Dark Haven: an M/M Mafia Romance (Darker Daddy Bodyguards Book 3), page 1
DARK HAVEN
Sue Brown
DARKER DADDY BODYGUARDS #3
Copyright ©2022 Sue Brown
Published by One Hat Press
First Edition
Cover design by Meredith Russell
Formatting by Format4U/Pippa Wood
All Rights Reserved
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee. Such action is illegal and in violation of Copyright Law.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Dedication
To Elana Johnson. A successful writer in another genre whose clever ideas are keeping me afloat. You’ll never see this but thank you.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Also by Sue Brown
Chapter 1
Finn
“Make the call, he dies. Don’t make the call, you die…and he dies.”
Finn Acierno watched the oblivious police officer talk to a group of teenagers.
He was worth looking at, all dark tousled curls, broad shoulders, firm muscled arms too, and the tightest ass Finn had ever seen wear a cop uniform. It was clear he worked out. Finn reluctantly dragged his gaze away from the cop’s butt and focused on the scene in front of him.
There was a lot of arm-waving from the teens. But they were listening, their eyes fixed on him. Finn was reluctantly impressed. At their age, he would have told the cop where to get off. And probably been arrested for being an asshole. He’d done the perp walk more than once. But one mention of his surname and he’d always be released without charge. No cop in the city, unless they had a death wish, wanted to start a war with the Acierno crime family. Their Mafia influence stretched beyond Seattle.
He knocked his phone against the steering wheel. “Make the call, he dies. Don’t make the call, you die. And he dies.”
Finn had been watching Matteo di Salvo for a couple of weeks. He knew more about the police officer than he did his last boyfriend. Not surprising. His relationship with Andreo had been lukewarm at best, whereas there was a lot riding on his surveillance of di Salvo.
Did the man live, or did he die? Finn’s call.
Whatever his business with the kids, it was over. Di Salvo nodded at them and headed to his patrol car. He looked tired, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. The urge to rush over there and hug him, to offer him a shoulder on which he could rest his head, didn’t take Finn by surprise. He’d been attracted to Matteo di Salvo from the moment Nico shoved his photo across the desk.
The cop slipped behind the wheel of the Impala and drove away, seemingly unaware of Finn on his tail. Di Salvo didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. He finished his shift, headed to a local cop bar, and stayed there as he did most evenings. The guy drank too much. Finn wondered what sorrows he was trying to drown. Finn didn’t go into the bar. He was a stranger, and he didn’t want to draw attention to himself.
Finn parked down the street from the bar, but close enough to see the door. He sucked down the last of the takeout iced tea he’d bought several hours ago. It was too warm and over sweet, but he needed the sugar. Then he munched on the pastrami on rye sandwich he’d bought at the same time.
He sighed, tossing the trash into the footwell of the passenger seat. Stakeouts were boring as hell. Particularly when he didn’t need to keep watching the guy. The cop was innocent. He was sure of it.
Dammit, he needed to find his balls. He picked up his phone and hit send.
“Acierno.”
“It’s Finn.”
“I thought you’d forgotten about us.”
Finn winced, hearing the edge in his employer’s voice. Pissing off the Prince of Darkness was a stupid thing to do, especially now. Nico Acierno wanted to know if di Salvo was responsible for ordering his twin’s kidnap, and he expected the answer yesterday.
“Not forgotten, Don Domenico,” he said hastily. “Just tailing him. Di Salvo has a long day.”
“What’s he doing?” Nico asked sharply. “Are you aware of his other plans?”
“I don’t think…look…”
Nico huffed out a breath. “Just spit it out, Finn.”
Aware he could be signing his own death warrant, Finn did as he was ordered. “Something’s hinky. If di Salvo had anything to do with this, I’m Scooby-Doo.”
There was silence for a moment, then Nico said, “You think he’s being framed?”
Finn stared out into the gathering darkness. “I’m sure of it. But I don’t know who or why.”
“You know what you’re saying.”
“I do, and this is a gut feeling. I don’t have evidence. But he’s not our guy, I’m sure of it. He’s not the one who arranged Paolo’s kidnap. He’s so…” Finn struggled to find the right words to describe Matteo di Salvo. Edible wasn’t going to cut it. Fuckable would be worse. “He’s straight and by the book. He’s not the one.”
“If you’re wrong and any of the family are harmed—”
Nico didn’t need to complete the sentence. Finn would be on the receiving end of a visit from Alessandro, the Acierno’s angelic-looking fixer. It didn’t matter that he was family too. Nico would not forgive Finn for any transgressions where his family was concerned.
“I’m not wrong,” Finn stated. “I don’t have the evidence, but I’m not wrong. I’m good at my job. You know I am, or you wouldn’t have asked me here. Let me get to know him and I’ll prove it to you.”
Nico expelled a deep breath. “I hope for your sake you’re right. Or Alessandro is on the jet.”
