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My grandfather’s jet touches down in Los Angeles, and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife.
The entire trip has been a haze of meetings, plotting the downfall of our greatest enemy and making sure he doesn’t see another sunrise.
I’ve been glad of the distraction because it focuses my mind away from the part of me that’s worried things will go wrong. The plan will fail, and I’ll lose everyone close to me, hell even my life, but I wouldn’t change a thing because the most important thing in my world is to bring Winter back where she belongs.
Just her name alone causes my heart to race and the foundations of my world to shake. It’s been so long but seems like yesterday when I held her in my arms. A feeling that’s so special, nothing else will ever measure up. Knowing you are holding your destiny in your hands brings with it a powerful responsibility.
You are now accountable for another person’s life. Their safety is your most important mission and to keep the smile on their face is now your life’s work.
One night only was all we had, but it counted for everything.
Even when Angelo told us she was married to their father’s friend, my love never wavered. It was her worst nightmare coming true and no matter how many people tell me she’s happy, I know deep in my heart she’s not. She’s in a living hell and I’m about to cut the head off the devil holding my woman hostage.
For the past two years, I have lived and breathed Winter Sontauro with one aim in mind. To bring her back to my side, where she belongs.
As we taxi to the stand, my grandfather puffs out a deep sigh, telling me he’s not as comfortable with this situation as I believe.
For now, it’s just the two of us, our men behind the curtain separating the workers from family. Don Majerio has spent a lifetime building his empire and the tales of his road to damnation make for horrifying listening. Cold, cruel and emotionless in every aspect of life, bar one. His family.
Family is everything to him and it always has been.
Unlike my father.
Rumor has it they fell out and with my grandfather’s blessing, my own father gave up his birthright and set up on his own in Boston, leaving his homeland, Sicily, Italy. He turned his back on the family that means so much to my grandfather who set him free on one condition. He must sacrifice his first-born son to take his place, who will inherit the title of Don Majerio on the death of my grandfather. I am that son and my future beckons like a siren dressed in black, her cruel smile promising a life of endless riches, all paid for with the blood and souls of our enemies.
I escaped my fate for two glorious years and lived my dream as a Hollywood producer. Now the debt is being called in because my own request for help is at the cost of my freedom.
“Have you spoken with your friends?”
My grandfather breaks the silence with a question that surprises me a little, but I nod. “They are in place.”
He appears thoughtful before saying with a deep, “Can they be trusted?”
“With my life.” I spit out the words as if he dares question their integrity and a wry twist to his lips and a brief shake of his head makes me think I’ve disappointed him in some way.
“What?” I’m irritable and the word slips out before I check it. The disrespect noted by the gleam in his eye.
It’s too late to back down now because that would disappoint him even more and I stare at him with a cold, hard expression of my own, causing a moment’s silence to stretch between us like a battle line.
“I trust no one.”
His simple statement doesn’t surprise me, and I bite back.
“Then I pity you.”
To my surprise, he laughs out loud, causing me to stare at him a little harder and then he leans back and raises his glass of whiskey to me in a toast.
“To my successor, who still has a lot to learn.”
“That may be, but I’m willing to take risks to get what I want.”
I shrug, trying desperately to shake off the black cloud that has settled over my soul. I used to revel in it. Wallow in the pain and enjoy feasting on depression. Not now, not today, because this is the day I get my woman back and that black cloud will be lifted for as long as she remains by my side.
“This woman.”
My grandfather surprises me again by referencing the reason I’m here at all.
“Winter.” I stare him in the eye and growl my response, causing him to roll his eyes.
