Catching Bianca: A Dark Mafia Romance (Shadows of Obsession Book 4)
Catching Bianca: Chapter 29

The VIP area hums with low conversations, the music from the main floor bleeding through, a steady pulse of bass reverberating through my chest.

Normally, Scarlett is electric, our nights here meant to diffuse the week’s tension, but it’s different tonight. My leg bounces under the table, restless energy I can’t shake.

Bianca’s on my left, her proximity anchoring me even as my mind races. She’s close enough that I feel the heat radiating off her, her arm brushing mine every so often.

She’s wearing another short, tight, revealing dress, her perfect boobs pushed together, begging me to bury my face in her cleavage. The coconut scent of her skin doesn’t help tame my wild, erotic thoughts, either.

Each accidental touch sends a sharp current through me, a reminder of everything I want but can’t reach for.

Not here.

She laughs at something Hailey’s said, her lips curving into a smile that lights up her entire face. Beautiful. So fucking pretty when she lets herself feel.

Still, despite the smiles and laughs, she’s tense. I keep waiting for her walls to snap back up, but she’s wide open, her fingers curling around the stem of her glass a little too tightly. She’s schooling her emotions, but the edges of fear are visible.

And it’s my fault.

I should’ve been more careful this morning. I should’ve allowed her to hear Koby talk about Jax.

Her soft laugh draws my attention… too bad it doesn’t calm me the way it should. Not after what Koby’s told me—Noretto knows she’s here.

If my stunt last night got all the way to Pittsburgh, he knows about us. That makes her more than a target; it makes her a weapon they can use to gut me.

And the worst part? I handed them the ammunition when I lost my shit. Anyone watching would’ve seen my jealousy. They’d know she means something to me. That I’m not protecting her because she’s Hailey’s sister.

Here’s hoping no spies witnessed my tantrum…

Bianca glances at me, those pouty lips closing around the rim of her glass. I grip the edge of the table.

I can’t touch her. Can’t kiss her here without painting a bigger X on her back.

Easier said than done. The urge to stake my claim claws at me like a restless beast. It grows tenfold when Broadway stamps a cute little kiss on Violet’s head.

Fuck, I want that.

But I fight down the urge, focusing on my boss instead. He sits across from me, his back straight, arms crossed over his chest. His stoic gaze swings between Hailey and the VIP area entrance.

Broadway’s beside him, fingers drumming a rapid staccato. He’s a live wire, tension radiating off him in waves. I don’t blame him. He has twice as much to worry about: Violet and his baby.

Every minute that passes without Jax showing up feels like another minute closer to disaster.

Koby leans back in his chair, one arm draped over the backrest—the epitome of calm boredom, at least by any passive observer’s standards. His casual pose doesn’t fool me. Sharp eyes scan the room like he’s waiting for a fight to break out, his free hand drumming against the table in a deliberate rhythm.

“He’s late,” Broadway mutters, breaking the silence.

“Power play,” Koby points out, without humor.

Carter doesn’t entertain the conversation, too busy watching the door, waiting. Calculating.

The seconds stretch, the silence between us thickening. My gaze shifts back to Bianca. She stares into her glass, the soft glow of Scarlett’s lights casting a faint shimmer across her skin.

My mouth parts, words of reassurance dissolving on my tongue when the VIP entrance swings open.

Immediately, the air in the room shifts.

Jax strides in, led by a bouncer, his presence like a blade cutting through the tension. The jagged, angry scar across his throat is a reminder of the night Carter put a bullet in his neck, grievous but not fatal. He’s tall, less bulky than he was last year… but his weight loss isn’t what catches my attention.

It’s the girl on his arm.

She’s a tiny, fragile-looking thing with wide eyes darting around the room like she expects something will jump out at her. Her fingers tremble against the fabric of Jax’s jacket, the smile gracing her lips the fakest I’ve ever seen. It’s the kind of smile that’s meant to hide fear but fails miserably.