And that threat was why Finn should never have agreed to work for the family. He was a small private investigator in his hometown in Utah. Most of his jobs didn’t come with the threat of one of his cousins travelling across the country to put a bullet between his eyes. And travel by private jet to do it.
The plane had been a recent purchase for the Acierno family. Nico and his inner circle had extended their business into other parts of the country and travelling by jet avoided official eyes on them.
But Finn’s father had insisted he took the job, because Don Domenico was the head of the family, and an Acierno always helped family. Finn reluctantly agreed. The job should have been simple. Instead, he was stuck trying to prove someone’s innocence, not their guilt, because of his gut feeling. He sent up a frantic prayer the fixer stayed on his side of the country and made his next call. “I need help.”
“I’ve got di Salvo’s financial records,” Quinn Ryder said, his voice that low rumble which reminded Finn of his Hog back home in Utah.
Of course Ryder had anticipated Finn’s request. The head of the Biker Daddy Bodyguards was always five steps ahead of anyone. It was a stupid name, Finn thought, but they took care of rich and powerful boys. The name was irrelevant.
“Have you looked at them?” Finn asked.
“Of course.” Ryder spoke like it was obvious.
“Anything stand out to you?”
Ryder grunted. “You’re getting paid to do this. Not me.”
“I do the legwork, not the headwork.”
It was his mantra. He never wanted to be the guy stuck behind a desk. He thrived on being in the field.
“You keep telling yourself that. I’ve seen what you do. I’ve emailed the records to you.” Ryder disconnected without a farewell.
Was that a compliment? If it was, it was a surprising one. He’d had nothing to do with Quinn Ryder before Nico had asked for Finn’s help.
Finn looked at his quarry. He was still there, talking to a couple of cops who looked young enough to be in high school. Finn rolled his shoulders. Geez, he was feeling old. Then di Salvo laughed, the pinched expression he’d worn all day easing for a moment.
He didn’t look as if he were going anywhere, so Finn opened the email and started to read.
“Jesus, could you get more boring,” he muttered.
Di Salvo didn’t even have an unpaid parking ticket. He paid his bills on time and lived within his means. He was about to give up in disgust. Finn couldn’t find one thing that marked him out as anything other than he was, a hard-working cop.
He was about to give up when he blinked and looked again at the entry from his checking account. No way! There was a recurring amount to a name Finn recognized. Excitement began to build inside him. And this was why Ryder had sent him the financials. He tapped on the screen as he stared out of the windshield at the police officer, still laughing with the cops.
Di Salvo’d had his share of boyfriends. But nothing for long and no one in town which meant he kept his work and love lives very separate. So why would Matteo di Salvo be going to a club co-owned by Graham Knight, one of the premier Daddies on the West Coast? There was only one answer, unless it was an undercover op, and Finn doubted that. Did Nico know?
The club was in Daytona Beach. Finn wondered if his co-workers knew about his kink. Was Matteo di Salvo a Daddy or a boy? He stared at the handsome man, drinking in the cop bar, unaware of Finn’s regard. There was only one way to find out. Time to go back to his motel and make another call. Finn took one last glance at di Salvo. Now he was almost at the door, ready to go home. Time for Finn to call it a night too.
It wasn’t hard to get a temporary membership. Two calls and Finn was ready. Now he just had to wait for di Salvo to visit. In the meantime, he called Leon Trasker because he couldn’t face another conversation with Nico. Nico’s Daddy was a grim bastard, but Finn trusted his judgement.
Trasker hummed. “What’s your gut instinct?”
“Boy,” Finn said. “At least, I hope so. It’s gonna make for an awkward evening otherwise.”
“This doesn’t change the outcome of the assignment,” Trasker warned. “We’ll give you time to find out but being a boy doesn’t make him innocent.”
Finn figured Trasker would know, being the Daddy of the head of the Acierno crime family. But he was sensible enough to keep his mouth shut.
“You’re convinced he’s innocent.” Not a question, a statement.
“I am,” Finn said. “I know people. I understand them. It makes me good at my job. That’s why you employed me.”
Trasker snorted. “You were employed because you’re family…and you’re good at your job.”
“But it’s not the answer Nico wants.”
“No,” Trasker admitted. “He wants to wrap this up before Paolo loses his fucking mind.”
“One more week. From di Salvo’s records he’ll be making a trip to the club in the next few days. It’s dependent on his shifts. Then I’m done, but I warn you, unless he turns into a Jekyll and Hyde, my conclusion will be the same. He isn’t your guy, and you need to look elsewhere.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Yeah.” Finn had plenty of time watching Matty to think about it. “I’ve made a report. I’ll send it to you.”
“You do that. One more week. That’s it.”
Finn grunted.
“Don’t get involved.”
“I’m a PI,” Finn snapped, offended now.
“You’re a Daddy, and you’re getting too possessive about him. One week and then you get your ass back here.”
