EXCERPT
Noun: Organization, Kingdom, Business. To rule or have power or authority. Command, control, dominate. EG: He built an Empire—he refused to see it crumble beneath his feet.
Eagle Elite Book 7
Prologue
Frank
THE DAY MATCHED MY DARK MOOD. I clenched the umbrella tight within my hand, the sensation getting more and more difficult to feel with my arthritis creeping in. Age, had never been a friend of mine. The clock, it seemed, never stopped ticking, the seconds going by faster than I could have ever imagined, the years disappearing like sand through an hour glass.
Rain pelted against my umbrella, pieces of grass stuck to my black Valentino loafers.
I kept walking.
My stride strong.
My purpose even stronger.
The grave was marked well, I’d been sure of it. After all, it seemed the least I could do—give my brother a proper burial, when it was me, his most feared enemy and in the end most trusted ally—who had a hand in watching him die.
It wasn’t my fault.
I didn’t pull the trigger.
But I knew the dangers in what we did.
I knew the cost of our chess match.
I just wish it would have been me—instead of him.
A few more feet and I was in front of the large grey stone. I knew Luca wouldn’t want something elaborate—after all he made his way through the world on being the silent one, the death blow you never saw coming, until it was too late.
I licked my cracked lips and shook my head as I read the tombstone. “Loving brother, fearless leader…” My voice cracked. “Blessed father.” I closed my eyes as the sting of tears burned against my eyes.
Father.
And only two people in the world knew.
Phoenix and myself.
“I’m so sorry brother…”
Would I have done things differently? All those years ago when I made Luca into the man he was, when I forced him into the Nicolasi family, when I stole the woman he loved and turned him against the world.
Knowing what I knew now…would I do it all again?
“For what it’s worth old man…” I pointed to the gravestone next to his. “I’d like to think…that at least in the afterlife---you’ll have her.”
I’d buried my wife next to him, where she belonged. Where she always belonged.
Every night I prayed that they were finally united in heaven.
While I was cursed to roam the earth without my brother—without my wife, and in charge of four mafia bosses who were younger than I was when I took over.
The empire I had built was changing, morphing into something I no longer recognized.
With a sigh I made a cross over my chest and mumbled a prayer.
“Well this is depressing.” Came a low voice behind me.
I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Phoenix De Lange, newest boss to the Nicoalsi family—handpicked by Luca himself.
“Did you bring it?” I kept my eyes trained on the gravestone.
Phoenix let out a curse, “Yes.”
I held out my hand.
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe we should talk to Tex about this before---“
“—give it over damn it, I’m your elder.”
“Don’t pull the age line old man, you could still take me down and you know it.”
I smirked and kept my hand firmly in the air. The minute the folder touched my fingertips, I snatched it away and held it tightly against my chest.
“They aren’t going to like this…” Phoenix growled.
“They don’t get a say.”
“The hell they don’t.” Phoenix let out a bark of laughter. “But sure if it helps you sleep at night.” The rain started to pour down in sheets. “When do you leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Safe travels.”
“Always.”
“Does anyone else know you’ll be gone?”
I turned and offered him a sly wink. “Secrets, secrets, secrets, what else do I build my family on?”
With a slight shake of his head Phoenix took a step back. “I can’t protect you if this goes badly—especially if I don’t know where you are…at least bring one of the men.”
“No.” I glanced at my watch. My flight would leave within the hour. “Don’t think I will.”
“Damn it Frank.”
“Don’t damn it Frank me…” I held out my hand. “Now, leave like a man before I have to remind you who’s older…and more experienced.”
Phoenix offered a sad smile and shook my hand, “Be well Frank.”
“Be well, Phoenix.”
Chapter One
Valentina
January 2015
“SORRY!” I STUMBLED OUT OF THE way and as business professionals and customers shuffled past me. I nearly collapsed onto the ground in front of me, barely managing to move out of the way before my face made an imprint onto the cement sidewalk.
Nobody acknowledge my apology, nobody really even acknowledged me, then again it was New York. I could be breathing my last breath and the chances of someone actually stepping in were one in a million. Pretty sure I saw that in one of my Freshman Psych classes. It wasn’t that New Yorkers were mean or rude like people assumed, but they were busy.