The moment they reach us, Carter stiffens. A flicker of recognition breaks through his mask of indifference. “Leilani?”

The girl freezes, words almost tumbling out of her mouth, but before she speaks, Jax steps between her and my boss, shielding his girl from Carter’s view.

“She’s not here for your entertainment,” Jax growls. “Keep your distance.”

Broadway shifts in his seat, his hand dropping to his thigh, hovering near his holster. “You’ve got some fucking nerve ordering him around.”

“Broadway,” Carter snaps, his tone a whipcrack, eyes not veering from Jax. “I’ve known Leilani since she was five years old. She was my sister’s best friend.”

“Aalyiah’s not around anymore. As far as I’m aware, it’s been at least five years since you saw my girl. Things have changed. Keep. Your. Fucking. Distance.”

Next to me, Koby shifts forward, his expression dark. He’s not looking at Jax, though, every ounce of his concentration is fixed on the girl. His usual easygoing demeanor is gone, replaced by something unreadable.

“You’re scaring her,” he seethes.

Jax’s attention flicks from Carter to Koby then back. He leans down, murmuring something in Leilani’s ear. She flinches, her shoulders hunching as if she’s hoping the floor will open and swallow her whole.

Koby vibrates beside me, his hands in fists, murder on his mind. I grip his shoulder, digging my fingers into the bone. I’m afraid he’ll pounce if I stop physically restraining him.

“Let’s get this over with.” Carter gets up, gesturing toward his office. “This way.”

Jax gives a sharp nod, turning to Leilani. “Stay with the girls, dollface. Don’t leave this section.”

She nods, eyes scanning the table, then Koby, who watches her every move with bated breath.

I cast one last glance at Bianca, holding her gaze for a second, proud to note that the simple gesture helps ease the tension keeping her wound up tight. She’s here. She’s safe… but it’s a fragile kind of safety, one that could shatter quickly.

“Stay with Arthur and Apollo,” I mouth, following Carter and the others toward the office.

It’s not until we’re halfway across the room that I realize Koby’s still at the table, still looking at Leilani, his jaw tight.

“Koby,” Carter snaps. “Move.”

He blinks, dazed, as if waking from a long nap. Rising to his feet, his eyes land on Leilani again. He turns away but glances back at her. Three steps forward, a glance over his shoulder. Three more, another look. It continues, his checking on her after every few steps, until we enter Carter’s office.

The door closes with a soft click, but it feels like the slam of a steel vault. The shift in atmosphere is instant, the air thicker, heavier. Fucking suffocating.

Carter’s status as the boss in Ohio may still be fresh, but this room has seen its share of blood, sweat, and desperate deals.

And yet, somehow, tonight feels more stifling than usual.

Jax’s scarred throat bobs as he swallows, his body language casual. That cockiness isn’t fooling anyone. It’s armor, a thin shield against four men who’d be happy to see him dead—one of whom thought he’d already killed him.

Broadway hangs back, his back against the door like a human barricade, arms crossed, glare sharp enough to cut.

Carter takes his seat behind the desk, while I grab the closest chair, and Koby stops by the monitor-covered wall, his attention on the screens. On Leilani.

Jax, back straight, chin high, settles into the seat across from Carter. He looks confident… on the surface. Beneath he’s nervous, his emotions betrayed by how hard his fingers gouge into the leather armrests.

“You asked for this meeting,” Carter says. “If you expected a glass of whiskey and a cigar, think again. Now talk.”

“I’m not here to make friends.”

“You’re off to a stellar start,” Broadway scoffs, the venom in his tone palpable.

Jax rests both elbows on his knees, his face cast in shadow by the dim desk lamp. “I’m merely here to pass on a message: Noretto’s in trouble.”

Broadway scoffs from the door, fingers tapping against his holster. “How’s that any of our concern?”

Carter raises a hand, silencing Broadway, his cold gaze locked on Jax. “Go on.”

