Sinful Secrets (Savannah Sharks Hockey and Mafia #2)

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

SPENCER

The shooter was sent in on a suicide mission. He was a message to us and to Giuseppe Rossi.

After he rang the doorbell, he shot one of the Rossi men, and then took his own life. It was probably for the best, so he wouldn’t be interrogated.

Giuseppe Rossi is known as one of the worst interrogators alive. If he doesn’t get the answers he wants, you’re as good as dead.

Who sent him, though? That’s the question no one can answer.

Was he sent by the Reapers?

Anthony and AJ Fanucci? Would Joey and Francesca’s uncle and cousin do that to them? It’s no secret they don’t like the way Arturo and Joey are running things.

I glance over at Joey as he drives down the Rossi driveway. “I think we need to think outside of the box. Who would want to cause problems for you and your dad besides the Reapers and Rossi?”

“I don’t know, man.”

I wrack my brain, trying to think of anyone besides Anthony and AJ that might be capable of this. “Were there any other families in New York that your dad might have rubbed the wrong way?”

“Of course. That list would be a mile long, but after all these years? It just doesn’t make sense.”

“What about a recent business deal that went bad or anyone tied to your mother?”

“That’s a pretty hefty list, too. She was the Queen bitch in New York. She didn’t take shit from anyone. Men included.” He glances at me before adding, “She had to be a bitch. Mafia women have to be strong or it makes the entire family look weak.”

“I get that. Look at your sister. She’s strong and doesn’t take shit.”

“She’s stubborn and reckless.”

“And also our best friend’s fiance.”

“Don’t remind me.” He grumbles.

I laugh but stop as soon as his expression changes. It’s not worry, anger, or stress. It’s something different.

Sadness? Disappointment?

Either way, he seems different.

“Are you okay?”

His hand tightens around the steering wheel. “Yeah. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“About the game or your family’s businesses?”

He shakes his head. “Neither this time.”

What else could be worrying him? We were just talking about Francesca and Rhett. Is he worried about them? Sad?

Maybe it’s not them, but his lack of a partner.

“A female then?”

The corners of his lips curl up. “Possibly. Depends who’s asking.”

I scoff, pretending to be hurt. “Joey, you know you can trust me. Besides, it keeps my mind off my own woman problems, so let’s talk about yours.”

“I don’t have a problem, per se.”

“So, there’s not a woman?”

He chuckles. “No, there’s a woman. There’s always a woman. This one is different. We aren’t seeing eye to eye right now.”

“When does a man and a woman ever see eye to eye? There has to be some compromise at one point or another.”

“I have been compromising. More than I really should.”

“Well, what is she wanting that you aren’t willing to give?”

“More. She wants more.” His eyebrows narrow. “She wants more dates. More romance. More public interactions.”

“And you don’t want more with her?”

He shakes his head. “It’s too soon, and with everything going on, it’s not safe. I can’t be distracted and worried about someone else. My duty is to my father and the family. Relationships and love have to wait.”

“I can understand that.” It’s one reason I didn’t want Savannah knowing about the mafia. It puts a target on her back.

Digging my phone out of my pocket, I turn it back on to make sure I didn’t miss anything important.

My phone buzzes and nonstop chimes fill the air in the car as text and missed call after text and missed call come through from Savannah, Gage, and Lorenzo.

I don’t really want to rehash all the shit with Savannah before a game. I need to keep my head clear and my focus on playing, but the tiny voice in my head urges me to click on her name.

My finger hovers over her name.

Do I really want to do this right now?

What if something is wrong, and she needs my help?

What if-

Joey’s voice cuts off my thoughts. “Are you going to read your messages or just keep debating if it’s a good idea?”

I laugh and roll my eyes. “Why don’t you worry about your own woman problems?”

He laughs in response and turns into his neighborhood.

I click on Savannah’s name and read her messages.

Please call me and let me explain my side of things.

Please Spencer.

I don’t want to lose you. I love you.

It’s not what you think it is.

I haven’t done anything to deserve the freeze from you.

Please, Spencer, just talk to me.

Please.

I’m so sorry for not telling you about the detective when he approached me.

I lock my phone screen and take a deep breath. Pain sears my heart as my mind screams to message her back and beg for forgiveness.

Her messages were sent in rapid succession. The sadness and desperation in each message leaves me feeling overwhelmed and guilty. I wasn’t prepared to feel these feelings.

Before my mind can catch up to what my heart is feeling, my fingers furiously type a response to her.

Meet me after the game and we can talk over dinner. My treat.

I move onto the next set of messages. These are from Gage, and I hope they aren’t about me missing practice this morning.

Dude, what the fuck?!

The fucking mafia! Really?

That’s what you three have been keeping a secret.

Fuck, man. I thought we were all best friends.

Where are you?

Are you with Joey and Rhett?

Dude, seriously. We need to talk.

I just talked to Savannah. She has a lot of shit going on. Maybe you should cut her some slack.

What the fuck? Why did Savannah tell Gage everything that’s going on?

