“Oh, right, no, we don’t want anyone to know that we’re really here. Better to send Flavio, anything you want.”
“Okay.”
I bring over three rock glasses of scotch, neat, and set them on the dining room table. Then I look up restaurants on my phone to see what kind of sandwiches we can get. I put together a list on my phone so I can text it and my stomach starts to rumble.
“Yeah, it’s inevitable, the only question is what time he’ll be here.” It’s a statement, not a question as Riccardo takes a sip of his drink.
“Our sources say he’s en route, so that should be about sundown. We need to get food and then lay low. We have lookouts at the inbound roads and the perimeter of the hotel,” Dante adds.
Flavio nods. “Good, gotcha. I got our best men on it, just like you wanted, boss.”
“Thanks.” Dante claps him on the back, something I’ve never seen him do before.
I text Flavio the food order without bothering to order wine as well. I’ve already checked the fully stocked built-in wine cabinet and figure we’re good to go there. Of course, I can’t get tipsy, I still need to be able to function.
“Do I have a part in all this?”
“I got it covered.” Dante picks up his drink and takes a long swig of the liquor. I consider it like I would drinking kerosene, but he seems to like it. All the men do.
He sets his glass down. “I think we’re ready.”
“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Riccardo reiterates as he drinks more scotch before rolling up the blueprints.
Flavio heads out to get the food, returning half an hour later. We sit in uneasy silence, like we’re at a party together but nobody knows each other.
I get an uneasy feeling and I wonder if everyone will make it through the night. It’s apparent that something huge is going down, but I have no idea what.
Maybe it’s better I don’t know.
27
Dante
The evening is setting in, but there’s still a glow of light on the horizon. If Conti doesn’t arrive soon, we’ll have to deal with him and his entourage in the dark, and I don’t want that.
Conti takes entitlement to the next level. I never want to be that way and I’m glad Juliet didn’t inherit those traits from him. I’m happy her mom sacrificed everything to keep her safe—yet here I come, barreling in to right an old wrong. I may fuck it all up for both of them, though I hope not.
“Thanks for the food, babe.” I give Juliet a small smile that comes up more on one side than the other to create a wink, of sorts. It’s my typical lady killer look for when I really want to get lucky. I’m going to need all my luck tonight.
Even with all the drama going on, we’ve kept our wits about us, and I hope things are resolved tonight and I’m able to protect everyone.
My brothers are in safehouses as I guessed Conti would make multiple strikes. When Riccardo hears through his mic that Conti’s getting closer, I walk to my room and suit up in tactical wear, returning with a thin vest.
“Hey, babe,” I say as I pull Juliet into my broad chest, “I want you to wear this.” She slips her arms into the garment. “Just wear it, no questions, please.” I give her another jacket to put over it that’s light and looks like a workout jogger jacket.
“Dante, what is all this? What are you doing?”
“Keeping you safe.”
Riccardo and Flavio get another update and it’s time to play our game.
“Come on, babe. We’re going to the rooftop.”
“What rooftop?”
“You’ll see,” I say with a smile as I pick up a bag of gear and we head up just as night falls.
I know she’s curious as to what’s in the bag. It’s my end of the world bag.