Come a Little Closer (Kadia Club Nights Book 1) Page 14

“I need Cooper to draw his weapon. We can’t move on him until then.”

  “What if it’s too late?” Keesha breathed. “Marcus might get—”

  “Marcus is a big boy. He can take care of himself. He knows the risks.”

  Jon nodded his agreement and showed her his police badge. “We only have one shot at this. Marcus wanted to do this tonight. He didn’t know you’d get caught in the crosshairs but finishing this right now will save a lot of people, Keesha. We have to have faith this will work.”

  Faith?

  How could she have faith when she was literally and figuratively closer to Hell than she had ever been?

  19

  Marcus

  The calm before the storm had passed. As Marcus watched Adam Cooper stroll through the underground chamber, pausing at the bookshelves to run his fingers along the spines of the well-worn old texts, he cursed himself for being so foolish.

  Of course, Cooper dragged Keesha into this mess.

  Of course, he wanted to have leverage to use against Marcus.

  And, of course, Marcus was the one to blame.

  This is what I was trying to avoid. This is why I tried to stay away from her.

  Cooper turned from the shelf with his half-drunk drink perched in the palm of his hand. “Do you read much, Marcus?”

  Small talk? Really? “No,” Marcus said.

  “Figures. You don’t really look like the type. But you’ve surprised me before.”

  “Can we get on with this shit?”

  “Always so impatient.” Cooper left the bookcases and moved into the middle of the room where Marcus stood. “Why don’t you begin then? You were the one who wanted to see me, after all. I’m merely responding to your request.”

  “Your decision to bring Keesha down here changes things,” Marcus said.

  Cooper smiled like the devil. “I was banking on that. She served her purpose well.”

  “Tell me what you want.”

  The two men stared at each other.

  Marcus hated this fucking prick. Cooper was always one step ahead of the game. Every time Marcus thought he had him pinned, Cooper would weasel his way out of a tight spot.

  Every. Damn. Time.

  Tonight was no exception. The failure of this job would be on Marcus’s head. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do to Dimitri when he got out of the tunnels.

  If he got out of the tunnels.

  Cooper strolled across the carpets as he spoke, pausing occasionally to sip his drink. “I do have a proposal that might benefit both me and the Castaletta Syndicate. It will take compromise, I suspect. And a bit of trust.”

  “Why the fuck would any of us trust you?”

  “It’s never too late to change the game, Marcus. Come now. That’s how you stay on top. You evolve.”

  Marcus’s eyes narrowed. “You aren’t on top, Cooper. We are.”

  Cooper chuckled. “You aren’t wrong. It is with that in mind that I came to my decision.”

  Marcus’s temper flared. Cooper was stringing him along on purpose. He was deliberately making Marcus ask follow-up questions instead of just coming out with it all at once. “Spit it out.”

  “I propose I pull all of my business out of all Castaletta territory. New York, Chicago, and other cities where Drake has running operations.”

  “Why?” Marcus didn’t trust Cooper an inch. Why did he want to pull back into his own territory all of a sudden? Why come all the way out here to randomly show up at Kadia and cause a scene, only to settle on a plan like this?

  Had Cooper learned something about the syndicate since he’d arrived in New York City? Had he realized how ill prepared he was to face such a massive force?

  Had he concluded that he would lose?

  Perhaps.

  Cooper drummed his fingers along the side of his glass and sighed. “If you need to hear it, fine. I need to pull focus and retreat back to California where my operations are still running smoothly. I hate to admit it, but I’ve spread myself too thin. You are the perfect tool for me to extract myself.”

  “And why is that?”

  “I need you to convince Drake to leave me alone,” Cooper said.

  Marcus scoffed. “What makes you think he’d listen to me?”

  “Convince Dimitri. He’ll convince Drake. Simple.”

