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“Listen. In my world… our world… things move fast. I never met a woman who could so easily keep up. And, even more terrifying… I never met a woman who can make me feel my own heartbeat.”
I gulp, doing my best not to fidget.
“I love you, Ellie Rigiano. And I don’t care if our relationship is taboo. I want to make it official.”
He pauses there, searching my eyes. He’s not exactly proposing, more like, making a promise. My throat goes dry at the thought, because my first instinct is to say yes. Before my thoughts have a chance to explore the other side of that coin, a smile tugs at the corner of his lips, and I refuse to let my thoughts flip. I sink into this moment for as long as possible.
“Even if I have to go to war with the entire world to do it,” he says, squeezing my hands. “I want them all to know.”
Chapter 17
Donny
The day has come. My crew gathers at the safe house and begins loading the truck with the mountain of cocaine waiting in the basement.
After this job, we’re going to be putting the house on the market and wiping our hands of anything my father had a stake in. Tonight marks the end of Don Gio’s era and the beginning of mine. Even the guys outside of my direct crew call me boss now. The smarter ones offer to kiss my hand out of respect. I decline and tell them that won’t be necessary.
But I still note who values the old ways.
I worry my father’s old dogs might try to sabotage the deal with the Russians, so I sent Scar and the Sicilians to tie up the loose ends. One of the encounters got messy, and I lost an import as a result. But what’s done is done. I stopped a potential war before it could even become a battle.
Tonight isn’t only special because of the thirty-plus million I’m about to make, it’s also the night word spreads of an unlikely alliance. Rigiano and Valentino.
Ellie exits her bedroom in a chic black dress and six inch stilettos, as Vlad will be expecting. I can’t take my eyes off her. Low-cut enough to make any man scream inside, sequins glimmering to flaunt, one leg exposed. I want to rip it off on the spot.
“Holy mama horse.” Sal bites his fist, and I punch him in the shoulder.
I raise my hand to help her down the last steps and present her to a crew of fifteen surrounding the island. Crew leaders and top earners. Everyone I’m going to be trusting from this point forward.
“This… is our Trojan Horse. Ellie Rigiano, no longer a prisoner… but my woman,” I announce.
One of the larger men – Pasqual – waves his hand like he touched something hot. Another one – Dante – starts clapping and whistling. “Go, boss man. Taking what he wants.”
“I took him,” Ellie says brazenly, and the boys ‘ooh.’
I smirk at them. “Tonight is the largest snow transfer we’ve ever attempted. Without a hitch, my brothers. Are we understood?”
“Yes, boss.” Sal claps.
“Ellie will be escorted out with the getaway car once we know which warehouse we’re directed to. The hit on Igor is off. Are we understood? Old feuds die with my father. We start anew. Longevity. Clean slate.”
Sabrina walks around handing out shots to each of the men.
“To calm the nerves.” I nod to the drinks being passed around. “There will be plenty more once the night is done. Cent’ anni.”
My men cheers and down the shot while I stay completely lucid. Ellie takes one too with Sabrina. It tells me how nervous she is. As if her quivering hands weren’t enough of a hint.
I grow cold as the hour approaches. My heart rate drops and my hands still.
The killer comes out when stakes are raised. I think hard about anyone who can betray me from the inside. Who, if any, can still be on my father’s side.
These are my first months as leader. Almost every action will be scrutinized and judged. Call it my second first impression.
I punch the table and speak calmly. “If anyone has a problem, whether it be in your crew, or you yourself standing in front of me, I want to hear it now.”
They look at one another.
“I’m serious. If we’re going to pull this off – I need to know if there’s even a hint of malice, or hatred for how the transfer of power went down. Speak it.”
