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Giovanni

PLAYLIST: ? PRIDE IS THE DEVIL - J. COLE FEATURING LIL’ BABY ?

Somebody somewhere wants me dead.This isn’t anything new. It’s not the first time, and in my line of work, it won’t be the last.

I’m not mad about the murder attempt itself. That’s to be expected. But rage courses through me over how it was carried out. On a crowded public street with Falynn at my side. I don’t respect the disregard, and for that, there’s going to be hell to pay.

The work was sloppy. Some motorcyclist zipping by with Hail Mary hopes he’d land a lucky shot.

If you’re going to try and kill me, make sure the job is fucking done. Otherwise, prepare for heads to roll.

I have Louis escort Falynn to our penthouse in the Vittoria. The rest of my core men meet me in my office a few levels lower. They form a line in front of my desk and await my orders.

The longing for revenge burns in their gazes. Fozzi strokes the pistol holstered against his waist. Dominico no longer wears his smile from earlier, a tight clench in his jaw. Louis enters and joins the others. I pause for another second and then survey my most loyal men.

“Someone’s out to get me,” I say into the silent room. I lean back in my chair and take another sip of my whiskey on the rocks. The ice chinks against the glass. “Imagine my surprise this evening when somebody attempted a drive-by.”

Dominico nervously clears his throat. “Boss, I spoke to the police. They’ve got footage off the CCTV cameras. Here are some of the stills. You can make out his license plate number.”

He hands over the photograph stills for me to glance through. Each one shows a grainy snapshot of the busy street as the motorcyclist moves through traffic and opens fire. The last photograph is a zoomed-in shot of his license plate.

“Did you run it?” I toss the photos across my desk and pick up my drink again.

“We did. Bike’s stolen. Top of the line Kawasaki Ninja. Belongs to a local sports vehicle dealership. We already paid them a visit, and the owners showed us a police report they’ve filed for the theft.”

“So they say. I want more info on them and their contacts. What are the chances someone would steal a bike from them just to carry out a hit on me?”

Dominico nods, scoops up the stills, and then rushes from the room. I turn my attention back to the rest.

“What’s the latest on Lovato’s guys?”

C.J. steps forward. “Same as we’ve been monitoring them these weeks. A bunch of guys running around like chickens with their heads cut off. They’re tying up business deals with the Peña cartel. It seems Lovato Senior is pulling them out of Vegas.”

“Looks can be deceiving. We killed his son. What better reason than to retaliate?” I ask, draining the last of my whiskey. “I’ve ordered more men from back east. We’re doubling up on security and surveillance until we figure out what we’re dealing with.”

Once I've given them their assignments, the men file out of the room. I sit for a moment longer, considering the night and how it’s turned out. The day was a remarkably carefree and enjoyable one. For once, I’d been able to let loose and spend quality time with Falynn. Despite our bickering over teammates, I’d even been looking forward to laser tag.

And now this bullshit.

A gravelly sigh leaves my lungs. I pinch the bridge of my nose and rise from my desk with my empty glass in hand. Giancarlo calls as I’m fixing myself another drink. It’s a rare occasion for us to speak over the phone, so I answer.

“I’ve heard you’ve had a rough night,” comes Giancarlo’s low baritone.

I down half of my second drink. The whiskey’s heat matches the angry heat burning in my chest. “That’s putting it lightly. But what would my life be without assassinations attempts?”

“After the success you’ve had, it’s a given. The inevitable bad with the good.”

“Nothing I can’t handle. It’s a revenge ploy by Lovato Senior. He wants to throw a hissy fit because his son got in over his head and then had it chopped off. I warned him it would happen.”

“Don’t let pride blind you, brother. You’ve made a lot of enemies over the last few months.”

“Is this your way of telling me you don’t believe it’s Lovato?”

Giancarlo pauses. “It’s my way of telling you to keep your eyes open. You’ve accomplished the impossible—you’ve established the Sorrentino dominance on the west coast. The more success you have, the more enemies lurk in the shadows, plotting your downfall.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

The question lingers between us for a few seconds. It’s no secret there’s thick tension between Giancarlo and me. With Papa’s deteriorating health, his days are numbered. He’s named me as his successor. After years of us competing, identical twin brothers going toe to toe for our father’s throne, I’ve won.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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