  Marcus shook his head. “You’re a dumb fuck if you think they’re going to leave you to gather forces and take another run at them in a year or two. These are the Demarcos we’re talking about, not Joe Castaletta. They run shit differently. Tighter.” Marcus rubbed his jaw and considered this option. It would be a hard plan to sell, even to Dimitri, who wanted Cooper in the ground about as badly as Marcus did. “It’s not in their nature to let the enemy slip away simply because he’s spread too thin. That’s kind of the point.”

  “I’m one man against three families. I have no interest in going to war against the Demarcos, Bertinellis, and Carringtons.” Cooper tossed his drink back. He set the glass down hard on the table beside one of the brown sofas. He leaned one hip up against the back of the sofa and folded his arms over his chest. “Besides, Dimitri will leave me alone if he knows what’s good for him.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you’ve forced my hand. I won’t fight fair. If Dimitri takes me out, he’d better believe I have orders in place to bring down what he cares about most. Starting with that woman of his. How is Izzy, by the way?”

  “Tread lightly, Cooper,” Marcus growled.

  Cooper’s eyes flashed with amusement. “Still as untameable and beautiful as ever, I would imagine. And their child?”

  Marcus held his tongue.

  Cooper seemed pleased with his silence and took it as success. “Dimitri will lose what he cherishes most if he puts me in the ground. Mark my fucking words. And I won’t stop there. The families of his men will follow. One after another, they’ll drop like fucking flies. Women. Children. I don’t give a damn. If we agree on a truce and he breaks it?” Cooper gave a slight inclination of his head. “It would end badly for everyone.”

  “Enough. I get the idea.”

  “I’m not done.”

  Marcus gritted his teeth.

  Cooper pushed off the sofa and let his hands fall to his sides. “I know what’s important to you too, Marcus. Your girl out in New Orleans? She’s lived a pretty squeaky-clean life since she got away from you. Got herself a nice house with a green lawn and a garden full of flowers. She’s happy. But there’s always a way to pull a bitch back in. So don’t force my hand, Marcus.”

  Anger pounded against the inside of Marcus’s skull. “Leave Kate out of this, you bastard.”

  “I will. So long as you and the friends you brought with you tonight let me leave.”

  Having a plan in place after Cooper died to kill the families of every single person loyal to the Castaletta Syndicate seemed like a tall order in Marcus’s opinion. How would he have gone about setting up a plan like that? How would he pay the men who were responsible for seeing it through? Had he already written out their checks? Had he already signed contracts? Had he sent addresses and pictures of said families to the contract killers he’d shared his plans with?

  Probably, Marcus thought darkly.

  It was a risk not worth taking. Too many lives were in the balance.

  Since when were you one to care about collateral damage?

  Marcus ran a hand over his head and considered the people who would go to sleep one night and never wake up after men in black suits snuck into their homes and put bullets in their heads.

  At least, he assumed that was how Cooper would handle the task. Maybe it would be messier. Bloodier.

  Maybe he’d told his men to take their time.

  Keesha.

  And Keesha’s daughter. But it didn’t end with them. He expected Cooper to follow through and kill Keesha’s family too. And Kate and Jon. Cole. Every single employee at Kadia would be at risk. And that was jus
t the tip of the iceberg.

  What about everyone in Chicago?

  “You’re a nasty son of a bitch,” Marcus grated out.

  Cooper threw his head back and laughed. “That’s the only way to get where I am now, Marcus. Do you think Dimitri and Drake didn’t do terrible things to get where they are? You think Erik Bertinelli is a good guy?”

  “No.”

  Cooper wouldn’t give up easily. He’d lost the battle with Carrington when he tried to steal the old man’s daughter from him, and that was largely in part due to Marcus’s last-minute involvement. Had he stayed out of it and not been sent by Dimitri to get the girl back to Carrington, who he was courting as a new ally, things would have ended differently.

  Perhaps Carrington would have been forced to ally himself with Cooper. Sure, Carrington wasn’t the most formidable of the crime families, but he had resources and connections that would have been an asset to a man like Adam Cooper.

  Fuck.

  Marcus only saw two options before him. Either he killed Cooper right then and there and risked the wrath of the fallout, or he let him walk away and faced the wrath of his boss instead.

