Lucifer's Landing #1
Lucifer’s Landing is full of unscrupulous people: five families desperate to own every inch. For years, under the watchful and most powerful eye, there has been peace. With the murder of the most powerful man, it’s as if the gates of Hell have opened.
Dante Scavo is trying to fill his father’s shoes, find the person responsible for killing him, and stop Lucifer’s Landing from becoming a war zone. He has to focus, find out who the traitor among his ranks is, and end them. The last thing he needs is a distraction, but when he meets Rainn, one look, one touch, takes his breath away.
Rainn Blessings is no stranger to strong and powerful men. His life is about survival and getting to a place where he finds his peace, though sometimes that means being the fantasy of others. Working as a high-class escort he’s seen a lot…done a lot…and not much surprises him. Then Dante walks into The Magic Mirror and turns his world upside down.
With an unlikely ally, Rainn and Dante try to survive the storm, but no one is bulletproof or untouchable in the game of violent delights. Getting out unscathed is impossible; the question is: will they get out alive?
***Please see start of book for trigger warning
Now, on to War of the Wicked.
HOLY HANNAH BATMAN!!!! Once again Davidson King delivered!
I have to be honest, mafia, especially contemporary mob stories, have never been my genre of choice. I love learning about the heyday of the mafia, i.e. the 1920s and prohibition but as the mob evolved into more contemporary ages I become less interested. Well, fictional mob tales are the same usually. That's not to say I don't enjoy them I just don't seek them out. Davidson King is such a dynamo in the field of storytelling I can't help but read her take on the violent world of mafia. If you read the author regularly it's hard to imagine she could possibly get any darker but personally I think Wicked is just that, her darkest yet.
There are so many amazing factors in Lucifer's Landing that I won't touch on so I don't spoil anything. I do want to touch on one of the elements that stood out for me(beyond the chemistry between Dante and Rainn as well as a few others I highly expect to see get their own journey): sex workers. Of course there is the negative side of the occupation but amongst most of the characters, the author does not shame the sex workers(except where it's meant to create division and discord). Is it an occupation they chose to be in? Of course not. But they know it's a job that keeps them alive and frankly King gives them respect for surviving and doing what they have to to do so and that is rarely seen in fiction or reality.
As for Dante and Rainn. There's just something about an alpha male with a heart who can be tender and dangerous at the flip of a switch and at times even all at once. Dante Scavo is definitely dangerous and that can mean he does things that scare people away or attract those with a violence fetish so when he meets Rainn I think he's a little . . . well, gobsmacked at his presence. Dante's desire to possess, protect, and provide creates problems(or potential for problems) with those around him. However, Rainn is not your typical character and he doesn't freak out easily, he may not be an alpha male but he's no pushover and he isn't afraid to speak up(even though there are a few times he maybe should've been😉). Why does the duo work? So many reasons and frankly every reason would be a spoiler and I feel I've given away too much already so that's it for particulars.
So to wrap it up shorter: War of the Wicked is wicked good! Violent, dark, heart-filled, sexy, humor, friendship, family, love - it's all there. Davidson King has once again brought her special brand of storytelling to life and I am already on tenderhooks waiting for the next trip to Lucifer's Landing.
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CHAPTER ONE
Dante Scavo
The weather emulated the mood of the day. As I stood in Saint Michael’s Cemetery, watching my father’s casket being lowered into the earth, my heart ached and the falling raindrops from the dark sky hammered home the overall feeling.
My father, Vito Scavo, wasn’t supposed to die yet. Of course, when I’d say that to his face, he’d smile in that mischievous way and tell me, “Dante, we are the most powerful crime family in Lucifer’s Landing. Four other families try to tear us down daily. Long lives aren’t common in our business.” And while I’d agree to his face, I’d challenge that theory daily.
Those four families had a presence today, and as I scanned their faces, I saw so many expressions. Sadness from my mother, brother, and the entire Scavo family. I couldn’t linger on them because while they were lambs in this equation, the wolves were foaming at the mouth, ready to attack.
Cillian McLoughlin stood across from me, his green eyes glued to the sinking casket. He had enforcers on each side of him, and they watched every move my family made. The Irish were lethal and precise. They never hid their hatred or disdain for my family, and I respected that to a certain degree. We had what my father would call a tentative truce. We both lived very close to each other, and a war on the streets would hurt more than help us. But a truce wasn’t reason enough to turn my back on them.
