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As we filed inside, we were practically overwhelmed by Loro Ombra members. They were mostly all dressed in black, with thick dark hair and scowls on their faces. They were clearly just as unhappy about this as we were.
I found Enzo Ricci in the crowd, but he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were glued to my sister. I glanced between them, my stomach twisting. The way he was looking at her… like she belonged to him. Like he’d burn down the world for her…
No.
She couldn’t be with him. I’d never allow it… my father would never allow it.
This situation was fucking pissing me off.
“Welcome,” Enzo finally said, making sure to look at every single member of the group surrounding him. I spotted Salvatore slumped at the bar behind him, and Tommy Valente, the New York boss, was leaning against the wall. It surprised me that Enzo was taking the lead on this, but given how displeased the rest of his crew looked, I was assuming this deal was with him, and with him only.
“We are all here today because we love this city, we love our families, and we want to make a living.”
Ha. A living… if that were all this were about, we wouldn’t have a problem. The fact was, they were murderous bastards.
Carrick and Niall shifted nervously, and I shot a glance at my father. His face betrayed nothing. Then Enzo turned to address us directly.
“Cullen, Aidan, on the behalf of my family, I apologize for the pain we have caused you. For that, we are prepared to give up the territory you have been trying to take back, in exchange for cooperation, instead of war.”
“Why should we believe you? How do we know this isn’t a trick?” My father’s eyes narrowed, and Bree tensed.
Good.He wasn’t completely rolling over.
“You don’t, I guess.” Enzo shrugged and moved towards Dad. “You have no reason to trust us after what we did, however, you know as well as I do that an all-out war between us will only lead to more pain.” His eyes fell on Bree, and my father tensed.
“Are you threatening my daughter?” He hollered, and Bree leapt at him, grabbing his arm.
“No, he’s not. Please listen to him,” she begged, and I rolled my eyes. Of course. Princess Bree had that look that could get our father to do anything.
He looked up at Enzo and nodded. “Alright.”
“I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. I don’t want to waste precious time and men on a war that will gain us very little. Instead, we want to join forces,” Enzo reaffirmed. I had to hand it to him, he was handling this well. He clearly felt strongly about my sister.
“Why is your son speaking for you, Salvatore?” Dad leaned around Enzo to speak to Salvatore, who flashed away from the bar.
“No one speaks for me,” he screeched.
Here we go.
I reached for my gun, but before I needed to draw it, Enzo’s arm blocked Salvatore from us.
“Enough,” he snapped, glaring at anyone who dared reach for their weapon.
My father seemed to sense this was going sideways and stepped towards Enzo. “My apologies, you are trying to extend an olive branch, and I am being disrespectful.”
My gaze snapped to him. My father was full of fucking surprises today!
“The Cazadores are a threat to us both. The Russians only managed to cling on to their territory by the skin of their teeth and they outnumber both of us alone, but together, we can push them out,” Tommy Valente said, stepping forward. So he was cool with the deal as well. I guess that made sense. His son would be in the firing line if we all continued down this path.
Urgh.
The Cazadores were a threat, but I wasn’t ready to admit that.
“Maybe we don’t want your help,” I muttered, and Bree’s eyes snapped to me, annoyance turning them even more vividly green than usual.
“Don’t be so stupid, Aidan. We cannot fight The Loro Ombra, and The Cazadores and maintain enough men to keep the territory we do have safe. We will lose too many good people, innocent people trying. And for what? So we can make ourselves feel better about Mom? She wouldn’t want us to cost people their lives in her name, and you know it. It took me too long to realize.” Tears welled in her eyes, and I stared at her in disbelief.
God. That Italian prick had really sunk his teeth into her.