  Dimitri would be furious. Marcus had no idea how Drake would react.

  But with some luck, Keesha would walk out of this place in one piece. So would Jon. And Kate’s name would stay out of Cooper’s mouth.

  “What’s it going to be, thug?” Cooper drawled lazily.

  It was all an act. Marcus wasn’t stupid enough to believe Cooper was really this calm and collected about this. The man knew there was a good chance Marcus would try to end him and spill his blood all over the expensive Turkish carpets.

  And God, did he want to. More than anything else.

  Marcus took a brief moment to picture what it might feel like to pull the trigger of his gun and blow three holes through Cooper’s gut. He pictured himself standing over his enemy as he bled out and bubbled at the mouth, muttering curses and threats in his death throes.

  The image fell away and was replaced by a woman with black hair in blue jeans and a white tank top.

  This was the Keesha from his past. The rebellious girl with a lip ring and dark eyeliner and dyed hair. The girl who didn’t know who she was yet.

  He would not put her life on the line for this. He’d failed her before.

  Not this time.

  Marcus swallowed past the bitterness in his throat. “Get the fuck out of here. Don’t show your face in this city again. Or I swear to God, I’ll kill you with my bare fucking hands.”

  Cooper flashed a confident smile and tugged at the cufflinks of his shirt. “Charming.”

  20

  Keesha

  “Does the deal stand?” Jon whispered to Cole.

  Keesha looked back and forth between the two men. The three of them were crouched in one of the tunnels leading into the chamber where Marcus and Adam were. They’d overhead the conversation, and Marcus had just agreed to Adam’s terms.

  He was letting him go.

  Cole shook his head sharply. “Marcus doesn’t have the authority to make a decision like that.”

  “This fucker said he’d go after Kate—”

  Cole interrupted Jon. “This is bigger than your fucking woman, Jon. This is Adam Cooper. We have orders to bring him in. If we do it alive? Then we’re not really breaking the deal he made with Marcus, are we?”

  “You’re playing with fire,” Jon hissed.

  Keesha watched Adam Cooper. He moved like a predatory cat. Everything he did seemed mindful and purposeful—and controlled.

  She wondered what kind of damage a man like that could do when he applied himself.

  “He’s letting him leave,” Cole muttered.

  Keesha watched as Adam tipped his head to Marcus in thanks and turned his back on him. He moved languidly across the room, as silent as he was smooth—almost ghostly. He made his way toward another passage in the opposite corner from where she hid with Jon and Cole.

  “Trust him,” Jon said under his breath. “Cole, I mean it. Don’t—”

  Cole stepped out of the passage, pulled the side of his jacket back to reveal a pistol on a holster, and barked out for Adam Cooper to stop where he was.

  Cooper stopped.

  Marcus rounded on Cole, his eyes narrowed to slits.

  Keesha’s stomach rolled over. Seconds ago, it had felt like Marcus had this under control. For a moment, she’d believed they would walk out of this place in one piece with the breath in their lungs.

  But now, that didn’t seem so certain anymore.

  “Stay where you are,” Cole demanded, his eyes trained on Cooper, who turned slowly to face the newcomer.

  Jon put a hand on Keesha’s shoulder. “Stay here. I know you’re going to want to jump into the fray and protect Marcus. Believe me. I understand independent and brave women. But I need you to promise me you won’t do that.”

  Keesha stammered under the weight of his stare. “I—I—”

  “Keesha, listen to me. There is nothing you can do to help. All you’re going to do is put a target on your back and make it harder for Marcus to think clearly. Do you understand?”

  Her nerves made her hands shake. She nodded. “I understand.”

  “Good. Sit tight. There’s still hope for us yet.”

  Jon left her in the dark passage, and she crept right to the edge of light on the ground cast by the candles. She gripped the edge of the passage and peered around the corner, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest.

  The scene unfolded before her.

