Page 9 of Savage Little War

“I was going to call a meeting, but that can wait until later,” Dmitri replies as he motions for me to scoot over so that he can get into the SUV and shut the door behind him.

“You don’t have to stay if you’re just worried about me,” I tell him, not wanting to throw off his plans. I want him to go after the smuggling hub. I want Paolo to hurt.

Dmitri smiles, actually smiles, and shakes his head. “I don’t think that I need to be worried about you. What you just did…that was fucking incredible.”

Warmth spread through me as I smile and lean my head against his shoulder. I need to tell him about the pregnancy test, but this is one of the best moments that we’ve shared together since I was rescued. I don’t want to ruin it just yet.

I want to hold on tight and never let go.

3

Dmitri

Moonlight spills over the deserted warehouse district as Luca, my men, and I move into position around the Ferro smuggling hub.

“Hold,” I whisper into the mic attached to my collar picking up my voice and transmitting it to everyone’s earpieces.

Luca stops next to me as we crouch behind an abandoned, rusting truck about a hundred feet away from the front of the warehouse. “You’re a little crazy, amico. This place could be crawling with men.”

“Maybe so,” I say before pulling the microphone closer to my mouth. “Scouts, go ahead.”

Two shadows peel off from our line and melt toward the warehouse.

“We’re not here to start a massacre,” I tell him. “We’re here to burn the product. Anyone who gets in the way chose their own ending.”

“Some of my family aren’t very smart,” Luca replies with a quiet chuckle.

“How’s your sister doing?” I ask him as I wait for the scouts to get back to me.

“Good. She’s in hiding with our mamma,” Luca tells me. “Once we take care of Paolo and his men, they can live in peace. They don’t have to be scared any longer.”

That’s the goal. Paolo has already terrorized enough people with Enrico’s help, and he’ll continue to cause hell even with Enrico gone. This has to end with his death.

“We see about eight men inside,” Denis reports to me, his voice filling my right ear from the earpiece. “They’re mostly busy organizing inventory, though. They’re not even guarding.”

I can only imagine how many pounds of cocaine are in that warehouse. Unfortunately for the Italians, I’m about to turn millions into ash. That’s what they get for burning down one of the Bratva’s casinos.

“Alright, everyone knows what they’re supposed to do. Let’s go. Quickly and quietly!” I speak into the microphone before moving forward with Luca and the others.

Luca carries a gas canister by his side. “I haven’t committed arson in a long time.”

I smirk a little before picking up my pace, keeping close to Luca. I’ve broken everyone into teams.

Luca and I duck behind multiple vehicles, zigzagging our way toward the front of the warehouse where one of the large hangar doors is open. I can hear music playing from inside, along with scattered voices and laughter from the Italians inside.

“Ready to break up their little party?” Luca asks as we approach the front of the building to the right of the open hangar door.

“They don’t deserve to party,” I reply as I take a lighter out of my pocket.

Luca tips the gas canister, sloshing gasoline along the side of the building toward the far corner. He lets out a little chuckle as it streaks down the metal, the strong smell hitting us in the throat. “Shit is potent.”

This building doesn’t stand a chance.

Luca places the empty canister on the ground once he’s done and pulls a cigarette out of his back pocket. He holds it between his lips and leans toward me. “Would you? I’d love to do the honors.”

I click on the lighter and hold my hand up to block the light breeze from blowing out the flame as I light his cigarette. “Didn’t peg you for a smoker.”

“I’m not anymore,” Luca replies before taking a drag, the end of the cigarette glowing orange as the fire steadily burns through it. “I didn’t have time to get a cigar.”