her disguise as she tried to gather intel, probably to put me in prison with the rest of the Casso crew.

And I fucking fell for it hook, line, and sinker. No, I fucking fell for her. What a goddamned schmuck.

“Don’t say a fucking word about anything until I tell you it’s okay to talk. Understand me?” My words are sharp, no care to them at all.

She flinches, but I won’t apologize as easily as she does. It’s not just Teal’s life I’m saving today. It’s hers too.

As the elevator opens on the floor for the Upper Ten, I step over the threshold and block her exit. Memphis stares at me with genuine fear on her face as she swallows.

“Your mother expects you to take her to dinner tonight. Tell her you’re working, and you’ll take her tomorrow. No one gets the fucking night off today.”

I should want her as far away from the club as possible, but I’m not letting Memphis Lockwood out of my sight until I figure out what kind of voodoo she’s worked on me, and what the fuck I’m going to do about it.