ARE Indecent Arrangement Part III epub Read online

  “Mary Alice.” Dorrie’s voice dragged her attention away from Max. “I need you to take a few steps back or go around to Jesse’s other side, please. You’re in my light and I really need it to see.”

  The woman’s matter-of-fact tone rubbed Mary Alice the wrong way but she chalked it up to nerves. One of her men had been shot.

  She moved to Jesse’s other side, sank down onto the ground, and put her hand on his shoulder. She needed to touch him. Had to feel the warmth of his skin. Had to tell herself over and over again that he was going to be okay.

  That they were going to be okay.

  And that Max would get his head out of his ass before he returned. Or she wouldn’t be responsible for her actions.

  Chapter Two

  Max managed not to throw the guy in the trunk of his car. Just barely.

  He settled for letting the body fall, maybe from a higher distance than necessary, and refrained from slamming the hood on his foot that hadn’t made it all the way inside the trunk.

  What he really wanted to do was put a bullet in the guy’s side. Just like he’d done to Jesse.

  But he wasn’t going to. Because that’s not how they needed to settle this.

  No, he needed to have an uncomfortable talk with this punk-ass kid’s boss. Which was going to suck. And could turn ugly.

  Goddammit, he wanted Jesse by his side. Only, Jesse was lying in the hall of their home having the doctor patch him up.

  Shit. If he thought about that any longer, this asshole wouldn’t last another five minutes.

  Shoving the guy’s foot inside the trunk, he slammed it closed and got in the car.

  He debated for about two seconds before he picked up his phone and pulled up a number he hadn’t ever had to use.

  But he couldn’t leave Jesse and Mally undefended. Even if their intruder was telling the truth and he was working alone, Max had to make the call.

  With a sigh, he pressed the number and, when it connected, he held a short conversation that he knew would have repercussions he’d need to deal with later.

  His next call was almost as bad.

  “Max?” Adam sounded wide awake. “What’s wrong?”

  “I need your help. Jesse had an accident. Mally could use some reassurance.”

  Adam’s short pause let Max know he understood what he hadn’t said. “We’ll be there in ten.”

  Fuck. Mally was going to hate him.

  He didn’t care. Not as long as she and Jesse were safe.

  Maybe she needs to hate you. Maybe this will push her away and you’ll finally realize this relationship will never work.

  And maybe he just needed to shut the fuck up and take care of the situation at hand. They’d figure everything out later.

  If you ever see her again after tonight.

  The thought made his stomach roll.

  Fuck that. She hadn’t been willing to leave Jesse tonight. She wouldn’t leave them.

  And what if you know she should?

  Taking several deep breaths, he leaned against the car and waited, trying to use some of the relaxation techniques the last shrink had told him would help. They never had before.

  Minutes later, his phone vibrated to let him know someone had pressed the bell at the side door to the garage. Only a few people knew about that entrance.

  The man standing on the other side of the door had short, light brown hair, pale blue eyes, and barely hit six foot. He was one of the most nondescript men Max had ever met. Most people barely gave him a second look. That made him very, very good at his job.

  “Ian.”

  “Been awhile, Max.”

  “Jesse’s hurt. Doctor’s here. There’s also another woman. Nothing happens to any of them.”

  Ian’s brows raised slightly, the only indication of emotion. “How bad?”

  Max’s jaw clenched. “He’ll be fine.” He couldn’t afford to think otherwise. “I’ve got to leave. Have to deliver a message.”

  Nodding, Ian walked through the door, shutting it behind him then leaning back against it. “How long?”

  “Maybe an hour.”

  Ian nodded again before his gaze shifted to the door into the house. “Who’s the doc?”

  Max had turned and was headed for the car. “Haverstick. She’s—”

  “I know who she is.”

  Max glanced over his shoulder at Ian as he opened the door to his car and slid inside. “Is that a problem?”

  Ian shook his head. “No. Just curious.”

