Chapter 56. Lucas

Just like Carlos sat and watched, so did every other member of the New York Underworld. Gang leaders, dr*g lords, mobsters—all the people with power in the shadows—sat and watched.

The Midnight Gala was coming up in a few months, and until then, everyone watched this little power dance play out while they gathered cash and influence they hoped would help them bag the painting. Even those who had no intention of putting so much thought and work into making the painting spit out its secrets were willing to buy it so they could resell it. For this reason, they kept to themselves and watched their own backs.

Carlos kept his head down too for the time being. He had McCarthy under such intense surveillance that the man would probably break out in permanent goosebumps if he knew.

He had found out, among multiple bits of information, that the man had picked up an interest in a sexy Latina in the past few weeks and that he had had a runny stomach after a dinner he and his w