The book was many things.
It was a black book of clients who paid us to give them what they didn’t earn or make their problems disappear. It was a contact list of people paid off to keep their mouth shut and look the other way. It was also a history book of every job taken, tracing back six generations. It was a legacy inherited by every generation of Bandit, and it incriminated not only the Knights but also everyone we serviced, fucked over or used. It was insurance for our clients but also blackmail to keep them in line.
His hand froze from tossing a grape in his mouth. “How could it be gone?”
“We underestimated Theo’s reach. He sent his kid.”
“Mian?”
“Does he have a bastard I don’t know about?”
He ignored my snarky question and leaned back. “When?”
“Last night. Lucas and Z caught her hiding in my father’s estate. She said she was after something that belongs to her father.”
“Where is she now?”
“Not important.” I didn’t trust Victor with the information. “We let her go.”
“Why?”
“I never considered her knowing about the book. She had nothing on her when we released her.”
“So she has a partner.”
“I’m sure of it.”
“She needs to be disposed of. What are you planning to do about it?”
“We watch her, for now, to see where she goes and who she knows.”
“She may have already sold it. What about this partner?”
“They have to meet again to either sell or collect. I don’t give a shit, but I want them both.”
“It’s not a fail-safe plan.” His lazy regard for my abilities pissed me off, but I kept silent. “Your father wouldn’t like you being this stupid.”
My fingers gripped the arm of the chair to keep from doing the same to his neck. I watched as he arrogantly picked another grape from the stem and popped it in his mouth. I didn’t like him talking about my father after he decided to fuck and marry his wife.
I would say that our rocky association was a love lost since he’d been my father’s oldest friend, but I never felt close to him even when I was just a kid. Theo had been the one who was like a second father to me.
It was all so fucked up.
“My father would want me to be smart. This isn’t some random person off the street or even a rival. She was family.”
“And now she’s just the daughter of your father’s murderer. Don’t forget that.”
“I haven’t,” I pushed through clenched teeth.
“We’ll see.”
Fucking A…
I’m going to kill this prick.
“Once she makes a move, I will take her. Not. Before.” I leaned forward and locked gazes. “And I won’t hesitate.”
“Good.” He chomped on another grape. I considered filling his airway with the entire bowl and watching him choke to death.
“I came here because I need information, some kind of leverage over her. I was hoping you might have something. I can see that I’m wasting my time.” I stood to leave.
“Wait.” I ignored him and moved for the exit. “Son.”
I froze and counted to five so I wouldn’t remind him that while he may have married my mom, I would never be his son. I’d seen what having a father like Victor would eventually do. Eliana Castro was a gold digging bitch with scales like her father. Not only that. Once upon a time, Victor entertained the idea of me marrying his daughter. My father refused the idea of an arranged marriage, which put an invisible strain on their relationship.
“I was out of line. Your father would be proud of you.”
I wasn’t surprised by his quickness to apologize. Victor had always gone out of his way to stay in my good graces, even if it meant ignoring his own daughter.
Victor looked up expectantly. He waited for me to accept his apology.
Not going to happen.
“I didn’t come here to talk about my father.” I’d never be comfortable with a man who would sleep with his friend’s wife before his body was even cold in the ground.
“I’m sorry for that, too.” An uncomfortable silence followed another apology I wouldn’t accept. “Look, Ross’s kid needs to be dealt with. If she was after anything, it would have to be the book.”
It didn’t add up.
None of it did.
“How would she know the combination to the safe?”
“Your father trusted Theo—more than anyone.” He grunted. My gaze narrowed on his face. Was the resentment I just witnessed real or imagined? The hard glint in his eyes was gone as quickly as it appeared.
“And?”
“And it’s possible Theo relayed this information to his daughter.”
“For what reason?” I grilled even though I’d already considered the possibility. “He’s locked up, and Mian is no thief.”
“Are you sure about that? She got into your father’s estate, didn’t she? He’d obviously taught her enough. He could have groomed her just as your father intended to groom you.”