Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“The plan is to take down Giuseppe and the men he brought with him. If you want to spare their lives and let them decide where their loyalties lie, then by all means. . .” I shrugged. “I just want him.”
“I can’t believe he hit her,” Dom said quietly. “And Aanya? Fuck, Nora must be distraught.”
“She is.”
Dom’s eyes snapped up. “You saw her?”
“I just came from the spa,” I said. “And distraught is the perfect word to describe her right now.”
“I’m worried about the people attending the wedding who aren’t part of this,” Loren said. “Will they be in the line of fire?”
“No. I think we should keep what happens inside the church the same. O’Conner’s people can take down the guys outside, while we work inside.”
“It would serve as a good distraction,” Gio said. “And Giuseppe would never see it coming since his war with them ended.”
“Their war,” I said. “Our fathers wanted them gone too.”
“Right,” Loren said. “Which is the reason I worry they’ll turn on us.”
“They won’t,” Dean said.
“And if they do, you fucking shoot them,” I said, irritated. “Do we know where Sofia is?”
“I thought about her as soon as you told me about Aanya. If my dad wants to hit Lenora where it hurts, he’ll strike there,” Dom said. “As far as I know, she’s safe. If we can get some of O’Conner’s people, we can have Mattia watch her.”
“Send Tony. Mattia’s still a little green,” I said. “He’s still learning.”
Gio took a deep breath. “Fuck it. I vote yes on the Irish invasion.”
“I vote yes,” Dean said.
Lorenzo looked at the two of them and shook his head. “Fine. If shit goes sideways, though. . .”
“We’ll kill them all.” I smiled as I looked through my contact list until I found his number.
“Marchetti,” Harry said as he answered. “Are you calling to offer me a free year in your new lounge?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
“Uh-oh.” He chuckled. “I heard my little brother helped you out today.”
“He’s a good kid,” I said. “Brave. That’s rare these days.”
“Tell me about it.” He sighed. “So, what can I do for you?”
“I’m going to put you on speakerphone,” I said.
“Ah, the whole gang is there, then?” He asked. “Must be important if you’re calling me.”
I put him on speaker phone, shot Lorenzo a look that I hoped he understood as “SHUT THE FUCK UP AND DON’T INTERRUPT,” and told Harry the plan. He listened quietly, only interrupting to ask what church, how many people, and what we would do about the women, children, and innocent bystanders. When I finished talking, I took a deep breath and waited.
“God damn,” he breathed. “Giuseppe fucking De Luca.”
“Yep.”
“Dominic,” he said, “Is Dominic there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“You gonna be okay popping your dad?”
“Well, Harry, I just found out he had my mother murdered, so I think the world will make do without him.”
“Fuck.” Harry was quiet for a moment. “We’ll need to meet beforehand to coordinate. We can’t go in there blind.”
“I agree.”
“Russo, how do you feel about it?” Harry asked.
“I think it’s solid.”
“The important question is, what do you think?” I asked, staring at the screen.
“I think I want to be on the right side of history,” he said. “Let’s take the fucker down.”
36
LENORA
“Where’s Mom?” I asked my father as he walked into the suite.
There were five glam people here doing hair and makeup and one seamstress doing last-minute things to the dress. I was standing in front of the mirror, hair and makeup done, thinking about how wonderful it would be if I were getting ready for my wedding with Rocco. For that to happen, my father would have had to be a different man, flawed as he was. Before the other night, he’d never treated me poorly. Now, all I could do was replay every memory. I tried to picture his face in them, looking for a sign that he was just trying to gain my trust, so that when it came time to break it, I’d roll over and accept it.
“Your mother will be late,” he said, eyeing me in the mirror once before turning around.
“Late where? Here or to the church?” I stared at his back and watched him stop walking and cock his head.
“She’ll meet us at the reception afterward.”
“She’s not going to watch me get married?” I turned around so quickly that the seamstress fell on her ass.
“She’s busy right now.” He turned to look at me.
I glared at him. “That’s bullshit. Mom would never miss this. Where is she? What have you done?” With each question, my heart grew heavier.
“Why would you ask such a thing?” he frowned as if my words hurt him. He walked up to me until he was right in my face. The seamstress scrambled to her feet. “Do you think I would hurt your mother?”