Sinful Empire (Mount Trilogy #3)

“I don’t repeat myself, kid.”

Someone nudged me from behind and I straightened, my ribs crying in pain I’d never show.

Morello’s black eyes drilled into me as my brain scrambled for something to tell him. I remembered the IDs I just tossed down the gutter, and made something up.

“Name’s Lachlan Mount, sir. I apologize for the damage I caused. It wasn’t intentional. I meant no disrespect.”

Morello studied me, no doubt taking in my roughed-up appearance, hard eyes, and sharp features. “Lachlan Mount. Strong name for a smart kid. Is that what you are, Mount?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You been dodging the cops for two years?” His eyes narrowed on me like he was waiting for me to lie. But Morello didn’t realize I had nothing to lose anymore.

“Yes, sir.”

His dark eyebrows raised ever so slightly. “Today didn’t work out how you planned, then.”

“No, sir. Not at all.” I gritted my teeth as the pain intensified the longer I stood up straight.

“You f*cked my car up, Mount. You owe me for that.”

I nodded and reached into my pocket to pull out the cash I’d just lifted. “My apologies, sir.” I handed it out toward him. “This is everything I got.”

He looked down at the bills in my hand and laughed, a deep booming noise that seemed to echo off the tall brick buildings hemming us in and blocking my escape.

“You know how much this car costs, kid? Because what you got there won’t even fix the hood ornament.”

“It’s all I got, sir.”

I waited for the press of a barrel to my head from behind, because I’d heard these Mafia types preferred execution-style, but it didn’t come.

Morello tilted his head to the side, studying me. “How long did it take you to steal that money?”

“A few minutes. Grabbed ’em on my way to that fat f*ck’s store.”

“Hey—” Ernie yelled, ready to defend himself, but Morello raised a hand and he instantly went silent.

Morello rubbed a hand across his dark mustache that was already going silver and studied me some more. “How old are you, Mount?”

The more he said the name I’d just picked, the more I liked it. It felt right. Like I was born to it.

I straightened my shoulders, despite the blinding pain. I had pride, and that was stronger. “Fifteen, almost sixteen.” I made up the last part because I didn’t have a clue when my birthday actually was.

Morello dropped his hand from his mustache and drilled me with a stare. “You got three choices today, Mount, because I’m feeling generous.”

I kept quiet, waiting to hear what judgment he was gonna deliver.

“One, I hand you over to the cops and they try you as an adult, toss your ass in prison. I doubt you make it a day before you’re someone’s favorite bitch.”

I forced myself not to react, even though his statement made me want to hurl my guts up, because I knew he was right.

“Two, Frankie will shoot you right here for f*cking up my favorite car, and we’ll leave your body in the gutter, which is probably where you figured you’d die.”

He wasn’t wrong about that, but I didn’t say shit to reply.

“Or three, you get in the backseat, we take you to the doc to get patched up, and you work your debt off to me until you’ve paid for every penny of repairs to my car. If you don’t f*ck that up, we’ll see how you fit in, and maybe you’ll have yourself a real job instead of picking tourist pockets.”

One of the cops finally found the balls to speak. “Mr. Morello, sir, we can take him from here. There’s no need for you to bother yourself with—”

Morello’s attention snapped toward him, cutting off his words. “If I wanted your opinion, pig, I’d ask for it. Now, shut the f*ck up.”

His gaze cut back to mine as I heard the slide of a gun. I assumed it was Frankie, Morello’s goon, getting ready to either carry out option two or kill a cop in broad daylight.

My insides turned liquid, but I wouldn’t show fear. I made the only decision I could.

“Three, sir. I choose option three.”

Morello nodded. “That’s what I figured, because you’re not a f*cking moron like those ass*oles.” He jerked his head at the cops before glancing over my shoulder. “Put him in the car. Call Doc. Have him meet us.”

As soon as the man’s hands landed on me, I spun around, grinding my teeth to keep from screaming out in pain. “I can help myself into the car.”

A glimmer of amusement flitted through Frankie’s eyes. “Get in the front seat, kid.”

I hobbled toward the door and opened it, practically collapsing inside before slamming it shut. Thankfully, no one could hear my hiss of pain because Morello and Frankie were still outside, facing Ernie and the cops. Their voices came loud and clear through the open back door.

“Sir, with all due respect—”

“You’ve never heard the name Lachlan Mount. You will never repeat it. You’ve never seen him before. You will forget he exists. He’s part of my organization now, and if you so much as think about going after him, I’ll watch while my people skin you alive and laugh when you squeal like the pigs you are. Then I’ll put bullets in the heads of everyone you love. How’s that sound?”

All three men, including the two in uniform, bobbed their heads like idiots and sputtered out replies.

“Understood, sir.”

“Never heard of him before.”

“Don’t know who you’re talking about, Mr. Morello. We’re just heading back to the station.”

Their fear of Morello rolled off them like stink. Or maybe one of them shit themselves. From the way the cops’ legs were quivering, I’d believe it. And then there was the wet spot spreading down Ernie’s pants.

He really did piss himself. No f*cking way.

Then again, I wasn’t surprised. Morello’s posture was rigid. His orders absolute. I had no doubt in my mind he’d kill them all right here and follow through on everything he said.

I’d never seen that kind of power in action before. Never seen that kind of fear on any cop’s face. I soaked it up.

What would it be like to command that kind of respect?

Morello climbed into the backseat of the Mercedes, and Frankie closed the door.

“Don’t make me regret this, Mount, because I will f*cking bury you alive if you betray me or mine.”

“Understood, sir. You won’t regret it.”

“Good.”

Frankie climbed in and fired up the busted car that saved my life. Somewhere along the bumpy ride to wherever the hell we were going, I silently passed out from the pain.





Keira





Present day

Pain slices through me as I regain consciousness. The car door flies open, and gravity sends me tilting to the side. Strong arms stop my fall.

“I got you. Open your eyes, hellion. Open your f*cking eyes for me. Goddammit, I’m not going to lose you now.”