He chuckles. “Relax, Oni. I’m not your enemy. I am only stating a fact.”
“Same.”
“You are so much like him. Your father always said what he thought too. That’s why we got along.
“He wasn’t afraid of me. If something needed to be said, he spoke up. Your father was an extremely smart man.”
“I’m hearing a whole lot you haven’t said. What are you getting at?”
“Your uncle and maybe even your mother will blame me for your father’s death. The real blame should be with your friends back in New York,” he says.
“This is the second time you’ve mentioned my friends. What don’t I know?”
“The Sullivans are all trash. They respect no one and have no loyalty. You think you came across Rico by accident? I’m not the first to use you as a pawn. You were thrown to the wolves from day one,cara.”
I gasp. “The dare. Mason knew that was Rico’s truck?”
“Now you see. Some best friend. Everyone knows what the consequences are for taking from a Gallo.”
“So you know Juliana is working for them, don’t you?”
“I know a lot of things. I know the bastard you killed for trying to rape you was sent to Miami by your friend Mason, but he’s from Connor McFeely’s crew.
“I know Juliana is the one who told Larkin to attack you in my brother’s home. I know that Sullivan is plotting to have my nephew arrested even now.”
“What?”
“A drug charge that will be knocked down to a gun charge. None of it should stick, but it will. Rico will learn a tough lesson, but he will be better for it.”
“You’re going to allow him to go to jail? Then what is any of this for? Why am I leaving and allowing you to fake my death?”
“Because it will all harden him. And you … you are about to learn to be a true donna. Your father helped me get to where I am. If you can be half of what your father was to me, you will be the greatest prize my nephew has.”
“But you’re allowing him to go to jail. What if he doesn’t make it back?” I nearly sob.
“He will. I will ensure it. I owe your father this.
“Sullivan got to him before I could get him out of that hellhole. You will not lose another man you love to prison or those Irish bastards. This I promise you.Capisce?”
I work my jaw as I allow all of this to sink in. The Sullivans are behind my father’s death. On top of that, Mason did this. My own best friend.
I trusted him and he set me up. All of this started because of him and his family. I know Juliana because she was one of Lorcan’s whores. I’ve seen her on her knees for him before.
As it all clicks together, one thing plays in my head.
They’re all going to pay.
Rico
I’m numb.This is not how I thought things would end. I never saw it coming.
Oni is dead. She took a bullet for Emilia and now she’s gone. I will never forgive myself for this.
I deserve to be here, locked behind these bars. She had her whole life before her, before me. Now she has nothing. There will never be another day for her.
I laughed in my uncle’s face when he first told me. I thought he was playing one of his games. I didn’t want to believe she was gone.
As I lay in that hospital bed, I prayed it was all a lie. If she had walked through that door, I would have let her go. I would have freed her from me if I had a second chance.
