4

Alice ran her slender hand over her knee, her gaze was locked on the laptop in front of her on the bed. She had skillfully escaped through a secret door of the club that she used to get in and out. It didn't prove as hectic as the first few times she tries, just a little nudge on the door and she was home free. As soon as she was back inside the mansion she requested the footage from Walsh's club from last night and has been scanning through ever since.

Walsh was among the crowd, and like everyone else, he was in a line being led towards an FBI pickup vehicle outside. The line was monitored by two agents, one on each side of the van door. Other agents were scanning the area. She slightly straightened when the man from last night appeared in the line of the camera, his jacket was replaced with a black bulletproof vest, but no FBI bib.

So he wasn’t FBI, she deduced. Then he must be from the CIA.

She zoomed in on his face, he was sporting a small cut over his right eye; a minor repercussion to their fight. It was a shame to scratch that beautiful face but she couldn't help herself. She had a purely rigid relationship with the law enforcers for obvious reasons.

"You should’ve killed him.” Lance rolled over on the bed to face her. He had returned late last night from his rendezvous and came straight to her, to sate her midnight urges. His face was set in stone, he shared the same sentiments about lawmen, especially feds, they were always a thorn in operations. Some agents always wanted to be the hero. As her father's right hand man, he had a lot of run-ins with them.

"He wasn't just a cop, he’s a CIA agent." She pointed out and slammed the laptop shut and slid from the bed. She didn't have the time for something as trivial as killing a lawman beside, the only thing she wanted to know last night was how much that Italian scum told him-and why he was there. Alice wrapped the spread around her naked body and allowed it to drag behind her as she stalked to the floor-to-ceiling window. She pulled the curtains aside, revealing the lush lawn with a row of crowned trees below them.

"So? And how many of those do we have on our payroll?" She heard him get up from the bed. His tone was sharp, too sharp for her liking. He placed his arm around her shoulder and attempted to peck her on the cheek. She tilted her head to the other side, her lips pressed into a thin line, mornings and kisses and her, did not mix.

Ever.

Lance was getting a little too comfortable for just sex.

"We don’t have any, my father does." Lance's arm stiffened on her shoulder for a while before he started caressing it. Seconds later a man appeared on the lawn and patted his head twice with two fingers. She nodded in understanding and turned to Lance. "Dad wants to see us outside and please don't kiss me."

He was taller than her, and so muscular that he could pass for an athlete. His shaggy blonde hair fell down his chiseled face which added so much to his sex appeal. His legs were muscular, and he had a perfectly portioned body, in every aspect. Yet she was his superior. Lance let his hands, purposely going slow over the peak of her breasts, she swatted his hands away and narrowed her eyes.

“Fine, I’m done, I swear.” He folded his lips, trying to stifle a laugh. She rolled her eyes and began getting dressed and he followed suit. Their sex agreement began just a few months ago and they both agreed to keep it strictly black, no hearts and no strings. It was never an issue for either. After they both were done, they made their way down the double winged stairs of the palatial mansion and through the balcony door that Alice entered from yesterday.

The American crime syndicate was founded by five families, the Caronis, the Salvatores, Garcias, Roberts and Atkins. Each family dated back decades even before the smaller organizations ever thought about coming to the country and whenever the head of a family expired, an heir took over from them. The current heads of the four families were sitting around a large white table with breakfast edibles lying in front of them, their bodyguards were below them on the lawn where they normally stood during meetings. Don Caroni appeared from a hidden door around the area of the stairs. Lance and Alice approached him, they each stood on either side of him as they always did. He nodded and acknowledged them both.

“Good morning gentlemen.” A cold air settled around him and the four men's gaze flickered to him. “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” Judging from his tone, their presence in his home was anything but pleasant.

“Nice suit,” Maxwell Atkins pointed out, he was a bald, tanned man and the eldest of the syndicate leaders.

Don Caroni nodded in agreement, straightening the pockets of his Brioni jacket. “It’s custom.” He said.

The other men snorted, “I wouldn’t want to see your suit on gala night.” Maxwell added with a gallant smile.

“Enough chit chat, why are you at my house?”

There was a short pause and the men’s gaze flickered to and fro as if deciding which one of them was to speak. Even though they had similar stature, Don Caroni’s piercing glare was intimidating. “We have some concerns, Lionel.” Jonathan Roberts took the initiative to speak for his comrades, he was the youngest of the members, only forty-two years old and a lot more time to spend in the syndicate if he was to die by natural causes.

