Nobody spoke as we drove. I could feel the tension in the car. The guard and the driver knew we were headed to danger, and violence was likely. There was a good chance some of them might never come back from this place, and I wondered how these men put themselves in these situations, again and again, risking their lives. Money wasn’t enough and never would be. It had to be more—adrenaline, excitement, something.
I couldn’t quite understand the mind of a killer and a warrior, but I was glad they existed.
Nervosa took a few calls as we headed further away from the flames. He barked more orders, gathering his troops for a fight, and I began to wonder if staying behind would’ve been a better idea. He glanced at me, the unease and worry in his eyes enough to make me wish I’d changed my mind, but I wouldn’t let my fear keep me behind.
So much of my life had been dictated to me by others from behind closed doors. Decisions were made and I was forced to drift along with them, unable to alter the course of my life in any meaningful way. It was easy, but it was also stifling—and now I had some agency. I could make choices for my future, and those choices had real consequences.
I couldn’t turn my back on that power now. Going back to the old ways would be the same as giving up and dying. If I wanted to be with a man like Nervosa, and if I wanted to enjoy all the pleasures and gifts he could give me, I needed to be a fully formed person, all on my own.
I had to step up.
The Rover slowed as it approached a rundown white and steel building at the edge of a nice, quiet suburban area close to the reservoir and the highway to the west. It looked like this place had been built back before the area had been developed then left to rot for years, even though the land was probably worth a fortune. Weeds grew in the gravel lot and trees pressed in close all around. Nervosa looked uncomfortable until more Range Rovers pulled up, along with several SUVs.
He pushed open the door and stepped out, but held up a hand before I could follow.
“Stay here.”
“Nervosa—”
“For ten minutes. Stay here for ten minutes. When it’s time, Palmira will bring you inside. Can you do that?”
I clenched my jaw, but nodded. “I can do it.”
“If you follow, you’re going to see things. Violent, bloody things. I don’t want you to expose yourself to this trauma if you don’t have to, but I understand why you feel like you must. Will you reconsider?”
“No,” I said, meeting his eyes.
He nodded, leaned forward, and kissed me. I touched his face.
“Ten minutes,” he said.
“Good luck.” I touched his cheek.
He shut the door and joined his men. The bearded guard up front stepped out into the sunlight, and I was left in the backseat, alone and scared, but ready.
Chapter 24
Nervosa
“Plan’s simple,” I said standing next to a long cut in the fence. “We break down the door up there, storm the place, kill everyone, and find Silvano.”
Erin rolled her eyes. “Very well thought out.”
“Do you have a better idea?”
“I’d like to do some recon,” she said, gesturing around them. “The trees could hide almost anything. Silvano might have an army nearby and we wouldn’t know it.”
“We don’t have time,” I said, looking to Redmond for help. “You said Cedric’s phone is inside, right? That you got a ping? They likely have him in there, and if we don’t hurry, he might not come out in one piece.”
Redmond grunted. “I suppose I should care, given he’s my uncle.”
“Care or not, we need to be smart,” Erin said.
“We storm the place,” Redmond said, nodding to me. “You take that door. I’ll bring my men through there.” He indicated a loading bay on the south side. “We breach at the same time. Six minutes, exactly.”
“Sounds good. Load up.” I walked off to join my soldiers. I heard Erin and Redmond argue briefly, but I didn’t pay them much mind. I got my men prepared and we rolled out, running along the fence until we reached a spot directly across from our target. One of my larger men cut a hole in the chain link, and I held it open as my men swarmed inside. I had twelve and Redmond had eight, and I hoped that would be enough.
I followed, sprinting across the open ground. I kept waiting for the crack of gunfire or the puff of dirt as a bullet bit into the ground. Nothing happened. I reached the building, pressed against the wall, and signaled for a soldier to breach.
They worked like trained professionals. I paid them handsomely and made sure they had all the support and gear they needed. Half of them were mafia-types that I’d hand-picked from the families to serve in my personal army, and the other half were former special forces guys looking to keep the glory days alive.