  Something in Ian’s voice made Max think it wasn’t just curiosity, but it didn’t matter, not now. “Adam and Tristan will be here in a few minutes. Don’t shoot them.”

  Now a slight smile curved Ian’s lips. “Arrogant assholes probably deserve it for something.”

  Ian and Adam had history. Max didn’t give a shit. “Nothing happens to the girl or Jesse.”

  “Finally found one, huh?”

  Max didn’t have the time to answer that question completely so he didn’t even bother. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Max didn’t look back. He had to keep moving forward or he’d do something he regretted. Like beat the shit out of the guy in his trunk.

  Jesus, Jesse could’ve been killed. Mally could’ve been hurt.

  If either of those situations had happened, their intruder would be dead. No questions asked.

  Half an hour later, Max arrived at his destination, feeling a little steadier. Detached. And ready to confront the man who owned the piece of shit in his trunk.

  Stopping at the gate of the Main Line mansion, he announced himself through the intercom and wasn’t surprised when it took more than a minute for the gates to open. He waited without fidgeting. Didn’t drum his fingers on the steering wheel or look around. He stared straight ahead. Patient. Unafraid. All anger and fear suppressed. He couldn’t show any weakness. If he did, he and Jesse might as well pack up and leave town.

  And that wasn’t happening. They’d worked too damn hard. And then there was Mally…

  As he drove down the lane toward the three-story monstrosity sitting on the perfectly landscaped two-acre lot, he took several deep breaths and made sure his expression held no hint of anger.

  When he pulled up to the front of the house, the guard who opened the front door looked like he could bench-press a tractor-trailer and ate rocks for breakfast. Impressive scare tactic but Max didn’t scare easily.

  Max got out of the car and walked to the door. He had to look up at the guard but he didn’t do anything other than lift an eyebrow at him.

  The guy opened the door a second later and waved him through. Max clicked the remote and popped the trunk before he entered the house.

  “Max. I believe you’ve returned something of mine that got lost in your neighborhood.”

  Max took the hand Karel Antonoff held out, shaking it firmly and meeting his gaze directly.

  “I didn’t want you to think I would keep your property any longer than necessary.”

  Karel’s chin lifted slightly. “I understand there might have been some…incidental injury.”

  “Daddy, is something wrong?”

  Larisa Antonoff appeared at the top of the staircase, looking every bit the princess her father believed her to be.

  She gave Max the haughty look her father expected from her. The one that made her appear even more untouchable than she already did. Dressed in a long white robe that managed to expose just as much as it covered and with her unbound hair a mass of blonde curls that fell practically to her waist, she walked down the stairs like she was entering a ballroom. Of course, this foyer could probably classify as one, considering its size.

  “No, sweetheart. Nothing’s wrong.” Karel turned to smile at his daughter, a true smile that’d always fascinated Max. The man loved his daughter. He was a cold-blooded killer but when it came to Risa… If she’d asked for her father’s heart, he’d cut it out himself and hand it over. Apparently,
the same had been true of his feelings for his wife. But she’d been dead before Max and Jesse had gone to work for David. “Max and I have some business to discuss.”

  Risa’s sharp eyes checked Max out from head to toe as she arrived at the bottom of the stairs before she returned her father’s smile. “Must be important. It’s nearly three in the morning.”

  Karel’s smile never faltered but then he’d been playing this game with his daughter since the moment she was born. Karel pretended he was a regular businessman and Risa pretended she didn’t know what her father did to afford the mansion and the designer clothes, the car she drove and the trips she took. And the business she ran.

  Even though both of them knew exactly what they weren’t saying.

  “Max and I need a few minutes to talk, sweetheart. Come into my office, Max, and we’ll finish this in there.”

  As Karel turned away, Risa raised her eyebrows at Max but he shook his head quickly before following her father.

  Max knew it was a temporary reprieve. She wouldn’t let this go.

