Liam watched as his brother dealt with that monster, quite nicely too.
As he dished out three hard kicks to Anthony’s stomach, Brian spat out, “Don’t. Ever. Come. Near. My. Family!”
Anthony’s bodyguards moved in to stop the fight, but Liam couldn’t have that. He removed a gun from his inside his jacket. “Stand down.”
The men froze. Everyone was surprised Liam was packing heat, especially Brian.
Liam allowed the ass-kicking of the century to continue. He didn’t want Brian to kill the man, so eventually, he intervened, pulling Brian off of him.
“The bastard tried to ruin my life!” Brian was still enraged. He leaned over and spit on a badly beaten Anthony Luccesse, who writhed in pain.
The door to the suite opened, and the voice of a sultry woman floated to them as she walked inside with several other men. “Oh my. What a mess.”
Liam turned and grinned. “Perfect timing.”
She smiled in return. “If you’re finished, I would say so.”
“What are you standing around for?” Anthony yelled at his bodyguards. “Who the fuck is that?” Anthony looked up with a bloody face and swelling eyes. “Kill them!” he yelled.
“Oh, darling.” The woman released a throaty laugh. “How amusing.” She moved with the finesse of a large cat as she went to stand over him in her fitted designer dress and big Kentucky derby-like hat. She kneeled and lowered her large black glasses. “I am the woman who now owns every asset you’ve ever possessed, both legitimate and,” she paused, “those that are not. As a matter-of-fact, I even fuckin’ own you. So, I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Gina Lee-Xiou.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Anthony asked.
“Shall I do the honors?” Liam asked.
“Please,” Gina responded.
“Everything, and I mean everything, the Luccesses have ever touched is now in the hands of my friend, Gina Lee-Xiou.”
“Bullshit,” Anthony groaned. “I do business with people all over the world. They won’t stand for this.”
Gina took off a long black glove and walked over to the bar area. “Would anyone else like a glass of champagne, since we’re celebrating my good fortune? And all thanks to you, Liam.”
Brian was confused. He had no idea what was going on.
“Plan C,” Liam said to Brian. “Thank you, Gina, but I think we’ll pass on the champagne.”
She poured herself a glass. Her voice changed from smooth as butter to hard as ice. “Mr. Luccesse, you boast a gravitas that you do not possess. Your small-town operation is in no way a formidable opponent for me, and neither are your associates. Even your main supplier, Ezekiel Monmouth, could barely remember your name.”
Anthony stilled. How the hell did she know him? He started to take this situation more seriously.
“However, Ezekiel did provide a lot of useful information, like the name of your accountant. As a matter-of-fact, the account in the Caymans yielded more than I expected but less than it should have. Pity. Your mismanagement caused the loss of millions.” Gina took a sip of champagne. “Oooh. This is burned.” She placed the glass back down on the table and glanced over at Liam. Again, she spoke sweetly. “I can guarantee you that the champagne at my wedding next month won’t be.”
“I can’t wait to taste it and share in the celebration. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Brody is a lucky man.” Liam was taking great pleasure in watching the exchange between Gina and Anthony.
“He is.” Her lips curved up. “So is your Colby James.”
Liam wasn’t surprised that Gina knew about their relationship. The woman had eyes and ears everywhere.
“Speaking of, your beloved has just made us all so proud. I hope we see her at the wedding too. Now,” she clapped her hands together and began to shoo Liam away, “I can finish up here. You go and celebrate this incredible win.” Gina looked down at Anthony. “I can guarantee you will never have to deal with this nasty little issue again. And Colby and her family won’t have to deal with Asher or Lorene again, either. I made sure of it. I have a feeling you’ll find a certain leaked video that’s making its way around the press very interesting.”
Liam sauntered over and kissed Gina on the cheek. “Thank you. I owe you.”
“You owe me nothing but continued friendship. Now go. Go. Go. Go!”
As Liam and Brian turned to leave, Gina stopped them. “Wait.” She glared at one of Anthony’s bodyguards. “Give me your shirt.”
He didn’t mess around. Quickly, he removed his button-up. Gina tossed it over to Brian. “You might want to change. Your shirt has blood on it. I’ll dispose of it properly.”
Brian had no idea who the hell these people were other than he recognized the woman who had been at Liam’s poker game the night all this started, but if Liam trusted them this much, then so would he. Brian changed.
“Fantastic. Now, please, go and step over the mess outside the door. We’ll take care of that too.”
Liam and Brian left the suite, stepping over the bodyguards with bullet wounds in the center of their foreheads.
Liam’s team and Gina’s talked as if there weren’t two dead men lying on the floor. Brian mumbled under his breath, “We’re going to prison.”
“Nah, no cameras on this floor. Gina is not one to be played with. The woman knows how to dot her i’s and cross her t’s. I’d hate to ever get on her bad side.”
“From the looks of things, me too.” Brian turned to Liam as they left the area. “So, this Gina, who the hell is she exactly?”
Liam grinned. “A great poker player and friend.”
Chapter 33
Liam and Brian made it down to the winner’s podium, where the Lockwood celebration was in full swing. He watched in awe as Colby realized her dreams. He was so damn proud of her. Colby radiated a beauty that still took his breath away.
She took to the podium and lifted the trophy high up into the air just as