To my left, Joseph Etienne didn’t hide his happiness at my father’s death. The Haitians were attacking our ports and warehouses daily and likely saw my father’s death as a weakness in our armor when it was anything but. Joseph was younger than most—his father was killed by his own people ten years ago, and with no one else to take his place, seventeen-year-old Joseph took over. He built the Etienne empire into a lucrative and vicious family, one I watched very carefully.
Behind the McLoughlins were the Japanese, the Ikeda family. They were the hardest family to get a bead on. They held their traditions and honors to high standards I was admittedly in awe of. Ren Ikeda, the head of the family, used to be my best friend when we were growing up. It was Ren who made me realize I was gay. I never told him or my father that, but I think Ren knew. We were carefree when we were younger, but the battle between our families pushed us apart. Now, he barely made eye contact with me. The Ikedas were dangerous and also brilliant. Ren never attacked my family; his weapon of choice was words. And he would sooner decimate others financially rather than bloodily.
Then there was the Konstantinos family. Standing to my right, they scowled at my father’s casket, Elias Konstantinos glaring at me whenever I looked his way. I knew he wanted everything the Scavos had and often knocked on the front door to get it. His numbers weren’t close to being equal to that of my family, but he got bigger every day, and I had little doubt he was waiting for the perfect moment to attack. Helen Konstantinos, Elias’s sister, was deeply in love with my brother, Giovanni. While Gio had slept with her many times, he always swore it meant nothing more than a fuck for him. He was one that wouldn’t be held down by anyone. Helen would oftentimes beg her brother to work with our family—for selfish reasons, clearly—thinking that would make Giovanni love her. She was an idiot.
“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” Father Benni said, and a collective, “Amen,” was spoken by everyone.
“How you holding up, son?” My uncle, Dominic, gave me a solemn smile. He was a year younger than my father, and while he’d never expressed much interest in running the Scavo family, I wondered if he’d fight me for the seat.
“I’m fine.” There was no way I’d show anyone the emotions churning inside my head and heart. Any inkling I was affected by this would be seen as a chance to strike. For my mother’s sake, I didn’t want a war to erupt. She needed to mourn.
“You say that, but the loss of a father is—”
“Inevitable, Uncle. You know that’s what my father would say. No use in thinking otherwise.”
He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing me. “You are so much like him. You’re the spitting image of him with your dark hair, darker eyes, and your smile…damn, it’s eerie.” He chuckled. “But he’s six feet under right now. I don’t want you joining him any time soon.”
I darted my gaze back to him after I scanned the room. “You speak as if his car accident wasn’t an accident.”
Dominic shrugged. “Too often most things aren’t, Dante. Watch yourself.” With a pat on my shoulder, he was gone, mingling with others, drinking and eating. Stories of my father swirled around the room, and I could feel the pressure forming behind my eyes.
I excused myself and went to the restroom. We were having the repast at my father’s favorite Italian restaurant—no way was I letting these people into our home. I entered the restroom and moved to a stall; there I sat and tried to calm down.
Of course, the thought of my father’s death being intentional had crossed my mind. But multiple reports showed he slid on a patch of ice and hit the guard rail. He wasn’t supposed to be on the road by himself, but too often, he felt the need to just take a drive. I hated that Uncle Dominic had made me wonder again.
“Dante?” Giovanni’s voice echoed in the restroom.
“In here, be out in a sec.” I flushed the toilet even though I hadn’t gone, took a deep breath, and exited the stall.
“You have that look in your eyes,” he said as I washed my hands.
“What look might that be, brother?”
“That you want to murder someone look.” He chuckled and met my gaze in the mirror. “What’s up?”
I sighed, shut the water off, and took the cloth Giovanni offered to dry my hands. “I keep thinking maybe Dad’s death wasn’t an accident.”
Gio didn’t laugh. Hell, he didn’t react at all, just stared at me.
“And what, currently, is making you think this?”
Since it was just the two of us, I figured it was safe to discuss it. “Uncle Dom, he kind of led me to think it wasn’t. Then he said to watch my back.”