  She might have no desire to take over her father’s criminal empire, but she also knew how important it was to know what was going on. She didn’t want to be blindsided if something happened to her father. With the life they led, who knew when he might be on the wrong end of a bullet.

  Or a blade.

  Max’s jaw tightened as he thought about Jesse lying in all that blood, but he quickly shoved the thought away. Wouldn’t do any good to think about it now and Jesse was going to be fine.

  Max needed all this brain cells firing to deal with Karel.

  When the other man closed the door to his office behind him, Max forced himself to breathe normally and take the chair Karel waved toward.

  He felt compelled to remain standing, simply because that’s exactly what he would’ve done if he’d been here with David Oleksy. And he had been. Many times. Max would’ve stood behind this chair while Karel and David talked. Jesse would’ve been behind him by the door.

  Tonight, it was just Max and Karel. Max wasn’t sure whether to be flattered that Karel was treating him as an equal or pissed that Karel didn’t think he posed a threat.

  Get out of your head.

  “So, would you like to tell me what happened or should I simply write you a check for damages?”

  Since Max had had time to think on his drive here, he had an answer ready. “I believe your nephew made an ill-advised decision that could’ve cost him more than the use of his arm for a few days. Money won’t be necessary. An understanding that this won’t happen again will be sufficient.”

  Karel leaned back in his chair, his dark gaze piercing and his lips slightly curved. “Yes, my nephew does try a little too hard sometimes. He’s…enthusiastic. But I can assure you that you won’t need to worry about another incident, at least not from my organization. Though this won’t be the last attempt. You do know that, don’t you?”

  Max settled deeper into his chair. “It will be after word gets around about your nephew’s failure. He’ll make a good example.”

  Karel nodded, his lips curling slowly into a full-blown smile. “Are you so sure you want to do that?”

  Max didn’t smile back. “You know I have to.”

  Now Karel’s smile disappeared in a blink. “And you know that’ll create problems between us.”

  Max made sure to keep his expression calm. “Jesse and I have kept our end of the arrangement you made with David Oleksy. We’ve done nothing to compromise that. Your nephew made it clear he was acting on his own. If anyone asks, I’ll make it clear we don’t consider you complicit in his actions.

  “But Jesse and I won’t allow any attempt to take us down. You’ve known us for years, Karel.” He deliberately used the man’s given name to show Karel Max considered them equals. “We’re not going to pretend we didn’t take down your future prince. He came at us with the intent to do harm. We can’t allow any misconceptions about our ability to defend ourselves against unprovoked attacks.”

  “So you’re going to embarrass my nephew…and me…to prove a point?”

  Careful now. “I have no intention of embarrassing you. But we can’t allow our authority to be challenged. It might encourage others to try to take what’s ours. We don’t want to have to prove ourselves with deadly force. But we will if we need to.”

  Max held Karel’s gaze as he threw everything on the table. He really didn’t want to go to war over this, but if Karel didn’t listen to reason, Max was prepared to back up his declaration with action.

  He’d use deadly force if he had to. He didn’t want to but he would. He and Jesse had worked too damn hard to back down now.

  “I understand your position.” Karel finally spoke after several seconds of tense silence. “But let me make a suggestion. Allow me to publicly chastise my nephew for his…disobedience. Before you make any other announcements. Surely that won’t cause any unwanted repercussions.”

  Max knew Karel wanted to come out with the upper hand. He also knew fighting Karel on this wouldn’t end well for him and Jesse. Karel now led the largest crime organization in Philadelphia. They needed to remember that if they were going to exist in the same city.

  “I’m sure it won’t.”

  Max rose and Karel followed suit, eyes bright as he took Max’s outstretched hand.

  “Then you can expect a formal apology tomorrow morning,” Karel said. “I’ll be sure to let our mutual business interests understand the situation.”

  Max followed Karel back to the front door. Risa was nowhere in sight, but he knew she’d contact him later. She didn’t think much of her cousin but he was family. To the Antonoffs, that meant a hell of a lot.

