Tirone (The Night Skulls MC #2)(85)

“And what is it you’ve come to say, Jocasta Larvin?”

“We want to make a deal.”

“I’m listening.”

“It’s pretty simple. The Larvins in exchange for the South.”

His jaw flexed, and then he chuckled. “You want me to betray my new ally?”

“You’ll get another one.”

“Furore?”

“The Night Skulls. They’re all you need to open the new market you aspire for in the South and keep your ongoing business in Europe.”

He squinted at me. “Keep it?”

“If you start a war against the MC here, do you think the other global chapters will do business with you?”

“When I win, yes. They’ll have no choice.”

“Unless they find a replacement.”

He chuckled again, as if he thought I was way out of my league with this talk, but then his whole face darkened. He must have understood I wasn’t bluffing. By the fumes bursting in his gaze, I bet he knew exactly whom I was referring to as the replacement.

“The enemy of enemy is my friend.” That was all I was offering between the lines. My actual connection to the Bellomos had to remain a secret. “Unless the tables turn. All we want is Declan Larvin and his wife. You’ll use me as bait. Furore will get them, and you’ll get Furore as your key to the South.”

“Tempting. But what if this is all a distraction while your husband goes behind my back and makes another deal with the replacement? Once he gets your father and your stepmother, he betrays me?”

I was aware I was playing with fire, coming here, offering myself to the slaughter, but it was the only way out of this predicament I’d put us all in. I needed Enzio Lanza to trust me enough to believe me and make this deal; the deal Furore should have negotiated with the Bellomos instead of a blind rejection.

I’d never side with the Lanzas. I’d never put Michele in that position. The Bellomos’ plan was good but far stretched. After Furore’s demonstration of his love and protectiveness of me, Don Lanza would never believe he’d just give me up. The Lanzas would have known something was off, and we’d have probably ended up all dead.

My little tweak, though, was far more palpable. I just had to make it solid and fast before any doubt sneaked into his chest. “Will I be here if that’s his plan?”

“That’s your plan, Jocasta, not his. Your over protective husband would never agree to use you as bait.”

See? “Even if you’re right, he has no choice but to make it his plan, too.” That was why I was here. I couldn’t let him lose the MC. I couldn’t let him take the Bellomos’ enemy side either. Furore would have to go through with this deal now; the one that would fool the Lanzas to give us the Larvins and would be accepted by the Bellomos in order to step in. Coming here was the only way to make Furore take it. “You already have me. He has no leverage. If he doesn’t play along, you can give me to the Larvins and go on with your original plan. He’ll lose everything.”

“Which is exactly what I should do.”

“It’s your call. But if Furore loses his new bride and the Night Skulls lose one of their own, do you think they’ll just sit back and admit defeat? Do you think the South will simply bow to the foreign usurpers? And most importantly, do you think your expanding rival will sit back and watch?”

He took in a deep breath, his intimidating eyes reading through me.

“But if you enter the South as a friend, if you have the Night Skulls as your willing allies…” It was my turn to smirk.

He smirked back.

“Not to mention the East will be fair game, and Furore is well connected in New York, too,” I added.

He got off his seat, buttoning his suit jacket. Then he stuck out his hand. “Your husband is lucky to have you, Jo.”

“And we’ll be lucky to have you as our friend, Don Lanza.” I shook his hand, sealing the deal with the devil.

“Per favore, call me Enzio.” He offered me his arm. “Bianca will be pleased to see you. She’s grown rather bored in this town. She’d appreciate the company.”

“Lovely. How long will I be your guest, Enzio?”

“One or two days. Don’t worry. I won’t keep you from your honeymoon long.”





CHAPTER 48


Furore



“Put my wife on the phone,” I told Enzio, hand squeezing my burner, hell bubbling up inside me. I’d been going insane, thinking I’d lost her, and now that I’d learned where she was and what she’d done… FUCK.

“I’m safe, Laius,” she said calmly as if all was well with the world.

Not with my world. Because she was my world, and she wasn’t safe. She was being used as bait. She’d be offered to the Larvins on a silver plate by the Lanzas, the mafia she herself said would never trust or side with. “Did they hurt you? Did anyone touch you?”

“No. I’m totally fine. Bianca and Mario are amazing. Enzio is quite the gentleman as well. I’m even taking my meds. Can you believe it? They were kind enough to pick up the prescription from the hospital.”

She’s friends with them now? What the fuck? “You’re killing me, Jo. How could you do this, baby? Why?”