“Alright,” Don Caroni sat himself down at the head of the table, Alice stood in her place with her arms folded, she was dying to hear what these concerns were. “You know how we do things here, go ahead.”

“We believe that recent events show that the police have been getting information from a source within this organization. They have been intercepting our frequency, capturing our men even when they really shouldn’t.” Pablo Garcia took over from Jonathan. “Everything we discussed for our shipments have been confidential, around this very table.” The man continued, this time more confident.

Caroni nodded slowly. “We have discussed this so many times. The only known informant of the police was erased last night.” Alice made sure of that.

“I see,” Pablo frowned slightly and there was a brief moment of silence before he spoke again. “Though that may be the case, the attention we are getting from the law enforcement should be enough to delay the alliance between the Russian ambassador. Bringing in that many Russians in the country so publicly will do nothing but raise suspicions.” The same concern that laced his voice moments ago returned.

Since when smuggling people across the border was a trouble for them? Alice frowned and glanced across at Lance. His face was set in stone, she wondered if he had the same thoughts.

He didn’t reveal any emotions.

“I remember you were saying something different last month Mr. Garcia. In fact, you all did.” Caroni replied, glancing at the other members. They appeared deep in thought.

“The Russians are a liability.” Pablo pressed on.

What the hell is happening? Her father couldn’t be buying this bullshit, Alice thought to herself.

“That was before,” he corrected. “I have decided to put my foot down on this one. We all know that you will be using this opportunity to throw your adopted daughter in with the Russians.”

It was true that Don Caroni always wanted Alice to have a strong relationship with the Russian empire, he had always said they had a history of honoring their code no matter the cost. This was the type of ally she would need when she took over from him. But it was obvious Pablo wasn’t talking about a mere alliance.

“My daughter! I don’t know how you treat your family Garcia but she is not for sale. She is worth all of your sons put together!” Lionel’s voice rose significantly. Even the men below them turned their attention to the balcony.

Alice felt anger seeping hotly into her veins, she pressed her right fist into a ball, remaining calm then slightly and rested her other hand on her father’s shoulder to calm him down. It was the first time any of them even mentioned her in their discussions when she was there and she was certain it would be the last. Caroni patted Alice’s hand and met Pablo’s frightened gaze. “But if you want to throw in yours to them, I have no problem with making that happen.”

His eyes widened slightly, clearly he had underestimated how Don Caroni would react to his mention of Alice.

He opened his mouth to speak again but nothing came. Afraid that he spoke another word he would suffer. Now that he openly challenged Don Caroni, the only reason he still caught air was because of their code. A founder cannot be terminated by another's hands and his position as a member of the syndicate and a member of society was beneficial.

“Why don’t you say what you came here to say so I can get back to my wife.” Don Caroni urged, he saw right through their facade. This wasn't the only thing they had to say.

Russell, the one member who was silent all this time, poured himself a glass of water and rose it towards Don Caroni then to Alice. “I apologize for the behavior of Pablo, Don Caroni. He must not be himself today.” He attempted to quash the backlash Pablo may cause on himself.

His tone sounded almost mocking.

Something wasn’t right, but Alice couldn’t quite put a finger on it yet.

After the brief meeting, the men left in their obnoxiously expensive vehicles. Lance went to the firing range to meet with new recruits for the syndicate that they had scouted last week. Alice threaded behind her father slowly as he walked back to his bedroom. The air was still heavy with tension.

“Well that was-” Alice started.

“They will see you as their equal, Alice.” Caroni assured her without slowing his steps.

“No, it’s not that.” She could care less about their approval . Ronald's last words sounded cryptic. It was giving her a very unsettling feeling in her stomach. “I’m not sure you should go to Russia.” She said in complete seriousness.

“What?” He stopped and turned to face her. When he saw her expression, his heart shifted a little.

“I have a bad feeling about this trip.” She forced out. He sighed, her words came to pass on so many occasions, but he had to take a chance on something he knew she wouldn’t understand if he told her.

“Don’t worry mia cara, Lance will be there to protect me.” He reassured her, pinching her chin.

“You suck at Italian.” Alice muttered. “Never do that again.” He laughed loudly and she slowly wrapped her arms around him and he pulled her closer in a warm embrace.

"I will be fine." He added.