Page 42 of Lord of Ruin

I’d sent Christos and Atlas to continue cruising our businesses, ensuring the threats our customers had received wouldn’t come to fruition. The entire situation was akin to a game of Russian roulette. However, that’s the game I’d be playing when I managed to track down the asshole behind this. I was more than itching to do so.

I heard footsteps, and for a few seconds, I was hopeful that my lovely guest had returned for round two. I’d spent the better of two days keeping my distance from Jenna. Part of it had been the cold shoulder she’d given me after our primal incident in the forest. The other had been I’d had reports of certain issues within our new casinos as well as several of our high stakes power games. It seemed someone had put the fear of God into some of our more lucrative clients.

No one knew who was behind the not-so-subtle threats they’d each received through anonymous texts, but that had meant our secure computer system had been hacked. That didn’t sit well with me since we’d hired some of the best computer security personnel in the business. In addition, we’d also hired eager young geeks, some considered wanted criminals for their hacking abilities. Even their brilliance had been foiled.

The messages had all arrived at the exact same time, three-thirty in the morning Eastern Standard Time. The wording had also been the same.

Continue working with the Diamondis family and you and your entire family will die.

No signature, no ability to retrace the steps of the text. It was as if whoever had sent it didn’t exist. Of course that was possible given this day and age of super hackers and computer geniuses. But in a world where pontificating had become an art form, a solid majority of those in crime syndicates enjoying taking credit for whatever dirty deed and bloodshed they’d ordered, the airwaves were decidedly quiet as far as anyone gleefully owning up to it.

The chattering voices were something else. There were conspiracy theories from New York to Miami. Phoenix and I agreed that the organization responsible was enjoying the brief chaos. Including with our businesses. I’d had little sleep and no interest in food. The only longing I’d felt had been to taste Jenna all over again.

Why did I have a feeling someone knew me better than I believed, realizing it was only a matter of time before my yearning for the forbidden caused my armor to fall?

CHAPTER 13

“Most distracting of all, though, was not the threat of danger but the allure of beauty.”

—Michel Faber

Stavros

Jenna was as beautiful as the situation was dangerous, but there was no doubt in my mind she’d fallen into the middle of a trap, much like I had.

The shitstorm the threats had created had meant serious damage control, or as I liked to call it, chasing our own fucking tails. Which was ridiculous. Not only had Phoenix insisted on another meeting this morning but he’d also directed me to attend a meeting of the Brotherhood with him.

At least that might mean the group of powerful men had finally learned something. I hoped like hell they had. I felt like a caged lion and that didn’t bode well for my personality.

In addition, I’d received a threat as well, although not at the same time, and I had a feeling it wasn’t computer generated. Whoever had sent me laughing emojis followed by the symbol for explosions and the few words had likely been laughing his ass off.

Those who partake in sin shall face the wrath of the demon.

Catchy but ridiculous, although I’d heard something of this nature had been used by members of the Death Squad with another member of the Brotherhood. It was just a matter of time before we were able to identify them. Or so we hoped.

I took another sip of coffee, the anger from someone managing to derail my life keeping me on edge. Another set of footsteps caught my attention. That’s when I realized how quiet the house had been as of late. I often didn’t turn on the television or play any music. It seemed funny since I’d grown up with music a constant in my house, including everything from country to Broadway, my mother’s favorite.

Why in God’s name was I headed down memory lane? Because of what Jenna had told me about her accomplishments? Perhaps so.

While my brothers were due at any time, I’d also asked Elena to drop by, taking Jenna shopping. After three days of remaining in the same clothes, something had to give. I’d done a woeful job of stopping by a local clothing store, finding some things that my guest had glared at. I’d placed the bags in her room on day one, and they had promptly been tossed against the wall, my housekeeper telling me all about the condition she’d found them in.

Jenna was as hardheaded as they came.

She’d remained in her escape clothes even now, although they clearly needed to be washed.

I’d kept the lingerie I’d purchased, asking one of my men to return the rest of the items, although I wasn’t certain why I’d bothered keeping anything. Maybe because I’d been itching to come to her room, to enjoy her company and it was getting stronger with every passing minute. But if I didn’t get control of my emotions prior to figuring out what our family was dealing with then every moment of her life would be more dangerous than the one before.

What had prompted the out of the blue Brotherhood meeting where every single member had agreed to fly into Philly instead of a Zoom call was that other hacks and various threats had been made up and down the Eastern seaboard. There was even chatter on the dark web about an organization coming in. In my mind, I was almost settled on the idea that the Death Squad had set their sights on the Diamondis family and our weapons contacts, but at this point, it remained to be seen. The truth was I was eager to meet with the alliance, allowing our combined sources of information to aid in our hunt for the assholes threatening us.

Elena swept into the kitchen seconds later, already lifting her eyebrows as if annoyed with me. Whether or not she was a younger sister didn’t matter. She’d taken after our mother. Both sisters had. Maybe Nico, Phoenix, and I were lucky the two girls weren’t the fourth and fifth brothers or we’d be in serious trouble.

“You have a woman you’re keeping a prisoner? For days now?”

“And hello to you too, sister of mine. Who have you been talking to?”

“Our dear brother Nico shared the news with me since you neglected to say a damn thing when you called frantically except that you needed my expertise. What is going on?”

I laughed as she planted her hand on her hip. Our entire family had a flair for the dramatic. I’d thought I’d been immune to the practice until what I’d allowed to happen in the forest.