The Heart's Match

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Damien

The first meeting with the entire crew is not going well. I stand in the corner with Alexei and a few of our other top guys and watch Ivan, Raul, and Sofia sitting at the big conference table in the lower, private level of Ronan Donnelly's club, Phantom. Matteo Marino is sitting there pontificating. His sons sit beside him, young versions of the Don of Chicago.

Ronan sits and listens. His bride, Mirabella sits beside him, back straight, face serious. Sean and Tristan Donnelly sit with their brother. I study everyone's movements, everyone's reactions. And it takes no genius to realize we will get nowhere today.

Ivan has no trouble befriending Ronan Donnelly.

Matteo Marino is a different story. He's older than Ivan and Ronan, and old-school. It's not common for the Outfit to ally with anyone outside of the family. That's the whole point of them. I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures.

My eyes land on the hellcat.

Nessa Donnelly sits beside her sister-in-law. She's leaned back, relaxed, too casual. She sips her drink like it's a lifeline. She's bored. Or at least, she's pretending to be. Her eyes tell a different story. She watches everyone, same as me.

Ronan considers his youngest sister an equal in their decisions.

I watch her sip her whiskey sour. I watch the way she rubs her pink lips together afterwards, runs her tongue along them to get the aftertaste off. Her eyes look more golden under the lights of the club. They watch dutifully, lingering on Matteo as he speaks. She fights a grin, like she desperately wants to say something to him. I don't doubt she normally would. That woman doesn't seem to know when to shut up.

Matteo, and Ronan too, want to know about men on the inside of the Vitalis. I don't know how they got that information, but I know sure as fuck that Ivan won't be telling them anything till we have some contract signed. Preferably in blood. I don't want us all to wake up tomorrow with knives in our fucking backs.

Matteo insults his own daughter, Mira, and Nessa's cocky little grin falls. Anger clouds her eyes.

Ronan calls for a break.

Ivan, Sofia, Raul, Alexei, and I step outside. I light a cigarette as they talk around me.

"What do you think, Damien?" Sofia asks me. We speak in Russian even though no one else is around.

I shrug, "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

She gives me a look. Ivan chuckles.

"We aren't telling them about the rat," Raul says.

Ivan runs his hand over his jaw. He's always thinking, my brother. I let out a long stream of smoke, wondering how much longer we'll be here today. I have shit to do.

"Admittedly, I was surprised to see Mirabella Marino at the table," Raul says.

"Donnelly," I correct.

"Right," Raul shoots me a look.

Ivan looks at me, something flaring in his eyes. "Give Damien and me a moment, will you all?"

Great. They all nod and fuck off. Sofia kisses Ivan's cheek then gives me a warning look. She's so protective over my brother that it makes me smile.