Chapter Two: Liam
I sit at the head of the table, surrounded around my most trusted men. Tonight is the night that months of planning finally come together. The first step in the plan to bring out the end. For years now, the Italian have taken what wasn’t theirs and tried to steal every corner of the city that wasn’t theirs to begin with. While we had always been enemies, with the occasional alliance, we all tended to stick to our corners of the city and that was all she wrote. Other than the occasional issues with territory we stuck to our own businesses and kept it clean. That has not been the case since Bonetti took over. Oh no, the bastard has decided it is his city alone and that he was going to try and run everything else out.
Well, that was never going to work for me. So, when he chose to attack my shipment, he also chose to start a war. A choice he will see exactly for what it is tonight.
Looking at the floor plans of the building, the event will be held in one last time, I stand to speak.
“Tonight’s the night that we state where we stand. There are more civilians than anything else. We all know Bonetti does these charity events strictly to seem to keep his money clean. We know he always brings his wife, and we know he counts more on the cops he believes are in his pockets.” I smirk little does he know he’s been out bid. “Then his own men at these things to keep up the public appearances that he is not a crime lord.”
I lean both hands on the table slowly looking around at the men I am taking to. As much as I wish we could just go into this party guns up, bullets out, I refuse to put completely innocent in the cross hairs of me or my men’s gun. And if all goes to plan then they won’t be in the Italians either.
“The plan is simple, get in grab what we need and get out. The Bonettis are due to sit here.” I point at the table near the front of the stage. “He is due to give a speech, and never allows his wife to go far from his site. That’s where this gets tricky. We want to make the move when he is speaking but we can’t ever let him see what’s going on or raise his awareness something is going on, till it’s too late to stop. Declan?” I turn to refer to my Clan Chief since this was his part. The side of his mouth tips up.
“Ay that’s for Cara, she has it covered.” My eyebrow shot to my hair line in shock. It’s not often, actually it never happens that he includes his wife in business.
“Cara?” He simply smiles.
“It’s the part she wishes do her part.” The shadow that across his face says more than mouth does. He may be my second, but he is also my little brother and I know there is more to do with this than he is willing to let on. And in a way I understand. Her brother was one the warlords the night our shipment was attacked, and now he is laying in the dirt. So, I tip my chin with respect.
“Very well then. Everyone knows where to be and what they are meant to do. No acting as the maggots. Get in, do your part and get out with what we are going there for.”
The string quartet plays softly as I enter the gala. This is not my usual scene but anything to get the job done. Even though I am wearing a Tom Ford suit that’s been tailored fit it still feels too tight and scratchy. I have always preferred to be dressed down. I make my way over to the bar in the corner. I can get a good look at the room and sit look casual all at the same time. I knock my knuckles on the bar as the bartender walks over to me.
“What can I get for you tonight sir?” she a pretty red head, slim waist perky tits that are poking out slightly from the shirt she obviously has left unbuttoned, which I’m sure is against the uniform. Probably trying to get the eye of some rich man. Normally I’d bite but too much is at stake to get distracted tonight with sins of the flesh. Still, I flash her a smile.
“Middleton, neat two fingers.” Not exactly the Irish whiskey I have at home but its good enough for now. She smiles brightly and turns to make my drink.
I turn and lean one elbow against the bar and turn to survey the room. I spot my men talking to people in small groups settled around the room like we planned. I haven’t seen Bonetti yet which is a little odd. We planned on being a bit fashionably late to this event so we could watch the guards in place. Which as we suspected were little to none and mostly officers. But he would have normally been here by now.
Before I have time to worry, he has changed his mind about coming I see him walking in through the door. However, that’s not what gives me pause. No, no what steals my breath from my lungs and has my heart beating so hard it may leave its cavity on its own is the women on his arm with the smile that is full of something I can’t pinpoint right this second.
I have seen pictures of Bonetti’s wife, of course I have, but nothing even came close to the way she truly looks. Her mahogany brown hair is piled up in an elegant style on her head with small pieces curled and framing her delicate face, small pert nose heart shaped lips and her heart shaped face. She is wearing a black shawl wrapped around a green gown that is strapless hugging her curvy petite body. Breast that are more than a handful but not too much. The dress follows the curve of her body to broad well-rounded hips simply perfect for holding on to. Shit.
No, I can’t be thinking like that. But fuck is it hard not to. I pull my eyes back to face and they get stuck looking at her eyes. I can’t quite tell what color they are from here, maybe green but there is one thing I can see. They seem haunted. And I am not sure why that could be. With her husband’s loving arm wrapped passively around her waist I am not sure what she could possibly be haunted with. He looks down at her lovingly before leaning to her ear and whispers something. I don’t think anyone else would have noticed the slight wince she gives, unless they were watching as closely as I do. Only the smile never falls and the giggle that falls that falls that falls that fallows seem to have everyone else convinced, probably even her husband. But I’m not. Uhm odd. I glanced at the bar and noticed that at some point my drink as appeared with out my notice. I grab it and bring it to my lips just as I glance over at the beauty one last time.
“It’s go time.”