Where the Wind Whispers (Seasons of Betrayal Book 3) by Bethany-Kris, London Miller

focused on something—or rather, someone—behind Angelo. Violet followed her brother’s gaze to find yet another stranger dressed impeccably with golden rings adorning fingers. The disinterest on the man’s face was clear as the server moved just beyond his form in the entry to introduce him.
    He looked no older than Carmine was, and if he was, it couldn't be by very much. He was good-looking and filled his suit out well. His posture spoke of confidence and arrogance, while his scowl spoke of attitude and a lack of patience.
    In a blink at the sight of the newcomer, Carmine’s disgust and irritation was suddenly back. It was almost as if he’d smelled something bad and got a taste of it all at the same time.
    “Get on with it,” the man snapped at the server.
    Violet blinked at the rudeness in the man’s tone.
    Carmine didn’t seem surprised.
    Angelo, however, sighed. “Son …”
    “Caesar Accardo,” the server muttered.
    The man was quick to disappear again.
    Caesar .
    The name felt … familiar. Somehow.
    It was surely appropriate for the man if his temper and behavior was any indication. He certainly acted like a fucking tyrant or so it seemed.
    “Get a chair, son. Say hello, and sit down,” Angelo said without even turning to greet his son.
    Caesar took the chair next to his father, the one closest to Violet, and directly across from Carmine’s position. He offered Carmine a cocky grin. “Long time, no see, Carmine. It’s been what—three years?”
    Carmine’s features barely changed from the stone mask he now wore. “Has it been that long? How’s Tiffany? I haven’t talked to her since I kicked her ass out of my place. Is she still jerking you off under the table at family dinners?”
    “Carmine!” Alberto barked. “That is enough.”
    Well, Violet supposed she didn’t need the wine as she watched her brother and Caesar glare at one another from their respective positions.
    This dinner just got a whole lot more interesting.

 
    Seven hours and one red-eye flight to Chicago later, Kaz was in the backseat of the car that Vadim had sent to pick him up from the private airfield. While he had been free to come and go as he pleased when he was only using the city as a refuge, that was no longer the case when he was attempting to go up against a politician to get to his father.
    For that, Vadim, the head and patriarch of the Boykov family, had requested a meeting first.
    Though he knew which way the man would lean once he told him everything he knew, Kaz understood the man’s precaution and knew that he would need more than what little Denis had offered if he was to sway the man.
    That was why Kaz had tasked Alfie with the job of finding out who was helping his father. It was one of the skills Alfie had mastered. It was why, though he was still skeptical as to what he would find on the tape, Kaz trusted that whatever was there would definitely be enough.
    Before leaving, he hadn’t bothered to pack a bag or bring anything with him, though he had found a small electronics shop where he could purchase a camera that fit the tape.
    If he were honest, Kaz hadn’t thought the Brit would have been able to find the man, or men, responsible, not in such a short amount of time—less than two weeks actually. But then again, as he pressed play and waited for the footage to play, it hadn’t been less than a couple of weeks.
    Longer, in fact, if the timestamp at the bottom of the screen was to be believed. This was more than a month ago, back when Kaz still in the hospital and unable to ask Alfie to do anything.
    He didn’t believe for a second that the man would have gone hunting on his own. He was far too selfish.
    Then again, he had shown up to the hospital with Vera, as though he had every right …
    Maybe Kaz had underestimated their relationship, and even as that thought processed, he didn’t like the idea that there was a relationship at all.
    But that was a conversation for another day.
    Focusing