A false location. A false route. A false threat.
My name. My car. The place I had just been seen with Amelia and Olivia.
Foster had not simply tested security.
He had made my cousins believe they had missed a threat against me while I was standing near a woman and child.
Marco takes another step forward.
“Noi non giochiamo con la vita della famiglia,”he growls.“Non usiamo il sangue come esercizio. Non mettiamo il nomedel Don in un finto rapporto di rapimento per vedere quanto velocemente corriamo.”
We don’t play with family.
We don’t use blood as training.
We don’t put theDon’sname in a fake abduction report to see how fast we run.
Foster lowers his glass as he listens.
Can he understand him?
“Tu ridi,”Marco says, his voice dropping. Somehow, it’s worse than the shouting.“Tu bevi il suo whiskey. Tu fai battute. Ma per dieci minuti, io e mio fratello abbiamo creduto di aver fallito l’unico uomo che abbiamo giurato di proteggere.”
For ten minutes, he and Nico believed they had failed me.
“Dieci minuti,”he says.“Dieci minuti in cui ho visto nella mia testa un’altra macchina. Un’altra strada. Un’altra donna morta perché siamo arrivati troppo tardi.”
My chest hardens.
Adriana.
Elena.
Foster’s face changes.
The humor drains out of him completely.
“Marco,” I say quietly. “He gets it.”
But Marco’s not finished.
He steps closer to Foster, his eyes black with rage.
“Se vuoi testare un sistema, usi un codice. Usi una parola concordata. Usi il cervello che Dio ti ha dato. Non tocchi quella ferita. Non tocchi la nostra famiglia. Non tocchi lui.”
If you want to test a system, use a code.
Use an agreed word.
Use the brain God gave you.
Do not touch that wound.
Do not touch our family.
Do not touch him.
Foster swallows.