I roll my eyes. That answer is obvious. It’s because I was ignoring her and he wasn’t.

“Gage knows about your family.”

Joey doesn’t show any emotion. “Oh well. Everyone knows about the mafia, but they don’t do anything about it. We have our asses covered. I’m honestly surprised it took him this long to figure it out.”

“Well, several years ago, when we had the welcome party for you. We all talked about your family and the articles that were written about the mafia, but none of us thought your family was still involved with it.”

“What? How did I not know this?” Joeys asks as he pulls into his garage and parks his car.

I shrug. “No one ever spoke of it again. Besides, the gossip quickly turned to Francesca and Rhett and your hatred for him.”

“I didn’t hate him.” Joeys starts to say before chuckling. “Well, that’s my sister, and he wasn’t good enough. Still isn’t, but they love each other, so I’ll let it slide.”

I glance down at Gage’s messages. Not wanting to reply to him, I check the messages from Lorenzo and read them out loud to Joey.

We have a situation that needs to be checked ASAP.

Call me.

Why isn’t anyone answering their phones? For fuck’s sake, call me!

If I don’t get a call back in five minutes, I’m sending out a search party and reporting your ass as missing.

What the fuck is going on?

Quickly call Lorenzo. “What’s going on?”

“Where is everyone, and why wasn’t anyone answering their phones?”

“I can’t answer for anyone else, but I turned my phone off before the meeting.” I turn to look at Joey. “Did you turn your phone off?”

“No, why?”

“Lorenzo has been calling and texting us for a while now.”

“What for?”

I put the call on speakerphone. “Hey, Lorenzo, you’re on speaker.”

Joey asks, “What’s going on? I just got back to the house.”

“We have intel that the Emerald City Reapers have been in and around The King’s Empire. No one was able to stop them from leaving, but he left a message for Arturo.”

“What was the message?”

“They didn’t say. For all I know, it could be a handwritten note or they could be bullshitting.”

Joey sighs. “We need to send someone out to check on things.”

“I’ll do it.” I volunteer.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Rhett needs to be with Francesca, and you probably need to have a talk with your dad. Besides, I don’t want to deal with my problems right now.”

My problems, meaning Savannah and Gage. I’ll talk to them later.

Lorenzo says, “Alright, keep me updated.”

I click the button to end the call and get out of Joey’s car. Arturo, Rhett, and Francesca pull into the other side of the garage.

Before leaving the garage, I turn around and say, “Don’t let them start the game without me.”

Rhett laughs and chimes in. “I’ll throw up on the ice if I have to postpone the game.”

Francesca groans and pushes him away. “Eww. Please don’t do that. That’s the one thing I don’t want to see right now. And I highly doubt an entire arena full of families want to see that either.”

Joey rolls his eyes. “Just hurry, and let us know what’s going on.”

I get into my car and race over to The King’s Empire. Several police cars and firetrucks are blocking the road and making cars turn around, but as soon as they see it’s me driving, they let me pass.

The club is burnt down. There’s nothing left of it except ashes and half burnt remnants.

I park across the street at the gate to the shipyard and make my way over to where a group of people are standing.

Emily waves and walks over to me. She’s only wearing a robe and her normal high heels.

“Hey, Emily. What happened?”

She tightens the robe around her before walking back to her car. Her fingers clench at her phone as if it’s her lifeline.

“I’m not entirely sure. I was on stage dancing to the first song of my set when a group of men came in. They were wearing all black and had the prettiest green eyes. They watched me for several minutes, but they never let me touch them.”

That sounds like the gang. Why were they here? Were they scoping the place out?

“They didn’t drink either, which I thought was odd. Why come to the club if you are going to be a tight ass? But then I remembered hearing about the new vigilante gang called the Emerald City Reapers, so I called Arturo. Of course, he didn’t answer, so I had to call Lorenzo.”

I glance over to the rubble that’s still smoking. “How did the fire start?”

“I don’t know. I had just gotten off the phone with Lorenzo and heard a commotion coming from the front. People were screaming to get out. I didn’t even have a chance to grab my duffle bag. Luckily, I keep most of my stuff in my car.”

“Do you know how many people were inside?” I glance around at the handful of people standing around. “Is this everyone?”

“Besides the gang? Yeah. I ran outside to see if I could get a tag number, but the commotion was too much and they got away before I could see anything.”

“Thanks, Em.”

She teases her bottom lip between her teeth. “What am I supposed to do about a job? My duffle bags were still inside when the place went up in flames. I had some nice ass clothes in there, too.”

“Don’t worry about that. Arturo will get you a new bag and the club will be rebuilt, eventually. That’s what insurance is for. Just keep your phone nearby in case he calls.”

She nods before looking over my shoulder. “Incoming, and they look like they mean business.”

I spin around as two young cops cross the road. A third one is looking in through my car windows.

I’ve never seen these cops before, but from the look of things, they’re going to be a pain in my ass. I just hope I make it back to the arena in time for the game…and without getting arrested.