  “We’ll talk tomorrow,” Karel said as he opened the door. “You can be assured there’ll be no repercussions on my end. A young man has to learn to deal with the consequences of his actions.”

  Max nodded, knowing there was supposed to be a lesson in there for him, as well. “I’ll wait to hear from you. Please apologize to Larisa for me. I didn’t mean to wake her.”

  Karel’s mouth twisted in a wry grin. “I’m sure Risa will forgive you, Max. She’s always had a sweet spot for you. We’ll talk tomorrow. Please give Jesse my regards.”

  Max’s jaw tightened but he nodded and got the hell out of there.

  Now, only a few blocks from home, he sucked in a deep breath while stopped at a red light. Then he took another and another, his lungs working overtime to catch up. He wasn’t sure he’d taken a breath since he’d left Antonoff’s house.

  Max stared at the red light, his anger building with every second. He wanted to hit something, pound it into dust. His rage was so red hot, he swore his skin burned.

  No, can’t lose it now.

  If he did, he was afraid the car wouldn’t survive. And yet, every passing second made his heart race faster and his lungs work harder.

  Calm down. Stay steady. Couldn’t let Mary Alice or Jesse see him like this. Hell, he couldn’t let anyone see him like this.

  The light turned and his foot jerked on the pedal, making the car surge forward. He didn’t let up, though. He wanted to be home.

  *

  “I guess I should’ve known he’d call you. Don’t even say it. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Mally turned away from the front door, allowing Adam and Tristan to follow her into the house.

  “Jesus, Mally—”

  “Are you okay?”

  Adam cut off Tristan’s tight words with his perfectly calm question. Mally spared him a glance over her shoulder as she headed back to the kitchen where the doctor was working on Jesse.

  “I’m fine. I’m not the one who got stabbed.”

  Silence from behind her. She kept walking.

  The doctor had said Jesse would be fine. She had to believe that. But she wasn’t going anywhere until she was sure. Whether that was a few days or a few weeks…

  “How’s Jesse?”

  She didn’t answer Trista
n. He’d see for himself soon enough. She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, where he lay on the table. She and the doctor had helped him walk there. He’d barely leaned on them, but she’d heard his labored breathing and knew he hurt much more than he let on.

  Jesse’s eyes were closed but his hands were clenched into fists at his sides as the doctor stood beside him. Mally couldn’t see what the doctor was doing because she was on the other side of the table.

  Probably better that way.

  Behind her, she felt Adam and Tristan stop. Heard Adam sigh.

  “Shit.” Tristan kept his voice low enough not to attract Jesse’s attention. “Is he okay?”

  “Yes.” She refused to believe otherwise.

  “Good.” Adam spoke loud enough that Jesse opened his eyes and looked their way. He caught and held her gaze for several moments before switching his attention to Adam and Tristan.

  The guys spoke without words and she knew exactly what they were saying.

  Protect Mally. Don’t let anything happen to Mally. She’s fragile. She can’t take care of herself.

  Now wasn’t the time to get into that with them. Max had called and Adam and Tristan had come running. If it hadn’t been so infuriating, it’d be endearing. And if she weren’t so damn worried about Jesse…

  Jesse’s gaze shifted back to her and she crossed the room to take the hand he held out to her.

  “I know that look.”

  She had the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him. “Stay still or Dr. Haverstick will make me leave.”

  “Damn right I will.” The doctor’s gaze stayed glued to Jesse’s side. “You move and mess up my stitches and I will stitch your colon closed.”

  Jesse never looked away from Mally. “Are you gonna forgive me?”

  She frowned. “For what?”

  “For getting hurt.”

  She shook her head, bemused. “I’m not angry with you for getting hurt.” He just kept staring at her until she huffed. “I’m not.”

  But, damn it, she realized that’s exactly what she was. Pissed off.

  “Now’s not the time to talk about it.”

  “I know. But, Mally, we are gonna talk about it.”