This time Gio did chuckle. “Watching your back is our family motto, brother. But, okay, let’s examine the facts.” Gio leaned against the sink, and I mirrored him. “The police reports, and our guys, found nothing suspicious. Said it was ice. Multiple witnesses even said the same thing. They saw his car slide and slam into the barrier.”
I knew he was right, and Giovanni wasn’t one to lie to me. I trusted him more than anyone. But… “I know, Gio. Something’s just bothering me about it.”
He gave me a curt nod and pushed off the sink. “Okay, your gut is rarely wrong. We can have someone else look into it.”
“Who?” I had no idea. Our guy had scrutinized all the reports and the car after the police completed their investigation. Who could we trust more than our own family?
“I know this may come as a shock to you, Dante, but I have this friend who might know someone.”
I chuckled. “How much do you trust this friend of yours?”
“Next to you, more than anyone.”
That was good enough for me. “Okay, contact him tomorrow. Maybe I’ll feel better after I hear it from someone else.”
We left the restroom and went over to the bar area. Many people came over to us and gave us their condolences. It was such a tedious affair. How many times can you hear, “Sorry for your loss,” before you want to scream? I took to simply nodding at people and drinking my bourbon.
Gio went over to our mother, who was sitting at a table surrounded by her sisters, cousins, and other wives. She was barely touching her food, and Giovanni wanted to make sure she was okay. Which left me dealing with the monotonous task of thanking everyone for their well wishes.
“Dante, the families want to talk to you,” Edward Carson, the Scavo family’s consigliere, said as he came up beside me.
“Ed, I’m not doing this at my father’s funeral, and the fact that they’re asking at all right now is a sign of complete disrespect.” I placed my empty tumbler on the bar and glared at Edward. “I hope you explained that.”
Ed was my father’s age, and his hair had equal amounts of blond and gray. His cornflower-blue eyes and gold-rimmed glasses often made me think of him as a professor. He and my father knew each other from their days as altar boys at Saint Michael’s, and because my father trusted him, he’d keep his place in our family.
“You know I did. Don’t insult me.”
I nodded and accepted the drink from the server. “One week. I have shit I need to handle; then we can sit down and talk.”
Edward sighed. “You know they will either want to solidify promises your father made or change the terms.”
There was no question that was it. Though I truly felt like the Konstantinos longed to make a play for my territories. Fat fucking chance of that happening.
“We meet on neutral territory, Ed.”
He agreed. “Listen, Dante.” Edward scanned the room and spoke low. “There’s not likely to be anyone to challenge you for your father’s seat. But I gotta ask about Dominic.”
I had the same question running through my head, and I pinched the bridge of my nose to release some of the pressure. “He hasn’t mentioned anything to me about it, Ed. But I’ve wondered.”
He nodded. “All right. We need to see where he stands in all this. Last thing we need is to be dealing with the four families and an internal war on top of it.”
He made his leave, and I swallowed my drink in one gulp. I just wanted to go home and nurse this headache. When I looked over at the table where my mom and Giovanni sat, laughing at something my aunt Carmelina said, I decided to gravitate their way and allow myself to just be with my family and wait out the rest of this day with them.
If there was going to be a war, I’d be ready, and any who stood in my way would pay.
CHAPTER TWO
Rainn Blessings
“Damn, that feels good, boy.” The man…or as many in the outside world called him, Judge Harper, gripped my hair and held my head in place as he fucked my mouth. His dick wasn’t huge, so taking it was easy for me. I let him use me, call me names, whatever he wanted because when it was done, I’d get one hell of a tip.
“Take all of Daddy, you little slut. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I’m gonna come. You swallow all of Daddy’s juice, you hear me?” He released the grip on my hair but cupped my head like a vise, ramming his cock hard and fast until his salty, bitter come filled my mouth. I swallowed quickly, not letting even a drop slip free. That was two hundred right there, I was sure.
“Uhhh, fuck.” Judge Harper’s hands slid from my face, and his dick softened. “Lick me clean, boy, and tuck me back in.” Such a charmer.
“Yes, Daddy,” I crooned.
The tinkering of chimes went off a minute later, indicating his time was up. The door opened, and a huge guy stepped in, dressed all in black. He looked more Secret Service than anything else, but he never spoke. Judge Harper stood, handed me about three hundred as a tip, and walked out.
