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Crow didn’t shoot the idea down right away. He looked to Griffin next.
Griffin considered it for a long time. “If we threaten him, we’re subjecting ourselves to a battle we can’t win. But if we try to buy him off…that is a better approach. He might go for it, but I’m not sure.”
At least we finally had a plan—a plan to save my daughter.
We all snuck out of the house so the wives wouldn’t worry. If Bellissima knew about this…she would lose her mind. We met at the winery, piling our leather bags of money into the back of the truck.
We left the guns in the bed of the truck since we couldn’t bring them inside. There was no point in trying to sneak anything in because Bosco’s men would find them anyway. We were going through the tightest security in this country, and it was stupid to think we would fool them.
Crow was there because he would follow me into hell, not just because I helped him with Conway and Vanessa. He was the one person I could always count on. He had my back until time claimed both of our bodies. “I want Griffin to stay behind.”
Griffin turned to him, his expression cold and fierce, but his surprise still obvious.
“Why?” I asked, preferring Griffin’s company since he was the strongest of the three of us.
“If we don’t make it back, I feel comfortable knowing he’ll protect my wife and daughter.” Crow spoke highly of his son-in-law even though he used to do just the opposite. He gave him respect instead of hatred, and it was his idea to hand the winery down to him—which I’d agreed to.
“He’s the strongest of the three of us. I feel more comfortable having him around.” I wasn’t ashamed to admit that. Crow and I were still tough men, but we were nothing compared to how we used to be in our youth. Griffin didn’t just surpass us in power, but in youth. “We’re going into the underworld. All we have is our reputation, which has grown stale. Griffin is at least current.”
“I want to be there,” Griffin said. “Carmen means a lot to me.”
I’d noticed Griffin’s affection for my daughter a long time ago. It wasn’t sleazy, but brotherly.
“He is the strongest of us,” Crow said in agreement. “Which is why I want him to stay behind. He’s the second line of defense if something bad happens. He’s more capable than our sons, and he has connections. He’ll handle the winery and become the patriarch of the family. Cane, he has to stay.”
Griffin looked at the ground, but his body relaxed like those words meant something to him.
I couldn’t argue with my brother’s reasoning. “Alright. It’s just us, then. Let’s do this.”
We knew exactly where the casino was because it was in plain sight. Bosco didn’t fear the police or private law enforcement. They were powerless against a man like him. So they were allowed to break the law every day, keeping the peace in exchange for law enforcement’s cooperation.
We had a few men accompany us, but that was just to carry the bags of cash. None of them were armed.
We approached the side entrance and stepped inside, immediately drawing attention because they recognized our faces but knew we weren’t members of the casino. They searched us, finding nothing but our phones. They looked at the money next and didn’t blink an eye when they saw all the cash tucked away inside the leather bags. But they put the bags on the conveyor belt of the X-ray machine to make sure there was nothing hidden in the stacks of bills.
They were extremely thorough.
Once everything was in order, the man in charge of the security floor addressed both of us. “What do you want? This is way too much for membership dues, so you must have another intention.” His hands came together at his waist, his pistol sitting on his hip. The rest of the men were dressed in suits and held rifles. There were at least twelve of them on this floor alone.
I wasn’t intimidated, probably because I was blinded by my love for Carmen. All I cared about was protecting her, getting her away from this asshole. I would make any sacrifice for that to happen. “I want to speak to Bosco alone.”
The man stared at me with his brown eyes, looking uninterested despite the words I just said. “Why?”
“That’s my business, not yours.” Being difficult wouldn’t get me anywhere, but I wouldn’t bow down like some kind of pussy. “You’re paid to wipe his ass, not be involved in his personal affairs. Tell him the Barsetti brothers want to see him. He’ll know exactly what it’s about.”
Crow kept his stern expression beside me, seeming unafraid of the armed men surrounding us. They could blow our brains out with all their weapons and keep the cash, but since Bosco paid their bills, they wouldn’t do a damn thing until he gave the order.
