Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Lucien glanced around the room, and everyone gave him their attention. “We’re going on the offensive tonight.”
Carlo made a strangled noise. “Tonight?”
“Would you prefer we let Massimo Pisano continue to invade our city. Would you like to wait until they come after you?”
He shook his head. “No, sir. I just—”
“We’re making the first move, and we’re making it tonight.”
I laid a hand on Carlo’s thigh, and Angelo gave me a smirk. I raised my brows, offering him a challenge, but he just smiled.
I didn’t look toward Carlo’s brothers. I didn’t want to know their reaction to our closeness.
Lucien continued. “We know they are gathering at a private air strip where Luca is landing tonight.”
I felt Carlo tense. That was the man who thought Carlo was blackmailing him.
“He’s coming here himself?”
“Yes, and Massimo is here already. They aren’t taking this lightly. You’ve caused quite a lot of trouble for us. We’ll have to see what you can do to repay that once this is resolved.”
I wanted to jump up and tell them Carlo hadn’t done a fucking thing, that his mother and brother were responsible, but he was too kind to expose them. It took all my strength to stay silent. It was Carlo’s story to tell, but if Lucien tried to punish him, I would find a way to get the story out and take some revenge of my own.
I was startled by my thoughts. They felt like the old me, the one who hadn’t yet been broken.
“Obviously, Massimo and Luca will be well guarded, so we’ll start on the periphery, taking out the men they’ll have posted to watch the road, then moving in until there are so few left they are forced to negotiate.”
“And then?” Carlo’s older brother asked.
“And then we will give them the chance to retreat. I’d prefer not to start an all-out war over this idiocy.”
Carlo tensed again. I glanced at him, willing him to tell Lucien the truth, but he pressed his lips together and stared straight ahead.
“What if they refuse to walk away?” Fox asked.
“Then they will be dealt with, and we’ll have to accept the fall out. I will not turn Carlo over to them.”
“Is that what they want?” Carlo asked.
Lucien nodded. “Massimo told me if I give you to them, they’ll leave Boston and consider my debt to them repaid.”
“But you don’t have a debt to them,” Fox said.
“They believe I do because I’m harboring Carlo.”
“You didn’t even consider it?” Matteo asked.
Lucien turned a fiery gaze on him, but Sabrina spoke before he had a chance. “Carlo is family. If I abandoned every family member who made a stupid choice, I wouldn’t have anyone left to run this business.”
Devil snorted. “That’s for sure.”
Angelo punched his shoulder, obviously telling him to shut up.
Lucien ignored them both.
“If we’re done with the complaints and second-guessing my decisions, we need to work out the details of the operation.” No one said anything. “That’s better.”
Devil pressed a button that opened the cabinet behind him, exposing a large screen. Lucien brought up a map of the area around the airstrip, and we began to plan our approach.
When we all knew our roles, Lucien called for Lola. “Would you show Fox and Carlo to their rooms and see that a room is ready for Blade as well.”
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary,” Carlo said. “Blade will be staying with me.”
Lola looked to Lucien for confirmation. He held my gaze, assessing me for a moment. “X trusts you, so I will too. Don’t give me a reason not to.”
“I would die for Carlo.”
Carlo sucked in his breath and looked at me. I had to take his arm to steer him out of the room behind Lola.
Our room was as beautifully designed as the rest of the house, simple but elegant with white and dark-green decor. I’d never thought a lot about decorating a home. I’d always gone for serviceable in the rare instances when I’d actually had a choice, but this house made me think I might one day want a room that had some character, especially if I was sharing it with Carlo.
I glanced over as Carlo slung his bag onto the bed, and right then, I knew I wanted to fight for more than his safety. I wanted to fight for him. I wanted to love him, and to do that, I needed him to know exactly what he was dealing with. That meant telling the story I hadn’t told anyone. Grant knew pieces of it and so did Fox, but I hadn’t been able to speak about what happened. The words had felt trapped inside me. Now I thought they might finally be ready to come out.
32
CARLO
“Carlo?”
I turned. Blade sounded upset. “What’s wrong?”
“I want to tell you something.”
My stomach flip-flopped. He wasn’t changing his mind, was he? Not when he’d come all the way here.