King of Wrath (Lords of Las Vegas #3)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Jake

I fold my hands sitting forward in my seat as the bride, Kim Evingston, makes her way down the aisle toward my nephew, Leo Kincaid.

Not that I recognize him. I mean, he looks mostly the same. Bulging muscles, large frame, big white-teeth smile.

Only everything else is different.

Leo normally carries this edge of anger…it rolls off him in waves, lashing out at everyone and everything he passes.

But just like that…the edge is gone.

In its place, is a wide-open, joyous smile as Leo extends his hand to the woman he’s marrying.

His eyes are light and filled with…joy, as he bounces on the balls of his feet.

Leo is fucking bouncing.

I frown, trying to decide what I think about all of this. We’re in the midst of a war and one of our fiercest soldiers is grinning and bouncing .

But beyond that, I can’t deny that I’m happy for him.

Kim is pregnant with his baby, not that she’s showing at all. As a dancer, she’s still as slender as ever.

She reaches him and he pulls her into his arms, kissing her long and hard.

“Ahem,” the Justice of the Peace clears her throat. “The kissing is supposed to happen at the end of the ceremony.”

Leo’s grin only widens. “Don’t worry. There will be plenty of kissing then too.”

The small crowd laughs.

Next to me is Luke, my nephew, Leo’s cousin. He’s got the same thick muscles and normally surly disposition that Leo’s got.

He’s smiling as he watches. “You ever see Leo happy like this?”

“Never.” Which isn’t totally true. Before the Italian Mafia killed my brother, Leo’s father, Leo was happy a lot.

And somehow, Kim has brought him back to that man. It might almost make a crusty old-school asshole like myself believe in love.

Nah.

That’s for other people who can afford it. And I don’t mean money. Financially, I can afford whatever I want. Kincaid Enterprises is worth billions and as one of five Kincaid men, I’m an equal-share owner.

I have always been tougher, meaner than my nephews. I grew up with an old school father who was fond of using the whip and he had no trouble bringing me into the business when our family was dirty.

Not like it is now.

Mason, my oldest nephew, makes our money nice and legal. I got to hand it to him, he’s done a good job.

But even now, even with Mason, we skirt on the edge of darkness. Darkness, I’ve always been afraid I might fall into. Like I said, I grew up different than the boys.

They need my help now. There are a few dirty jobs left, and one of them is getting revenge on Toni Carcetti. The man who killed my brother.

I know I can do what they can’t, which is why I’m going to help .

Leo came up with the plan to get the job done before he went completely soft.

But now it’s on me to see it through. Because anyone who sees the way Leo’s holding Kim in his arms as he says his vows, they know…

Leo isn’t the man for this job.

“I promise to love, honor, and cherish until death do us part.” His deep voice echoes over the backyard of their new home.

A mansion in the swankiest district in Vegas, the pool sparkles in the morning sun.

Across the aisle, Kim’s mom sits in a chair, Kim’s roommates dabbing at their eyes.

One of them, a leggy brunette, makes eyes at me across the way. I think her name is Kendall or something.

I turn away with a barely covered snort.

I don’t get mushy enough at weddings to fuck some chick because I caught some feelings.

I don’t have feelings. At least not those. I’ve never been in love and as I’m pushing thirty-five, I think I’m a pretty baked cake. Which means, I’m not changing now, and love isn’t finding me.

But I am craving more stability. Or maybe just change. Perhaps I’m tired of this life but whatever the reason, after this job is done, I’m getting out. They can buy my shares and let me start a security business of my own, away from Vegas and all the dirt.

The girl bats her eyes again, and I give her a longer appraisal. I could be sold on the idea of taking advantage of this moment and screwing one of the women here who’s got bride envy.

Except, I’m smart enough to know that messing with one of Kim’s friends is a choice that is likely to bite me in the ass.

And I can get tail anytime I want.

So, I sit back in my seat, listening to Kim repeat her vows, Leo grinning like a complete fool as she says them.

Christ.

He’s making me a little nauseous.

I could argue that he’s only marrying her because he got her pregnant. That’s an old-school reason to get hitched. But I know it isn’t true. Leo is in love.

He already bought a crib, even though Kim isn’t due for months, and earlier this week, he invited us over to assemble it.

I’m a cigar-smoking former gangster. I don’t assemble baby gear.

I drank scotch and sat in the nursing glider, because, honestly, those chairs are comfortable.

Might get one.

Has a foot stool that glides too.

Anyway, we set around with tiny stupid Allen wrenches and discussed how we were going to bring down the head of the Italian mafia here in Vegas. Not two activities you’d expect to go together.

Then again, considering the first part of this plan Leo has concocted, it’s probably fitting.

I’d sipped my scotch and rocked in the glider as I watched Leo hunched on the floor.

