And with that, he hangs up, leaving me more frustrated. “I should have asked to speak to the girls. Just to hear if they’re okay.”
“He wouldn’t have allowed you the courtesy.” Gio’s voice from the doorway has both me and Matteo staring at him. “He’s an asshole. He’ll play this to the end.”
I nod. He will. But he doesn’t know I can play this game better than anyone.
“Let’s make sure the cards swing in our favor then.”
* * *
“Franco Moretti,so good to see you, man.” I’m greeted the same way by all the men who enter my home. They’re my familia, my clan. The people I know will have my back when this shit goes down. We’ve gathered in the conference room, a large area with a table big enough to fit a dozen people. The rest all file in, and I’m at the head of the table.
“I must be honest, when I called on all of you, I didn’t expect such a large showing.” I settle in the chair, watching them as their eyes dart around the room. “There’s something you all should know before I ask you to risk your lives walking into the Russo compound. He’s made this personal.” I steeple my fingers and take one look at each man before me. “He’s kidnapped the woman I love.” As the words fall from my mouth, I know I can’t take them back. And as much as I know I should, I don’t want to. The first time admitting you love someone is the first step to putting your heart in their hands.
It’s the step that you take, handing over something precious, entrusting them with it and hoping with all your fucking soul they don’t break it. The difference between me and Raina is that she is the one that I know will heal my heart. She’ll be the salve to my brokenness. Somehow, she’s burrowed herself into my being, into the essence of who I am, and she’s shone her light inside me.
When I opened my eyes this morning and rolled over in bed to find myself alone, I knew right then and there that she was mine. I needed to wake up to her. I spent two weeks hiding within myself, trying to stop the feelings I have for her, but there’s nothing that can stop it.
“Franco, you know we’re here for you no matter the circumstances. You’ve helped our families more times than we can count. For me this isn’t even a question ofwill we. The answer will be when do we leave. Let’s take this asshole down.” His accent, although from the north of Italy, is still strong even after spending most of his life in America.
“I agree with Alessandro. There’s no question. I’m in.” As we go through each man’s comments, they’re all astounding me by standing behind me with this. Granted, it’s part of the family, the Nostra, but for them to do this for a woman they’ve never met. This means more to me than I can ever explain.
“I’ve spoken to our contact in Brazil, Carlos Silva. He’s agreed to help. A shipment of the finest narcotics will arrive in the country. We need a plan to get onto the Russo compound and plant it so that when the FBI are alerted, they’ll find it. Once they do a background check on our friend, Cristiano Russo, they’ll find all they need to put him away for a very long time.”
“I have the blueprints of the mansion, the grounds, and the outbuildings. There are a number of places where we can gain entry.” Gio sets the blueprints on the table, and as we pour over it, I take a step back and let my men take charge.
They’ve each got a role in the clan. They have specific talents. That’s why they’ve been chosen. And they’re all ruthless killers. Some of them with the bare hands, and some with weapons of choice. But we’re all out for blood. It’s how we’ve made it in, and it will be how we leave.
Our payment is done by the amount of bodies we pile up, not innocent bystanders, but scum like the Russos. All the men in this room know what he did. They knew my father. I grew up around most of them. So when I look around, it’s not strangers getting together to avenge their friend, it’s family.
“You okay, Franco?”
I turn to regard my younger brother and nod. “Yes, I’ll be even better when we get our girls back.” When I cast a longer glance at Matteo, I see the emotion in his eyes. He really does care for her. “You know, Adri is a beautiful girl.”
He nods but doesn’t respond.
“She’s probably thinking about you, waiting for you to save her.” I’m taunting him, but it’s all in good fun, and when he turns to face me, there’s a small smirk hidden behind his suave exterior.
“Don’t pussyfoot around. Just say what you want to say, brother,” he retorts.
“I know you want the girl. Don’t hold back. You never know when it will be your last chance to tell her how you feel.” We stare at each other for a long while and he nods. He knows I’m right. In our life, in the lifestyle we follow, tomorrow is never promised. And I know that’s true for most people, but with threats that come from left, right, and center, we never know when our last breath will be.
“Take your own advice, old man.” He pats me on the shoulder, and the playfulness I know my little brother to have is there, hidden underneath the tension of the situation we’re in.
18
Raina
“Why are you doing this? Where is he?”
The man who took me, the man who killed Franco’s father, bores his gaze into me and it’s as if he’s choking me.
“You’re a pretty girl. I can see why Franco keeps you around. Is your cunt as sweet as your pretty blue eyes?” He smirks. “I’m not a bad man,carina.” He stalks around me. His gaze trails from my face to my feet. I’m bound to the seat with my feet tied with thick ropes to the legs of the chair. He stops before me, leaning in with his hands on either armrest. “You see,bella,men like us… we prefer, decadence. And it seems Franco and I have the same taste.”
Anger heats my blood. I’m not scared of him anymore. I want to spit in his face, but I don’t want to force him to do something stupid. They’ve not hurt us and if I can buy some time, I know that Franco won’t let me die. He will save us. I just don’t know how.
“I’d like to taste what Franco finds so alluring about you.” He rises, snaps his fingers, and two men enter the room. They untie me and lift me by my upper arms. Both have a tight grip and there’s no chance I can even get away, should I want to try. “Take her to my suite. Make sure she’s”—he smirks as he regards me—“comfortable.” With that, I’m dragged out of the room and down a long hallway.
I don’t know where Adria and Calista are. I haven’t seen them since we arrived and got separated. Glancing around, I take in the hallway. The artwork on the walls reminds me of a museum. It’s dimly lit, but the opulence gives away the wealth that lies within these walls.