  Adam stared impassively at Cole, whose hand still rested on his pistol. “Tell your dog to stand down, Marcus,” Adam said.

  Cole’s jaw flexed.

  “Let him go, Cole,” Marcus said evenly.

  Cole’s eyes flicked to Marcus. “Whose fucking side are you on?”

  Keesha’s stomach rolled over. The tension was thick. This is how people get hurt. No. This is how people get killed.

  She wished she was closer to Marcus. She wished she could show herself so he knew she was okay. But Jon’s words still rang in her head and she knew he was right. There was nothing she could do that wouldn’t make matters worse for everyone involved.

  She had to hope and pray that they would settle this on their own.

  Marcus rolled his shoulders. Keesha recognized the fury in him. He hated being questioned, and she imagined he hated it more under pressure like this when he’d already made a verbal agreement with Adam.

  He glared hotly at Cole. “Stand. Down.”

  Cole and Marcus faced off.

  Keesha glanced over at Cooper, who seemed amused by the entire exchange rather than concerned as he began kicking at the edges of the Turkish carpets with the toe of his shiny black shoe. He swayed from side to side, appearing less controlled than he had just minutes ago.

  He believes he’ll walk away from this without a scratch. How can he be so certain? Does he value his life at all?

  Jon moved forward, coming to stand between Cole and Marcus, about ten feet away from each of them. He looked from side to side, speaking calmly. “Boys, we’re on the same side here. Let’s not let our tempers get the best of us.”

  “I don’t like it,” Cole muttered.

  Marcus took a menacing step forward.

  Out of the corner of Keesha’s eye, she noticed Adam move closer to Marcus, too. Was he doing this because Marcus had agreed to let him go? Did he trust that Marcus would protect him against his own comrades because of the deal they’d struck?

  Or does he have other intentions?

  “I’m not asking you to like it, Cole,” Marcus spat. “You don’t understand. We can discuss this later. We have to let him go.”

  Cole shook his head. “We had orders.”

  “And I’m giving you new ones,” Marcus barked.

  Jon stared evenly at Cole while Adam moved closer to Marcus.

  Does Marcus notice how close he’s getting? Should I warn him? Should I scream?
<
br />   Adam Cooper started to laugh.

  The sound was unsettling and eerie. It filled the chamber but didn’t echo due to all the carpets. It sounded muted yet loud all at once, and Keesha cringed.

  That’s what evil sounds like.

  “What the fuck is so funny, Cooper?” Cole’s grip tightened on his weapon. His knuckles went white.

  Marcus took another step forward and flicked his hand, gesturing for Jon to take a step back. The cop did.

  Adam rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. “I know you were hiding in your little corner over there the whole time. I know you heard every word. I can only assume that since you’re standing there willing to gun me down, you have nobody worth protecting in your life. Am I correct?”

  Cole pulled his pistol one inch out of its holster. “I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by putting a bullet in you, Cooper. Consider your next move carefully.”

  Cooper nodded his agreement. “I understand. A rogue gunman is always more concerned with his own interests than the interests of others. Right, Marcus?”

  Marcus didn’t say a word. His attention remained glued on Cole.

  So did Keesha’s. What was he playing at? Why was he being so defiant? Didn’t he trust Marcus?

  “Why is my death worth the deaths of so many others?” Cooper asked. He seemed genuinely curious, not fearful. In fact, Keesha couldn’t detect a single note of fear in his voice. She couldn’t see any either. He was composed, proud, and confident.

  Cole drew his gun and let it rest against the side of his thigh. “You will cause more death alive than you would if we put you in the ground. Even if it was a high price. In the end, we would save more than we would lose.”

  “Enough,” Marcus warned. “Put your fucking weapon away. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Do you want to risk Dimitri’s family? His child? Do you know what hell you will unleash?” Marcus moved forward with four quick, long strides. He drew Cole’s attention onto him. “You will start a war unlike any we’ve seen in our lifetime. Nobody wins in this scenario, Cole. Trust me.”

  “Trust him.” Adam was getting cocky.