Behind him were boxes of vibrating chairs, which are an interesting idea, and exersaucers, complete bullshit if you ask me. And I’d asked the question one last time. “You’re sure she’s a witness in the murder?”

“If Melissa was telling the truth, then yes.” Melissa is Leo’s former club manager and a backstabbing bitch, so her information is suspect in my book.

“And what if she’s lying?”

“Either way, Nia is his favorite. Taking her will be your leverage to get him to confess.”

I grimace even remembering the next part of my plan, my attention focusing back on the ceremony in front of me.

I’ve been to a few weddings.

None of them have ever been like this. There are only about fifteen guests here, our family, Kim’s mom and roommates, and a few business associates. It’s intimate and personal and it reminds me that marriage has the potential to be beautiful. Not a thought that is helpful today.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride. ”

“Finally,” Leo roars and then pulls Kim tightly against him, kissing her with a whole lot of tongue.

Luke catcalls from next to me, and I give him a withering glare. Sometimes I’ve got to teach these boys how it’s done.

Kim and Leo come back down the aisle, and we all rise, clapping for the new couple.

I have to hold back a sigh, enthusiasm is not in my emotional repertoire.

But I do smile as they reach the end of the aisle, and Leo picks up his new bride, not stopping to greet guests. Instead, he just keeps walking right into the house.

Kim lets out a small cry of protest but the men around me all chuckle.

“He doesn’t want to wait to have sanctioned sex,” Luke says from just behind me. “I can appreciate that.”

“He’s an emotional guy,” Roman chuckles from the next row.

I cock my eyebrows. “When you’re married, does wanting to bang your wife count as emotion?”

They all laugh at that as I catch the eye of Gris Smith, an Englishman who is part of another major family in Vegas. They call themselves the Dukes and we’ve made a deal with them that if they can help us out with this plan, they’ll be able to acquire some choice Vegas real estate when the Italians are forced to sell it.

Gris jerks his head toward the side yard and then starts walking.

I follow, my gut clenching with dread. If he wants to talk, that means we’re moving to the next phase of the plan.

We disappear around the house, leaving the rest of the guests behind. “Gris,” I give him a nod. “News?”

“It will be tonight,” he says with a quick dip of chin.

“Tonight?” A bit of regret lances through me. We’ve gone through great pains to make all this happen, but there is a part of me that hates this plan. I might be a gangster, but I don’t hurt women. Doubly true for beautiful women and Nia Carcetti is most definitely one of those.

Nia is Toni Carcetti’s youngest daughter, and the apple of his eye.

Gris Smith approached her at the Italian’s casino and secured a date. The man is so handsome, he looks fake. And the Dukes are still relatively unknown in Vegas, which means Gris was able to fly under the radar with Nia.

He took Nia out on a group date, and then another. A few of his friends, a few of hers. Perfect gentleman both times. Toni keeps his daughters on very tight leashes. They aren’t allowed to date.

But Gris, slick fuck that he is, has convinced Nia to sneak out. Tonight.

That’s where I come in.

Gris hands me a set of keys with an H emblem. “A Honda?” I grumble, holding out the keys like they smell bad.

“Uber drivers don’t do pick-ups in Maserati’s.” He slaps my shoulder. “You’re going to love the Accord. Roomie interior.”

I snort.

“I’ve had it redesigned like a cop car. No way to open the back doors from the inside. Once she’s in…she’s in.”

From inside the house, a loud banging sound interrupts our meeting. We both look up, knowing that Leo is screwing his wife against the wall.

“He’s got some serious thrusting power,” Gris says appreciatively, even as the chorus of Kim’s cries joins the banging.

“Kim certainly thinks so,” I answer back.

Gris covers his smile with his hand. “Right. So, I’ll text you as soon as I tell her that I can’t pick her up because I’m running late and that I’m sending an Uber.”

That’s me. I’m the Uber. Only I’m not taking her to her date.

I’m taking her to a place in the desert and then I’m going to convince her to betray her father by any means necessary. I’ve come armed with several tools. The biggest, or at least the most expensive, an engagement ring…

Not that I’m the marrying kind. I’ve no intention of doing what Leo did today. But I’ll do whatever it takes to convince Nia to switch sides, change her loyalties, and if that means a fake offer of marriage. So be it.

Yeah. If you’re thinking that I might lack for the charm for this, you’d be right. But I’m going to have to dig deep and find a way. Because while I may lack the charm, I’ve got the grit. The morally gray center that will allow me to do what I don’t think my nephews could.

Deceive and ruin a potentially innocent woman.

And then I’m getting out.

But that’s a problem for after. Right now, I need to focus on the task at hand. Toni Carcetti is going down, and his daughter Nia is going to help me whether she likes it or not.