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“You sly dog. You want first dibs, don’t you?”
Anyone else would have a sawed-off shotgun shoved in their mouth right about now. But me and Dicey go way back. He’s saved my life more than once, and I, his. We’re brothers in all but blood.
He’s not wrong, either. I do want her. But unlike some of the other vermin I conspire with, I’ll never take a woman who doesn’t beg for it. Best to ignore Sal’s poking comments.
“Have the Russians coordinated a landing spot for the investors?”
His expression turns semi-serious. “Everything is tightlipped. We’re talking all the big-boy black market billionaires from around the globe, so the location has been changing by the hour.”
“Paranoia.” I shake my head. “They need time to sweep and set up security.”
“I’ve been thinking the same. It’s too close to not have things in order. Whole thing’s giving me a bad feeling, Donny boy. Maybe we should tell Papa Valentino?”
“I’m sure he’s got his own whispers flying into his ear,” I say.
“Word on the street is, there’s going to be five full shipments of birds for bid, and three other batches of snow besides ours. We’re the only Italian family in, just as we negotiated. If by some holy miracle all goes smoothly, we’ll be cutting Loophole out of Vlad’s dealings. Finally. Selling his sister is just icing on the cake.”
I pat Sal on the shoulder. “Don’t count our chickens yet.”
My mouth speaks business, but my mind wanders. I can’t help picturing Ellie lying helpless on my ultra-king bed upstairs. I wish she’d beg for it.
In twenty-four hours, she’ll be a distant memory, though. Might as well check on her.
I head upstairs, Sal’s eyes boring a hole into my back. That stupid grin of his is probably plastered on his face. I don’t care. I’m the boss of this crew, and soon to be boss of the rising Valentino family. I do what I want.
I swing open the door to frighten Ellie, but she doesn’t so much as flinch, so I shut it slowly behind me.
She’s propped up against a dresser and not on the bed as I’d hoped, trying to huddle up as small as possible.
“I hope I bleed out in here.” She spits on my floor. “This way Gio gets no satisfaction.”
There’s a stain of blood on the wall that makes me stiffen. The sharp wire Terry wrapped her in… she’s been purposely digging it into her skin.
Fuck.
Her skin looks sallow and drained.
I crack open the door. “Sal!”
“What’s the matter, Donny? Need help getting it up?”
Prick.
“Bandages, alcohol, now!”
“Alcohol?” Ellie laughs through her delirious terror. “Worried I might rot before you sell me off?”
She throws up her legs in defense as I stomp closer. “Don’t you fucking touch me, ah—”
I whip her to the side to inspect her bleeding wrists.
She’s crying despite her tough words, and to her credit, silently; I can feel the convulsing sobs.
“I recognized you in the car,” she speaks through gritted teeth. “One of the Valentino brothers—”
“The only Valentino brother,” I correct, setting my jaw.
She eyes me over her shoulder. Is that a moment of pity in her expression? She knows death and has grown up around it her entire life, just like me.