And busy meant they didn’t have time to stop on the sidewalk and help an eighteen year old girl to her feet because she looked like she was about to get smothered against the nearest window.
I took another deep breath. This was stupid, I was being stupid. It was a bank. How many times had I walked by this exact building and thought nothing of it?
My stomach clenched. Today was different.
I felt like one of the girls I read about in my romance novels, the ones who had adventurous lives, were pursued by dead sexy men in full body armor. Hah, yeah that was so not my reality.
My phone buzzed in my purse.
Probably one of my uncles checking up on me to make sure I was on my way to the store.
Now or never.
The letter had been burning a hole in my pocket for weeks and I wasn’t the type of person to ignore things, especially weird things, things that actually made my life seem less normal, less boring. For the last eighteen years I’d gone to school, tried my hardest to get good grades, and worked at my families flower shop.
Oh and I read.
I had no specific talents, unless you could actually count reading, which, is apparently frowned upon when you’re applying for college. I could still hear my Uncle Gio’s laughter. “Reading is a hobby, Val, not a talent.”
My phone kept buzzing.
I clenched my teeth, then pulled it out of my purse and answered it. “Yes?”
“Val?” Uncle Gio’s thick accent wrapped around me like a warm hug. “Are you sick?”
“No,” I glanced helplessly at the glass windows of the skyscraper. “I’m on my way.”
“You will be late.” He stated it like a fact, didn’t ask.
“Maybe.” I said distractedly. “Traffic is…bad.”
“But you walk.”
“I have to cross streets, Uncle Gio.”
He was quiet and then. “Did you eat?”
“Gio!” I groaned, already feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment, when would I ever be an adult to them? “I ate, alright?”
More silence and then. “I don’t believe you. I brought extra cannoli, just in case.”
If I ate any more cannoli someone was going to have to start running to work instead of walking. “Fine, I just, I need to go, it’s hard to hear you.”
“Where are you?”
“Close!” I lied, “See you soon, Gio!”
“Love you, little Val.”
I held my groan in. I would always be little Val.
Always.
I straightened my shoulders and shoved my phone back into my purse. Little Val would back away, Little Val woul
d have burned the letter I was currently carrying.
Little Val would probably have told her over protective uncles and brother.
But I didn’t want to be little anymore. I was a woman.
I reached for the door handle just as another body bumped into me propelling me through the doors with an umph.
The crisp smell of papers and too much floor cleaner burned my nostrils as I did a few circles. Where the heck was I supposed to even go.
I stepped out of the way and pulled out the letter.
Bank of America
Safety Deposit Box 36
There was no return address, and it wasn’t even in typical handwriting, but typed out. Maybe I should have said something to my uncles.
But, and here’s the creepy part, the part that led me to the bank the minute they opened. The part that had me lying to my uncle for the first time, since…forever.
At the very bottom of the page was a quote from Shakespeare.
The course of true love, never did run smooth.
It was one of my favorite quotes. When I was five I’d stolen one of the old books from Gio’s library and snuck chapters when I could. Again, I was an odd child, so if you knew me you’d know it wasn’t particular strange for me to devour words like they were bread and water.
I’d been obsessed with A Midsummer Nights Dream ever since then, and that very book was still placed under my bed at night.
I had it memorized.
Geez, I was lame.
“Miss?” A wickedly sexy guy approached me, he was wearing a black suit, black tie, and had sunglasses hanging out of his front pocket. My mouth must have dropped open, because a small smile curved around his lips as he ducked his head.
“Are you…” I turned around. “OH I’m sorry were you talking to me?”
“You talking to me.” He said in a perfect Deniro accent. “You talkin’ to me?” He laughed a bit.
I joined him, realizing how ridiculous I was being. I was in a bank, looking like a lost child, and he was in a suit, clearly he worked there, though his name tag wasn’t visible. I frowned.
“May I help you with something?” He asked holding out his hand, his smile was easy, but something about it had me hesitating. His hair was a reddish blonde, his skin dark, as if he was Italian but…his eyes, something about his stormy blue eyes made me want to turn around and run.
“No.” I said quickly. “I just…wrong building.”
