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“Never mind.”
The plane taxis to a stop. When the door opens, we walk down the steps and straight into a waiting limo. The glass is bulletproof, the engine overpowered. Alessandro is taking no chances despite what he said about the commission’s protection.
The journey to the church is short. The entire time, I stare out of the window, thinking about nothing. It’s the best way to shut down the emotions trying to bubble up inside me. Grief affects most people with sorrow. I only feel anger. Rage that this happened on my watch.
I went to meet Piper. He took out my family. It’s on me to get revenge.
I glance at Anna. I was supposed to marry her and get her pregnant. Then I was going to send her back to her father a broken woman. Such a simple plan. Ruin her innocence so the cartel doesn’t want her anymore. They take out Piper in their anger at the insult. My problems are all solved.
I’ve made a new bunch. She’s staying with me. I’m not giving her up. What happens when Piper finds that out?
We’ll just have to wait and see.
“Who are all these people?” Anna asks as we walk into the church.
“Members of the commission. Representatives of all the Chicago families,” I reply. “My rivals.”
“I don’t see my father.”
“That’s what troubles me. ”
“Maybe it’ll be okay. Maybe he knows he should stay away.”
“Maybe.”
I shake a few hands, and then we take our seats at the front of the room. Alessandro sits to my left, Order of Service in his lap. Eva is on the other side of him, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
Father Malley comes out a moment later, bible in hand. He makes a speech I’ve heard dozens of times. Death is not the end. Time will heal.
I’m not really listening. I’m looking up at the skylight above us. At the corner of it, I can see a shadow flickering.
“What is it?” Anna whispers to me.
“Up there,” I reply. “You see it?”
“Just the clouds.”
Alessandro’s Order of Service slips to the floor. I quickly lean down to pick it up, and that’s the only reason I survive what happens next.
Twenty-Seven
Marco
* * *
The glass in the skylight shatters the moment I lean forward. At the same time, a rifle cracks and there’s a thud as a bullet slams into the back of the seat where my chest was a second ago.
I grab Anna, throwing her to the floor and putting my body over hers. “Move!” I shout to the room. “Sniper on the roof.”
The bullet passed through the chair, hitting the consigliere of the Belucci family. He’s already dead by the time he hits the floor. I grab Anna and dive with her behind the altar as another bullet cracks into the floor inches from my feet.
People are scattering in every direction, but the gunman is only interested in me. I take advantage of the chaos, using my body to protect Anna as I jump up, running for the fire exit, her shielded in front of me.
More bullets fly.
Wood chips hit my face. A woman beside me falls to the ground with a thump, blood spraying from what’s left of her face.
I slam into the door, pushing it open. The limo is right outside, back door open. Alessandro’s waving at me from the driver’s seat. I toss Anna into the back, leaping in after her as the gunman scrambles across the roof to take another shot at me.
