AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When I got back to the States, I knew straight away that I was being set up. Michael didn’t want to meet with the commission involved. He wanted to talk to me in private. Warehouse by the docks.
I get there with Rocky in the car beside me and we’re not even in the door before his goons set on me.
They had the numbers but I had two things in my favor. A roaring fury of righteousness giving me strength. Also my reputation. They were on edge, as if they feared going this far.
They were Belucci associates, no doubt hoping to get made by doing this, getting Michael to the top of the ladder, ensuring their own rise up the ranks of the two joined up families.
Six of them versus me and Rocky.
It was touch and go for a while but we managed to get the best of them. Only it took so long that Michael ran and has been hiding out ever since.
This is the only way to draw him out. He knows that my marriage means I soon become the Don of the eastern seaboard. So he knows as well that if he kills me or Ophelia before she gets pregnant, his problems are solved.
He can marry when he planned and take over like he planned. Burn through the family money and then die coked up in some gutter somewhere. Living the dream, right?
He tried and failed to kill me. Thought he could have me beaten to death in front of him. Only I got the best of his men and now he’s only got one option.
Take out Ophelia.
She was safe on the island but I brought her back. Put her in danger. Did it deliberately. I can never tell her why I’ve done this. She’ll never believe that it’s the only way to ensure her safety. I have to deal with Michael or he’ll be a thorn in our side for the rest of our lives. It has to be this way.
So I had Angelo bring her back. Made sure he sent messages out hinting that he was doing it. He drove past several of Michael’s haunts on the way here. I’ve no doubt Michael is coming for her.
He’ll emerge from whichever rock is shielding him, make his way here, aiming to whack her before she knows what’s happening.
Rocky thinks Michael might send someone else to do it but I know my brother. He’s already screwed up once. He’ll want to do this himself, make sure it goes the right way.
I know him. I know how his mind works. It was the same when we were kids. He didn’t get his lackeys to beat me up back then. He took pleasure in doing it himself. Some of my earliest memories are of him beating me, our father telling me to fight back, stand up for myself, stop crying.
It took years for me to be strong enough to take him on. Been a long time since he’s tried to fight me one on one. I’m much stronger than him now. He knows that. That’s why he thought six would do it.
Didn’t count on me bringing Rocky to the meet. Took the odds from six to one to three to one. Good enough odds for us to win that battle.
Now we’ll win this one. Rocky can have his life with Cathy and I can have mine with Ophelia. As long as Michael turns up.
“North,” Rocky barks down the radio. “Audi, white, looks like he’s alone.”
I look that way. A car is already pulling up outside Ophelia’s building. The engine cuts off and the door opens. Michael climbs out. I point my gun at him but a passing bus blocks my view just as I’m about to fire.
I curse under my breath as the bus passes by. He’s out of sight now. He’s already inside. I get out of seat and cross the road, breaking into a run. I need to reach him before he gets to Ophelia.
I can see the elevator doors sliding shut. Can I get up the stairs faster than he can ride the elevator?
Only one way to find out.
Forty-Three
Ophelia
Turns out my gut isn’t always right. I thought I might never see him again. Ten minutes later he’s here.
When he knocks on the door, I’m trying to work on my book, hoping to lose myself in research so I can stop thinking about where he is and what he’s doing.
I didn’t hear him buzz downstairs. Cathy must have let him in but forgotten to tell me. That’s my first thought when I hear the knock on the door.
But she’s in the shower, singing to herself. I can hear her when I walk out of my room and across the apartment to open the front door.
I take a look through the spyhole and it’s Vincenzo, covered in blood.
