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Al Donatello, you might as well call him the fuckingKing of Kings. He rules the whole of the Italian underworld. If he’s backing us, then why the fuck isn’t he doing the dirty work himself? “Why doesn’t Donatello just shut it down? He has boots on the ground.”
“He suspects he has a rat. He wants you to infiltrate his crew, spend time getting to know them, and find out who’s eating cheese. Should be easy enough.”
Yeah, a piece of fucking cake. “You know what? I don’t need this shit. I have businesses to run. I have a fucking family here that needs me to do shit too. Hire another exterminator for yourrat problem.” I turn to walk away. I’ll figure out how to free those girls myself. I’m not going to fucking Italy.
“You know, we were prepared to look the other way, when you let Lana get off with not so much as a slap on the wrist… after killingtwoDons. But maybe we should bring it to the attention of the council. I’m sure they’ll have something to say about it,” Leo comments.
My steps falter. Fucking fuckers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I fold my arms over my chest.
“Sure you don’t,” Hal adds. “We let it go, because that piece of shit she called a father deserved what he got. Your pops, not so much.” He shrugs.
“Fine, I’ll go to fucking Italy. I’ll give it two weeks. If I can’t get the information in that time, I’m out.”
“Fine, I’m sure it won’t take that long anyway,” Leo agrees. “A ghost can haunt places us regular guys can’t.”
I storm off, wondering if this was their plan all along and why I needed todie. To get whatever information they wanted from Italy. I’m not buying into the bullshit about Al Donatello needing someone to find a rat. He’d be able to get that shit done within his own family. Something else is off here. I just don’t know what. And until I figure it out, I need to go along with their plans.
I head back to the shitty apartment.
* * *
I’m lying on the bed. I have no idea what time it is, but something urges me to log into the cameras in my penthouse. I’ve avoided doing so for the past two days. I want to see her. But I know if I do, I’ll want more—like that kid story about giving a mouse a cookie and shit—and I can’t give into my impulses right now. It won’t benefit either of us in the long run.
I load the servers and search through the kitchen and living areas. They’re empty. I check the bedroom, and I see her sleeping on the chair. It’s dark, so I can’t make out her features. Why isn’t she in bed?
She wakes with a start and jumps up. It looks like she’s yelling at something… or someone? But there’s no one else there. I shouldn’t do it, but I do. I turn the sound up so I can hear what she’s saying. “When? When the hell are you coming back?”
Fuck, my heart shatters. I hate that I’m doing this to her. I will fucking never forgive myself… I can’t fucking stand seeing her so torn up. Then she chucks a glass against the wall.Let it out, dolcezza. Trash the whole fucking room if you need to.
I watch as she falls to the ground, picks up a shard, and stares at it. “I just want the pain to go away,” she cries.
“NO!” I scream.No fucking way.I call Neo. “Get to Holly. Now, Neo. Fucking stop her!” I yell into the receiver when he picks up. I hold my breath for the thirty seconds it takes him to appear on screen as he rushes into my bedroom. Holly looks up at him in shock. He takes the glass out of her hands.Thank fuck…I have to do something. I can’t let her keep believing I’m dead. What was I fucking thinking? That she’d cry for a day or two, mourn a little bit, but that she’d ultimately be okay?
Not fucking likely. This is the girl who willingly held a gun to a mob boss’s head, without flinching, to make sure I was safe. Of course she’s not going to be okay with thinking I’m dead.
I watch Neo pick her up, and my jaw clenches.Thatshould be me. I should be there with her. No, she shouldn’t be so broken-hearted in the first place. He takes her out to the kitchen. I turn the cameras off. She’s safe now. He won’t leave her alone again.
My phone beeps with a new message.
Neo: I don’t know what to do here, T. She was literally going to cut herself in there. You need to put an end to this.
Me: I know. Just… don’t leave her alone. I’ll fix this.
He doesn’t respond. I don’t need him to. I know he won’t let me down.
ChapterSix
It’s been a few hours since I watched Holly contemplate the unthinkable. My skin is itching to go and see her, to put her out of this fucked-up misery. I’m second-guessing everything the other three bosses have said to me over the last few days. Is she really safe here? What happens if I get on a plane to Italy and leave her behind? She’ll be alone. She’ll be surrounded by as many men as I can possibly get, but she’ll still bealone.
Fuck that. I’m not leaving New York like this. But I can’t take her with me either. I can’t fathom the mess I’ll be walking into out there. And there’s no way I want Holly dragged into that shitshow.
My brain is whirling with every possible idea and scenario of how best to protect her. To protect my whole fucking family, the empire my forefathers built. I won’t fail them. Any of them. I will show these assholes that I may be young, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. Whatever plans are in the works against me and mine, they’ll regret it. Whoever the fucktheyare.
I have to get Lana out. She needs to be hidden… somewhere no one can find her. I don’t trust anyone. Those fuckers know she’s responsible for killing both of our fathers. I haven’t forgiven her in the least, but I can’t sit by and watch her in front of the firing squad either. I won’t talk to her. I can’t. But I know someone who would do anything for that woman. I flick through my contacts until I have the number. Alexei Petrov. “Yeah?” he answers.
“I need a favor.” I hate the fucking words, even as I say them.
“Yeah, most people do. Who the fuck are you, and what do you want?” he growls.
