Santino released a quiet chuckle.
“What?”
“I don’t understand why you’re loyal to him when he wasn’t loyal to you.”
“Because the issue between us isn’t reflective of his dedication to Cosa Nostra. Just because he burned me doesn’t mean he’s unfit to lead the organization. He pissed me the fuck off, but I understand our issue is separate.”
“Well, his hesitation with Icarus wasn’t separate.”
That was all it took to lose the respect of his men—a single flinch.
“You’re the one who should be in charge, Wolfe.” He turned to look at me again. “And I’m not the only one who thinks that.”
Francesca managed to make dinner for dozens of men in my kitchen and keep everything warm. I didn’t have enough real plates to feed everyone, so Francesca had to use the paper plates in the pantry, which wasn’t ideal for a heavy meal of chicken and pasta, but the men made it work.
Everyone found a place to eat, some crowded at the dining table or seated in the living room. A lot of the others sat outside in the backyard. Francesca and I sat together at one of the outdoor tables in the garden. There were two open chairs available at our table, but none of the guys took them, as if they didn’t want to piss me off by getting too close to Francesca.
“Thank you for dinner, baby.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“It’s fucking good.”
She smirked as she looked at her plate and spun her pasta around her fork.
My phone buzzed with a text message in my pocket, so I fished it out and glanced at the screen.
It was Leo.
He’s gonna be here tomorrow at noon.
Adrenaline, excitement, and ecstasy spiked in my blood when I read that.
“What?” Francesca asked. “Why are you smiling like that?”
I set the phone on the table before I looked at her. “Because Warren is going to be there tomorrow at noon.”
She was about to take a bite of her food, but she put her fork down on the table.
I rubbed my hands together greedily. “Showtime.”
We prepared the vehicles and had them parked in a line facing the gate as we waited for Leo to notify me that Warren had arrived at the property.
Francesca was at the very back of the line, Santino and a couple other guys with her. I’d kept some of my best men with her since I wouldn’t be there to look out for her.
She had her vest strapped across her chest over her shirt, her tits pushed up higher because of the heavy material. Instead of looking flustered, she seemed calm, her hands gripping the straps of her vest.
I walked up to her and examined her stare, seeing the rage and blood lust that I’d seen in myself so many times. “I’ll radio for you when we’ve cleared the site.”
She nodded.
“But just because I say it’s clear doesn’t mean you drop your guard. You treat every step like you’re in the middle of a war zone.”
She nodded again.
“Ready?”
“I’ve been ready for this since I watched the life leave my father’s eyes.”