“Grey has had enough of Noretto’s failures. He’s power hungry, and every setback delays his plans. Blaze lost Hailey, sold Violet, let Bianca go without a tracker.” He rubs a hand down his face. “Grey wants your spot, and he’s given Noretto an ultimatum: deliver your girls or die trying.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My stomach ties into knots, blood pounds in my ears, bile climbs up my throat.

Marshaling the onslaught of emotions takes a heap of control. The only way I manage the feat is by checking the monitor. Bianca’s still in the booth with Hailey and Violet, all three girls safe. All three smiling.

“He’ll die trying,” Carter denotes, his tone flat.

“Relax, he won’t try. He knows it’s a suicide mission, but Grey doesn’t care. He gave Noretto a deadline, and when it passes, he’ll make an example out of him.”

Broadway scoffs, stepping away from the door. “So? Let him. Why the hell do we care if Grey guts Noretto?”

“Because Noretto’s the devil you know,” Jax snaps, his gaze swinging to Broadway. “Grey’s the real threat, and if he takes Noretto out, someone worse will fill his shoes.”

“That’s how this game works,” Koby speaks up in a stilted tone. “One replaces another. There’s always someone worse available. Business as usual.”

“It’s not business as usual.” Jax’s frustration mounts, evidenced by his rising voice. “Grey’s done playing puppet master. He wants Carter gone. He wants Ohio.”

Carter leans back in his chair. “You’re not telling me anything new. Grey’s been after me since day one. Threats follow threats. It’s how he operates. What makes this one different?”

“The time for threats is over. You pissed off a lot of men by indulging Broadway’s vendetta. They’re all behind Grey’s clear-cut plan: grab your girls, flush out Vaughn, force you to bow out. He’s moving, Willard. If you don’t act first, you’ll lose.”

Carter’s gaze scans the monitor, checking in on Hailey. It’s a habit I’m starting to understand.

Jax leans further over the desk, leveling Carter with a pointed look. “Noretto thinks this has gone too far. He’s done taking orders from Grey. He wants out but he’s too small to do it alone.”

“He hopes I’ll help him take Grey down,” Carter muses. “What’s in it for me?”

Jax straightens in his chair. “We both know you want his business shut down. Kill Grey, and the auctions stop.”

Fuck. That’s a bold move. One none of us expected. One that might work. Carter promised Hailey he’d replace a way to kill Noretto’s human-trafficking venture… and the opportunity has presented itself, wrapped up with a blood-soaked bow around it.

The tension in the room stretches taut, no one moving, no one speaking. I glance at the monitor again, my eyes landing on Bianca. She’s safe, smiling faintly at some joke from Violet, but the knot in my chest tightens all the same.

Finally, Carter stands, his movements slow and deliberate. “I’ll think about it.”

Jax’s jaw tightens as he nods, rising from his seat. “That’s all I ask. There’s not much time. Grey gave Noretto a month, so think fast.” He makes his way toward the door, stopping before he exits. “And don’t let your girls out of your sight.”

With that, he leaves, the door closing behind him with a finality that rings in my ears.

“This is a trap,” Broadway growls, a caged animal pacing near the door, his knuckles flexing white at his sides.

He can’t look away from Violet on the monitors, and I know exactly what he’s thinking. She’s his entire world: her and their baby. Every moment that passes without a clear plan to deal with Jax, Noretto, and Grey feels like a step closer to losing them.

And as if those two meddling fuckers going head-to-head isn’t enough, Vaughn’s on the loose.

“Maybe,” Koby says quietly, his voice distant, like he’s not in the room anymore. Like he’s making plans no one else is privy to while his gaze remains fixed on Leilani. The way he’s staring at her, you’d think the girl reached into his chest and ripped out his heart. “Or maybe it’s not…”

“I guess this means Bianca’s staying in Columbus?” I ask.

Carter shakes his head. “No, take her back as planned. We should assume Grey’s watching. If we upend our routines, he’ll sense trouble.”

I nod, part relieved I won’t have to argue with Bianca about her living arrangements, part dreading my week away from here.

Away from plans being discussed.