“Do we have a deal?” Corsi asks me.
I down the rest of the expensive whiskey in one gulp, knowing I have my work cut out for me. There’s no way I’ll ever fall in love again. It was too painful the first time.
I have no idea how I’m going to be able to find this mystery man, either. One year and then I die if I fail.
I can’t fail.
I have to find a way to do the impossible.
I don’t have a choice.
I slam my empty glass on the table.
“You have a deal.”
“Good, then I’ll announce your engagement, and you’ll be married within the week. The clock’s ticking—one year.”
I stand and walk away before I think too hard about the deal I just made and how it will probably be the end of me.
Chapter2
Lennox
I lookup at the skyscraper disappearing between the dark clouds hanging low tonight, blocking out all the stars. A flash of lightning lights up the sky before rescinding back into the gloominess.
I hesitate for a second on the sidewalk, dreading going up to Ri and Beckett’s apartment to meet Rialta. She needs to hear from me that I’m the man she is to marry. I don’t owe her a lot, but I owe her that.
I start walking toward the lobby door when a woman slips out. I don’t think anything of her, but then I get a flash of her dark wavy hair and recognize her.
I halt and wait for Ri and Beckett to follow her out, but soon she’s halfway down the block and still alone.
Jesus, she’s not going to make my life easy.She’s not supposed to go anywhere without a security escort. It’s only been a few hours since I agreed to marry her, and she’s already breaking all the rules. I’ll be lucky if I get her down the aisle next week in one piece.
I quickly text Ri and Beckett with an update before setting off after Rialta. I don’t know what Corsi has told them yet, but I should talk to Rialta before talking to Ri and Beckett.
Jogging, I could easily catch up to Rialta, but I take my time to see what I can learn about her. I want to know where she’s going in the middle of the night. If I’m lucky, it will help me convince Corsi or Rialta of our love. If I’m really lucky, their enemy will reveal himself, and I can be the hero.
I shake my head at the ridiculousness of it all.
Rialta is walking fast in heels and a flowy black dress. Even without a jacket, she doesn’t seem bothered by the chill in the air from her speed walk.
I keep my distance in the shadows, even though I want to race to her and lecture her about walking alone at night. Even if she didn’t have a killer after her, it wouldn’t be wise to walk alone at night on the streets of Chicago as a young woman without any way to protect herself. But I’m too curious to see what she’s doing to stop her yet.
A Corvette screeches to a stop next to her.
Shit.
I’m nearby but not close enough to intervene. I take off in a sprint and pull my gun out, but before I can do anything, a man’s arm pulls her into the passenger side of the Corvette and speeds off.
I run at full burst, at least hoping to follow them long enough to see where he might be going. I study the car carefully, memorizing every detail to aid in a search later.
I haven’t even married her yet, and I’ve already let her get kidnapped and probably killed. Vincent Corsi will kill me for this. Ri will be devastated at losing the only semblance of a sister she’s ever had. And war will start again in this city like never before.
The Corvette turns the corner, and dread fills my heart—I lost them.
If this is the man who has been trying to eliminate her entire family since before she was born, Rialta will most likely be dead before I can find her.
I pull out my phone and dial Ri’s number as I keep running to the block, hoping I can see which way they’ve turned.