“I’m sorry.” He grabbed my arm gently. “Did I scare you? I didn’t mean to. I work here and you were staring down at a paper and you looked lost, I put two and two together…” his voice trailed off.
I felt my tense body relax, “Sorry, I’m just…” I waved into the air. “Long night reading vampire novels, didn’t get much sleep.”
“Tell me, how is Edward?” He joked.
“Still with Bella, damn him.” I fired back quickly.
He burst out laughing. “You’re going to do just fine.”
“Do?”
“Now, what did you say I could help you with?” He was already reaching for the paper. I let him have it because I didn’t want to be rude. He quickly scanned it then handed it back.
“Weird right?” I said jokingly, a bit embarrassed that he’d read the whole thing and now probably thought I was insane or had escaped a mental institution.
“Eh,” He shrugged, “I’ve seen weirder, you have no idea.”
His smile faded.
“I believe you.” I croaked out.
“Safety deposit boxes.” He turned on his heel and started walking, I followed him dumbly. “Are right over here.” He scanned a key card over some metal thingy and walked me to the furthest corner of the building. “Just walk down the hall and find your number. Some have keys, some, high profile deposit boxes use a thumbprint.”
I held up my hand and then dug through my purse, finally locating the key and lifting it triumphantly into the air. “Key.”
“Fantastic.” He nodded once. “Stay as long as you need.”
“Thanks.” I bit my lip in nervousness, I was really doing this. Holy crap. My heart slammed against my chest as I started walking down the quiet hall.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for Valentina.” He whispered after me. “I truly do.”
My steps faltered.
I’d never told him my name.
Shaking, I quickly turned around.
But he was gone.
I nearly toppled into another lady on my way out of the hall to find him.
“Miss?” She was juggling about a million papers. “Can I help you?”
“A man.” I blurted. “He just left down the hall and—“
“—no.” The lady frowned. “I would have seen him, I’m sorry, maybe…you imagined it?”
“Right.” I swallowed the dryness in my throat, my heart really going to town threatening to crack right out of my chest and start thumping across the floor.
“Nope.” I clenched the key between my fingers, my sweat pooling around the metal. “I have a safety deposit box to look at.”
“Well,” She nodded. “Let me know if you have any questions. My name’s… Emiliana.”
“Okay.” I took two steps backwards then turned on my heel and made a beeline for the boxes, they lined both walls.
Finally, I located number thirty-six, and without giving myself time to chicken out, shoved the key in the lock and turned.
Had I known then, what I know now. I would have ran towards the bank, shoved my way through the fires of hell, and done just about anything legal or illegal to get to that box.
RACHEL VAN DYKEN is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching "The Bachelor".
She keeps her home in Idaho with her husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers. She loves to hear from readers.
You can connect with her on Facebook at facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel's New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com.
Eagle Elite
Elite (Forever Romance)
Elect (Forever Romance)
Entice
Elicit
Bang Bang
Enchant
Enforce
Ember
Elude
The Bet Series
The Bet (Forever Romance)
The Wager (Forever Romance)
The Dare
Seaside Series
Tear
Pull
Shatter
Forever
The Seaside Series Boxed Set
Fall
Strung
Eternal
Seaside Pictures
Capture
Wallflower Trilogy
Waltzing with the Wallflower
Beguiling Bridget
Taming Wilde
Waltzing with the Wallflower Trilogy
London Fairy Tales
Upon a Midnight Dream
Whispered Music
The Wolf's Pursuit
When Ash Falls
Renwick House
The Ugly Duckling Debutante
The Seduction of Sebastian St. James
The Redemption of Lord Rawlings
An Unlikely Alliance
The Devil Duke Takes a Bride
Ruin Series
Ruin
Toxic
Fearless
Ruin Series Boxed Set
Shame
The Consequence Series
The Consequence of Loving Colton
The Consequence of Revenge
The Dark Ones Saga
The Dark Ones
Other Titles
The Parting Gift
Compromising Kessen
Savage Winter
Divine Uprising
Every Girl
Does It
www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
Table of Contents
Author Note
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Author Note CONT
Empire
About The Author
Also By Rachel Van Dyken