“You have an hour to clean up,” Gage said. He was scary to some, but not to me. He was a teddy bear at heart and stood by the door of whatever room I was in, ready to get involved if I safe-worded, hit one of the many emergency buttons around the room, or anything, really.
“An hour?” I didn’t think I had another appointment tonight.
“Boss is coming by.” Gage smirked when I gasped. The boss, Dante Scavo? I’d never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but I’d seen him. Everyone had. He was the biggest of the big in Lucifer’s Landing.
“I only get an hour?” I got up and ran across the room to the en suite, buck naked. Nothing Gage hadn’t seen before.
“Chill out, Rainn. He’s not here picking a life partner.” Gage chuckled when I stuck my head out and glared at him.
“You never know! The man is, like, hotter than hot.” I ran over to my closet and grabbed the dark-blue suit one of my clients had given me when he needed me to be his date for a charity event. It fit me like a glove and made my blue eyes pop.
“No, I do know. He just buried his father a week ago, Rainn. He’s likely battling to take over as head of the family. He’s gotta check out all the Scavo businesses. His thoughts aren’t going to be in the sex game.”
Even though I was still determined to look my best, I deflated slightly. He might not even notice me tonight.
“Whatever, a boy can dream.” I shrugged. Suit in hand, I went back into the bathroom. “I gotta shower and get pretty. Shoo, I’ll meet you downstairs in forty-five minutes.”
He nodded. “Don’t be late. Boss doesn’t like that.”
I washed every part of my body. Yeah, I knew the likelihood of Dante Scavo even noticing me was slim, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
Two years ago, I had been begging for scraps on the street. I was so cold one night, I offered this guy a blowjob if he’d let me just sleep in his car. He agreed easily, I blew him, and then he kicked the shit out of me. When I woke up, I was in the hospital, and Gage was sitting next to me. Apparently, he’d found me bleeding in the alley of one of the restaurants the family he worked for owned. Vito Scavo had told Gage to take care of me and to find out who’d hurt me.
A week later, I overheard some people talking about the guy who’d done that to me being caught in the net of some fishermen. Gage informed me that he’d spoken to his boss, and he offered me a job. Basically, I was a high-class whore. But I was never hungry, always warm, never beaten, and had almost saved up enough money to get myself my own place to not have to live in the mansion anymore.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a gorgeous house. But it could get loud, and there were a lot of parties. I was taking night classes, and studying wasn’t easy.
All cleaned up and smelling fabulous, I took one last glance in the mirror. “Looking good, Rainn.” I left the room and met Gage in the foyer. Everyone was standing in a line as if they were waiting for the president. I got it, though. This was big. Dante, Giovanni, or Vito (when he was alive) rarely came by. They had one of their capos, or whatever they called themselves, come in.
Currently, Anthony Scavo, a cousin of Dante’s, ran the Magic Mirror Mansion. Yeah, that was what the place was called. He was a decent guy. I knew he fucked the girls and was so glad he wasn’t gay because he wasn’t my type at all. Not that it would ever stop me from doing my job.
“Lookin’ good, Rainn.” Charlotte, one of the girls who worked there, winked. I liked her. She was sweet and never saw me as competition. She was a lesbian and entertained the female clients, and mine were strictly men.
“I said the same thing to my reflection a minute ago.” I laughed, and she joined in.
“Good evening, everyone,” Anthony greeted with a smile. “Dante will be here shortly. You’re all amazing, but be a little bit more amazing tonight. Only refer to him as Mr. Scavo, unless he asks you to call him something else. Please don’t hit on him. He just lost his father. He’s checking the place out and gathering some info. I’ve set up refreshments in the ballroom, and while he’s touring, I’ll ask you all to retreat there and mingle. Thank you all for looking wonderful.”
With that, the speech was finished, and I looked over at Charlotte. “Ten bucks says trampy Leslie breaks the rules and tries to hook up with Mr. Scavo.”
Charlotte giggled, and we both eyed Leslie as she pushed up her boobs and ran her fingers through her golden hair.
“Not taking that bet, because I’ll lose,” Charlotte whispered to me.
“It’s time, people.” Anthony spoke, and all eyes were on the front door as it opened.
Four well-dressed men walked in, and I knew they were there as protection for Dante. Two went to one side of the door, and the other two to the other. Then an older gentleman whom I didn’t recognize came in, followed by the man himself. Sex on a stick.
