“So you’re pinning this on me because I was trying to keep her safe?” Spinning on my heel, I meet his angry glare with one of my own. The air around us crackles with fury. It’s dripping off him and I know it’s my fault for doing this. I told her the truth about her father and mine, but I didn’t tell her the reason I had brought her here. She didn’t need to know, but I have a feeling she will find out soon enough.
When I found the document in my father’s safe, I thought it was a joke. That he had set it there as a test of my loyalty, but when I dug into the background of little Raina Lombardi, I found out the truth. She wasn’t just the daughter of my father’s best friend, but she is also the heir to his fortune. The same fortune her brother is stealing from her.
When I found out the truth behind Andrea Lombardi, I set a plan in motion to save her. To be her fucking knight in shining armor. And here I am, already failing. “Brother, we’ll find them. We know where they are.” Giovanni’s right. We do know where they’re being held. I just need to call in reinforcements and we’ll take that fucker down. We’ll rip him to shreds and slowly as I watch his life drain from his soulless green eyes, I’ll smile. Because I’ll be the victor.
“Get on the phone. I want everyone here. I’m done playing games with ourcugino,I need him to pay.” Cristiano has been the bane of my existence since we were children. The family we grew up in was filled with violence and secrets. There’s no reason for us to be friendly, but his actions have taken a toll.
With that, we set to work. Tonight, I’ll have more than a dozen of ourcosca, or clan, in the house. We’ll talk, plan, and we’ll pull out all the weapons needed. This house has many layers, and like an onion, I will peel them back until I find the truth hidden below. Until I find my woman.
There’s only one thing that matters right now and that’s saving Raina. I wanted her to be free of this life. When Lucio left his wish for me to protect her, I vowed to get her out of the organization, out of danger. But she’s been pulled into it, too deep, too far.
I gave her the job in my office and the contract to make sure it all looked legit. I didn’t plan on confessing to murdering her father, but now I’m faced with more than just a woman I wanted to fuck. A woman I wanted to claim as my submissive, my slave for six months.
I’m deeper into the agreement than I expected to be and I’ve given more than I thought I would. I’ve lost my heart and given her the one thing I swore I’d never do again. My love.
The thought jolts me into action, pulling up my email program. I type out a request to Carlos Silva, my Brazilian supplier. He’ll be able to deliver everything I need in the least amount of time. The man who’s taken my woman and her cousin is a snake. He slithers in and hides in plain sight. To take him down, I need to be as downright devious as him.
Hitting send, I glance up when Matteo strolls into the room. “They’ve got all three girls,” he informs me, tension rolling off him in waves, and I realize he cares for Adria. The dark-haired beauty has gotten under my brother’s cold exterior, and I nod in understanding. He’s never been one to talk about his feelings, and this is him being as open and honest about caring for her as he’ll ever be.
“We’ll get them back. I’ve just emailed Carlos and asked him for a shipment that needs to arrive tomorrow. The FBI will be notified as soon as it’s in Russo’s hands and we’ll take a step back. Dad taught us how to win, and I’m not going to lose this fucking war.”
He nods, slumping into the chair opposite my desk with his phone in hand.
“Teo.”
He glances up, and I can see the concern etched on his face.
“Trust me.”
“I do. She asked me if I’d ever want her exclusively. We’d been fucking for weeks now, and when she asked me that, I said no.” His words are filled with regret. Agony for not saying the right thing. I feel the same. My last conversation with Rai, I told her about her father. I didn’t divulge her brother’s nasty secret, but I told her the only reason she was here was for me to look out for her. Which was a lie.
I wonder if she saw it on my face. Saw the love and affection I hold for her. My phone ringing drags me from my concerns and I see Russo’s name on the screen. Sliding to answer, I put the phone to my ear. “What?”
“I guess you’ve heard,” he responds with a smirk. I can hear it in his tone. “Your girlfriend is quite a tasty treat. No wonder you’re so in love with her.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. My girlfriend was murdered, or do you not remember slitting her throat?” I bite out, trying to steer the conversation away from the one woman who now holds my heart.
“Oh, come on, Isabelle loved to be shared. I remember how much she cried out when me and two of my men took her beautiful body and used it. Such an incredible sight.” He growls in my ear, taunting me with knowledge of what they did to her. I’ve seen the medical reports. Fuck, I’d seen her corpse.
“Don’t you dare fucking speak about—”
“Now, now, Franco. You don’t want what happened to her to happen to this blondbambolina, do you?” He sneers the word forlittle dollin a thick, vile tone and I want to see how well he speaks with blood spurting from his throat once I slice it open.
“What do you want?” I hiss into the receiver.
“You leave the US, take your little pet with you. Go back to Sicily. I govern your American soil.” That’s ridiculous. I’ll never let that happen. My father worked hard for what he built and I won’t let some asshole take that away.
“And you can guarantee the girls aren’t hurt?” My tone is steel, no emotion, no fear.
“They’re safe… for now.” His threat hangs between us like a lead weight. It’s about to drop because when I walk in there, I’m going to make sure he pays for everything he’s done.
“Give me forty-eight hours.” My request has Matteo glaring at me in shock. He shakes his head, but I need to buy time for Carlos to get what I need here, and for us to round up the clan. There’s no telling what Cristiano is planning, even though I know what he’s capable of.
“Forty-eight and counting, mio amico.” He chuckles.
“I’m no friend of yours, Russo. Do you agree to the time, because if you don’t and something happens—”
“Relax, I’ll give you your time, but not a minute later. Tick tock, Moretti.”