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And then the car pulls up.
The valet steps out and hands Johnny the keys.
“Now leave,” he says, tipping his chin to the kid.
He looks from me to Johnny and back again.
It seems Johnny knows there’s no way in hell I’ll be getting in this car without a fight and doesn’t want witnesses.
“Uh, okay,” the kid says and starts jogging away to the building.
Again, I can’t blame the kid for wanting to get far away from this psycho, but he also left me to fuckingJohnny, alone and with Ben on his way, but not here.
I can’t get in this car.
That much I know.
I don’t know his plan. I don’t fully know what he knows about Lilah. I don’t know what’s going on.
But I do know that if I get in the car, my connection to Ben will cut out. And if that happens, something in my gut tells me something terrible will happen to me.
“I’m not getting in that car, Johnny,” I say. With Ben in my ear, New Lola has a foothold back into the world, a bit of backbone holding me in place.
“I know about your sister,” he says, and my gut churns the same way it did when he texted me minutes ago.
I need to know what he thinks he knows, though.
“What about her?” His hand tightens on my wrist, to where it takes everything in me not to shout out with pain. His lips tip up in a devious smile.
He likes this.
Likes my pain.
I want to vomit.
“Your sister is the daughter of Arturo, the would-be heir to the Russo family.” Blood drains from me. “Unfortunately for him, he’s been, let’s say, out of commission for quite some time now.”The drive-by . . .“The old man is getting older, needs to step down before he’s gone, but the idiots over there are fucking infighting instead of using their fuckin’ brains. Capos all trying to become the new Don, but their eyes are closed, can’t see what’s really goin’ on around them.”
“You work for Carmello.”
“And I’ll never fuckin’ take over. Competition is too fuckin’ high. A son and a grandson, all willing and able to take control.” He looks past me, to the car I can almost guarantee he is planning to throw me into.
I need time.
If I get into that car, my life is over. Whether my actual life will meet an end or just life as I know it, I’m not sure.
I don’t want to find out.
I need to buy time, need to make a plan.
I need stupid fucking Johnny to talk, run his mouth, and get distracted while Ben comes up with a better plan.
“So you’re going to betray the Carluccios? That’s your plan?”
“No, you fuckingsciaquadell.I’m bringin’ the families together.” He looks at me, his free hand grabbing my chin, tipping it up, and looking me over. “A shame you’re a fuckin’ mutt. Wouldn’t mind having you in my bed.” Fear strikes but I know, I know I need to keep my mind stable.
“Bring the families together?” There’s a pause as he continues to look at me, and for a moment, I think he knowsmyplan, that he knows I’m dragging this out to save myself. But then his dumb ass opens his mouth.
“A year ago, I talked Carmello into inviting your dipshit of a father to a game. Lured him in, let him win, then made him lose. That was the first time you and I met, beautiful girl. There had been talk, talk about Libby Capone having an illegitimate daughter with Turner. That it wasn’t his girl at all, but Arturo’s. An affair. And a secret thatbuttagotstook to his fuckin’ grave.