Trasker disconnected the call, leaving Finn staring at the phone. There was a reason he hated working for the family and the twins’ goddamn Daddies were even worse. Maybe not Tiger, Finn amended. Paolo’s Daddy was a huge teddy bear.
Four days later, Finn was in Daytona Beach watching Matteo di Salvo enter a club. The building itself appeared to be any discreet establishment with a small plate on the outside bearing the name, Black Stage. From the outside it was all black marble and well-maintained, lush planters. It looked more exclusive than the one Finn frequented, but then he didn’t mix with high-status Daddies and boys. Most of the men who went to his club had been his friends for many years. This club didn’t seem like the kind of place di Salvo would frequent, but who was Finn to judge?
Finn entered the club after five minutes, immediately accosted by a blond-haired man in a black suit who approached, his smile professional. Everything about him, from his haircut to his patent leather boots screamed he had money. Interesting.
“Good evening, sir. This is a members-only establishment.”
“I have temporary membership.” Finn offered his phone and the man relaxed, his smile genuine this time.
“Ah, yes, Daddy Finn. We were expecting you. I’m Drew, the host for this evening. I’m here if you have any issues. Your evening is already covered as you’re a special guest of Daddy Graham. Do you know him well?”
“He’s friends with friends of mine. Quinn Ryder.” Finn took a liberty with their relationship, considering he’d never met Ryder before he took the assignment.
Drew’s eyes opened wide. “I know Daddy Quinn.”
Finn held back a laugh. The boy was virtually drooling. He understood. Quinn Ryder was handsome and at the top of the Daddy food chain. He was also Daddy to one of the richest boys in the country.
Drew seemed to recover himself. “Do come through.”
The club was all chrome and glass and subtle lighting. More like a high-end venue than a kink club. But it matched the Daddies in their designer suits, who sat in black leather booths with their boys who were mainly dressed like them, a few in more boyish clothes. In between the tables Finn spotted toys and plushies, and on the stage he spotted a St. Andrew’s Cross. The whole vibe seemed a sharp contrast. It shouldn’t work, but it did.
Drew obviously followed his gaze. “We hold many events here. The owners are keen to welcome all kinds of kink.”
“It’s a good idea,” Finn agreed. “My regular club is a BDSM venue but hosts us too. It’s cool to see it the other way around.”
His main reason for his interest had been finding di Salvo who was at the bar alone. Drew took him to a booth and a waiter was there immediately, fetching a bottle of sparkling water which was all Finn drank in clubs. Finn assured Drew he would be fine by himself, and Drew hurried away, relieved to have done his duty. Finn was thankful he wasn’t picking up the tab for the evening. This club was way above his pay grade.
Finn relaxed in the smooth leather seat, well aware of the interest from the other members, especially the boys. One or two approached but Finn declined any offer of company and after a while they left him alone.
Which gave him time to stare at di Salvo. No one approached the boy all evening and Finn understood why. He gave off an air of quiet despair. He wasn’t that young and definitely no twink. He was too old and too big for many of the Daddies. They were fools. Di Salvo was perfect. The boy sat at the bar and drank, no liquor this time, and Finn knew he was wondering how soon to give up and go home.
“Hello.”
A small boy dressed in blue shorts and a pink T-shirt with a unicorn, with the sweetest face Finn had seen in a long time, smiled at him. He also blocked his view of di Salvo and short of moving which would look odd, there was nothing he could do.
Finn gave the boy a brief smile. “Hi.”
“I’m Mickie. My Daddy Owen—” He pointed to a booth with three men. One of them gave him a wave. Finn nodded in response. “wondered if you’d like to join us, instead of being on your own.”
Finn realized he was dealing with two of the owners of the club. If he remembered rightly Mickie Reid owned the majority stake. He had to tread carefully here.
“That’s very kind of your Daddy. I will say hello later if that’s all right, Mickie. I had a long journey and I just need to decompress for a while.” He smiled at the boy who returned it sweetly.
“Are you interested in Matty?”
Finn stared at him. Had he been that obvious?
Mickie leaned forward and regarded Finn with an intense stare. “You treat him with respect.”
Finn narrowed his eyes. That was Mickie the owner talking, not Mickie the boy.
Mickie shrugged. “Matty needs a special Daddy. Someone who’ll treat him right. Not a flyboy.”
Fuck, Finn was exactly what he said, but he could give Matty what he needed for one night without making any promises.
“I’ll take care of him for tonight,” he promised. “No promises after that.”
Mickie nodded. “As long as he knows that.” Then he bounced back to his Daddy and Finn saw them put their heads together as Mickie relayed the conversation.
Finn turned away from them, more interested in his boy, but his seat was empty. Damn, where had di Salvo gone? Had he left already? Finn scanned all the Daddies, cursing as he thought one of them might have approached his boy. But di Salvo wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
There was only one other place he could be. Finn crossed his fingers that di Salvo hadn’t taken off and headed to the rest room. He pushed open the door to hear light giggles.
