Craving the Mafia Prince

Chapter Eight | Divided Loyalties

"Conrad." The door to my office opened with a creak as Nate invited himself in. The familiar sound of the hinges gave me a moment's warning before his voice followed, a mix of exasperation and resignation.

"Conrad? Has it been a year already? Last time I checked, you still had a month to go," I reminded him, leaning back in my chair. I couldn't resist smirking as I recalled our bet—a foolish wager on his part, really. After losing to me in a boxing match, Nate had to call me "Prince" for a year. It was a lighthearted challenge, born from our competitive nature and perhaps a few too many drinks.

I raised an eyebrow at him, expecting the usual banter. My pen clinked softly as I placed it on the desk that had claimed my attention moments before. But Nate didn't reciprocate the playfulness. Instead, he stood there, a furrow forming between his brows and phone in his hand.

"Devin's gone." I immediately sobered up when I heard my old friend's name, stretching out my arm for the phone. The door clicked as Nate closed it and hastily slipped the device into my palm.

"Speak."

"He's gone Conrad," I recognized Wade's voice immediately, the Circle's advisor, the most trusted man in the syndicate. My hand clenched into fist and I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

"When?"

"Yesterday. He had a fight with Paige. She almost killed him. It was a big one, for real this time." I sighed, rubbing my temples and slowly rocking in my chair. Why would he disappear in the middle of a gang war? Something wasn't adding up.

"I'll talk to her."

"Good luck with that. But I don't think it's going to help." Wade groans in frustration. "Anyways, you do know you need to fill in for him right?"

The weight of Wade's words settled heavily on my shoulders. Devin, our leader and the glue that held our syndicate together, had vanished at the worst possible time. With rival clans circling like vultures, this was the last thing we needed. Without him, we were vulnerable.

"I don't need to be reminded." My voice colder than I had intended it to be.

"Alright then. Be safe." I heard a click as I handed the phone back to Nate. My finger tapped on the wooden desk as I considered my options. I needed to salvage the situation somehow and fast. It wouldn't be long until our foes get wind of this information.

"Call for a meeting. I want to meet the boys before the party."

"Roger," As Nate turned to leave, I caught his arm.

"And Nate... find Paige. I need to talk to her personally."

He gave a curt nod and left, the door closing behind him with a decisive click. I stared at the empty chair across from me, the enormity of the situation settling in. Devin's disappearance was more than just a personal crisis; it was a threat to everything we'd built.