He was painfully gorgeous. His raven-colored hair was thick and wavy, and though I couldn’t feel it, I could tell it was silky and soft. He wore a dark suit that was well tailored, and the white shirt beneath made his tanned skin practically shine. And that skin was flawless. I’d swear he was perfectly symmetrical; I was sure if he wasn’t running the Scavo family, he’d be a sought-after model.
“Hello, everyone. My name is Edward Carson. I’m Mr. Scavo’s personal assistant. I know you’re all taking time out to greet him, and I thank you very much. Please, introduce yourselves, and we won’t keep you further.”
Personal assistant, my ass. I’d watched mob movies. He was totally a consigliere.
I was at the end of the line with Charlotte, so I watched as each person respectfully introduced themselves. Of course, when it came to Leslie, she was exactly how I knew she’d be.
“I’m Leslie, Mr. Scavo. So lovely to meet you, and if I may be so bold as to say, you’re hotter than on TV.” She giggled, but no, she wasn’t done yet. “I’d be happy to show you around the place, especially the bedrooms.” She winked, and I gagged.
“Leslie—” Anthony growled, but Dante held his hand up.
“It’s fine, Tony. Thank you, Leslie. That’s not necessary. Next.” He gestured to the next person, Paul, as if Leslie wasn’t even there. I wanted to high-five the man but settled on a low chuckle.
When I glanced up, I met Dante’s gaze…and was that a smirk on his lips? Had he heard me?
“And you are?” Dante queried. I’d missed everyone else’s introductions because I was gawking at him.
“Oh, I’m Rainn, Mr. Scavo.” I tipped my head like an idiot.
“Rainn? Interesting name.” He stepped toward me. “Is that really your name?”
I encountered this question often. “Yes. Even worse, my last name is Blessings.” That made Dante laugh—loudly—and, wow, it was a glorious sound.
“Rainn Blessings. Now that is a wild name.” He peered over his shoulder to Anthony. “Seriously, that’s his name?” Anthony nodded. Dante met my eyes once more. “I like it.” I wanted to tell him I liked his smile, but I didn’t want to piss off Anthony by flirting, so I just thanked him.
“Dante?” Edward got his attention. “Let’s take a walk-through, shall we?”
“Yes, sure. Nice to meet you, Rainn.”
I absolutely watched his ass as he walked away, and I didn’t feel even a little guilty about it.
“I think he liked you,” Charlotte whispered into my ear as we walked to the ballroom.
“Maybe. I know I would rim that ass for twelve straight hours if he let me.”
She laughed as we entered the ballroom. Food was laid out, buffet style, and tables were set. I was starving, so I went right up to the line, plate in hand.
“Leslie is shooting daggers at you,” Charlotte whispered as we filled our plates.
“I can feel her.” I chuckled. “She’s a non-threat to me. She can glare at me all she wants.” I looked up, met Leslie’s icy gaze, and smiled.
“You instigator!” Charlotte slapped my arm, and we walked over to a far table with our food. I didn’t hate the others here, but I didn’t bother getting to know them all that well. Charlotte was the exception.
Every one of these people would lie, cheat, and steal from me to get a piece of the pie, and I wasn’t a fool. I was a survivor. Thing was, I’d do the same to them. It was a dog-eat-dog world, and if you didn’t back up your bark with one hell of a bite, you’d be dinner.
Charlotte and I had just finished eating when Dante and his entourage entered the room. I wiped my mouth and asked Charlotte if I had anything in my teeth.
“No, you’re good. Me?”
“Also good.”
Dante was searching the room, focusing on every detail including the grand chandelier, the Victorian craftsmanship, the art that was worth more than I’d make in my lifetime or twelve, and even the hardwood floor. I couldn’t hear what he was saying to Anthony and Edward. He was pointing at something, and I followed his finger to the unused balcony area. No one ever went up there. Anthony said the flooring wasn’t the best, so a red curtain closed it off to viewing.
When I turned to Dante, he was staring at me, his lips curled in that mischievous way I liked. And then, as if I had willed it, he started walking over to me.
Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.
When she's not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.
If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she'd tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you're afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.
EMAIL: davidsonkingauthor@yahoo.com
War of the Wicked #1
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