Don First

Lilly

The rest of my shift flies by, and I manage to earn a butt ton of tips. I haven’t had a chance to count them yet, but judging by how full my cups are, it’s more than enough to call this a running start.

I notice Luciano’s eyes on me most of the night, which keeps pulling my attention towards him. But I guess every man up here is obviously going to stare at the seductively dressed woman dancing on a stripper pole.

His friend Luca, though...

He keeps giving me these overly excited looks that almost break the mask I’m wearing a few times. He has that contagious sort of smile that makes you want to smile back.

Back in the dressing room, I tell the girls about my night. Candy asks if I need a lift home, but I politely decline, lying straight through my teeth that I have a ride.

I don’t need people getting close.

I take what I need and nothing more.

That’s the safest option for everyone.

When all the girls have left, I slip into the wardrobe area to find the outfit I ditched earlier today. I pause when I notice a section of clothes that look like everyday wear.

Odd.

It’s strange for a club to provide regular clothes for the girls, but I’m not about to question a good thing. I snag a fresh pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a black hoodie.

The early morning air hits me the moment I step outside. Most women would think it safer to take the main roads with streetlights, but I know better.

Back roads. Alleyways.

In the dark of night, they’re my friends.

I’ve grown used to slinking around in the dead of night, unseen. My way of thinking is simple: If no one knows you’re there, how could they grab you?

I keep my hood pulled up and my hands buried in my pockets as I walk, checking behind me whenever I turn a corner. The city is quieter now, but never completely silent. Cars occasionally pass at the ends of the alleys, and somewhere in the distance, a siren cuts through the night.

It takes half an hour to return to the hotel, despite all the detours.

I immediately devour the biscuits I stashed away, then start counting my tips from the night.

Almost two thousand dollars.

Holy hell.

I’ve never made that much at Thrive.

Tomorrow, I’ll start looking for a shitty apartment, hopefully one that takes cash. I’ll also need to find a gym to test how rusty I am in a fight.

I’ve kept up my stamina over the years. I like to work out once a day, usually in public parks since they’re free, but if I’m going back into the ring, I’ll need a bag. Something to rebuild muscle memory before Monday.

Two days of prep should be enough.

With my plans sorted out, I drag the comforter off the bed and make a little nest on the floor.

It always feels safer there.

Luciano

I sit with my men in the VIP section for most of the night. There’s plenty to discuss: upcoming shipments, deals, and movements. Once business is out of the way, I check in on their families.

Family means everything to us.

We’ve all been raised together, like brothers. Our parents treated us like siblings, and that bond has never faded.

While we talk, I keep my eye on Violence. I try to keep it discreet.

Luca? Not so much.

He isn’t hiding the fact that he’s practically drooling over her.

I want to stay until her shift ends so that I can offer to drive her back to wherever she’s staying. Kevin couldn’t get much personal information from her earlier in the day while handling the paperwork. When he asked for a home address, she told him she didn’t have one yet. When he asked for the motel she’d be staying at, she said she hadn’t checked in but promised to update him when she had.

By now, she should’ve checked in somewhere.

I want to know where that somewhere is.

I want to see it.

I want to know where I can find my little angel.

An hour before the club closes, Matteo gets a phone call. He excuses himself and takes it to my office from the VIP lounge. When he comes back, the look on his face tells me the night is about to get longer.

“Boss,” he says grimly, “we just got word. There’s been a sighting of Angelo near your sister’s club.”

“Well,” I say, standing, “then I guess we’d better head over and check it out.”

Angelo Salvatore.

Number one on our hit list for the past five years.

He put my father six feet under. They were supposed to meet to discuss a potential gun trade alliance, but instead, the bastard put a bullet in the back of my father’s head before he even saw it coming.

He’s been slipping through our fingers ever since.

As much as I want to make sure Violence gets home safe, I have to be Don first.

Downing the last of our drinks, I motion to my men. We head out, prepping for the eight-hour drive to my sister’s club. Maybe I can get some more information on my little angel while I’m there.

We take a few cars, leaving a couple of men behind with Tony to handle things while we’re gone. The cool night air hits us as we step outside, and engines start one after another in the car park. Within minutes, everyone knows where they need to be.

If we can get a real lead on Angelo, I’ll follow it like a hound. I’ve dedicated my life to killing him. My men have too.

You don’t just kill a Don and walk away.

I’ll follow that son of a bitch into the pits of hell if I have to, just to get revenge for what he did.

He’s like a damn cockroach. Every time we get the slightest tip, he vanishes.

But one day... he won’t.

And when that day comes, I’ll be there, waiting.