Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Call Salvatore, I need him here. Double security. No one comes on the property without signing in and out.”
“Is that necessary?” Carleen says, looking up at me worriedly.
I bend and kiss her lips, then my son’s forehead. “We won’t find out. I’m not taking any risks.”
Chapter 46
Retaliation
Frances
I walk into Sylvia’s home to the sound of wailing. I rub at my temples, knowing I’m about to be pissed off. As soon as I see my father in the living room, holding Sylvia’s sister, my blood pressure goes through the roof.
“What’s going on?” I ask Sylvia as she rushes into my arms.
“It’s Mikey. Someone sent Theresa a picture of his bloody body. Who would do something like this?”
“And we still haven’t heard from Franky,” Theresa sobs.
My father looks over her head at me. I want to pick something up and throw it. Mikey is Sylvia’s nephew. Peter’s older brother. This is the last thing I need. I work my jaw as I glare at my father.
“Can we talk outside?” I seethe.
He nods and stands. This will be another situation that will cost me one way or another. I hate this shit. I swear to God, I wish I had gone to pick Ava up from the airport myself. Sending Luca in my place is my biggest regret in life.
It’s like this whole thing has made my father worse in his quest to reestablish his family’s name. I’m paying for my father’s father’s sins as well as mine.
I step into the backyard and close the door behind us. When I spin on my father to give him a piece of my mind, he’s already in my face.
“I want them all dead. I don’t give a shit who you think is a friend or how you feel about any of them. Dario, Dante, Gio especially and if I have to kill him too, Lucas can be the first.”
“Are you forgetting something?” I hiss.
“Ah, who gives a shit?”
“You should. You know good and damn well there were several reasons Giuseppe didn’t have Lucas murdered in the street. I wouldn’t touch his grandsons and I damn sure wouldn’t touch Lucas. You’re lucky to be alive after your stunt with Ava.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it. No one can prove I did a thing to her. I was so far removed from that hit, you would have had to be in the room when I set it in motion to prove I was involved,” he snarls.
“Do whatever you want but keep my sons out of it. And so help me God, if I don’t find Franky or Theresa loses another son because of you, I’m going to lead Gio right to your door.”
He moves to get closer. So close our noses touch. “Are you threatening me?”
“I don’t think I have to. Ava’s boys are going to settle things with you.”
He grabs the back of my neck. “Those should have been your boys. Your blood and hers. Not some—”
“Frances?”
I snatch away from my father and turn to Sylvia. Her face is covered in worry. I pull a hand down my face. I’m betting those pictures were a warning. We will never find Mikey’s body. Now, I have to explain this and deal with the fallout.
“I don’t care. Yes, he’s at that fundraiser. Make it happen,” my father snarls into the phone.
“You’re making a mistake. You’re not going to like the response.”
“There will be no response.”
“Find Franky and keep my sons out of this,” I snarl.
“You can unclench your ass cheeks and dry your pussy. I went outside for this.”
With that, he storms away.
“Fuck,” I roar.
Gio
“We got the call,” the asshole on the other line says.
Arty and his guys are a low-level crew. They have been running for Gustloff for the last past year. They’re a loose end I need to tie off. I knew Riccardo would use them to retaliate for Frances’s goomar’s nephew.
I’ve just been waiting. Again, two birds with one stone. I’m never wasteful with my moves. You don’t run the board with singular focus.
“Do the job, but make sure no one is hit. Your payment will arrive at your warehouse tonight once it’s done. There’s no room for error, so don’t make any,” I reply and hang up.
“Want me to handle this?” Jace asks.
“No, send Ming. You come with me and make sure Dante is safe. Give Mitch a heads-up that something is off so he’s alert. Let it play out from there.”
Chapter 47
Drama back Home
Carleen
It’s been two weeks since our little stink was born. I love my son so much. I didn’t know I could love anyone this much. This little boy has my whole heart. I love Dario even more for giving him to me.
It’s only been two weeks and I’m wrapped around his tiny little finger. He’s so alert for a newborn. Like now, I’m breastfeeding him and he’s looking up at me as I talk to him.