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“I can’t do this alone.”
“I know, and you’re not going to. I’m coming back,” I assure her once more. I don’t plan on dying today. I want to see my son born and happy. I want to see her happy.
“Okay. You better.”
“I will.” I lean in and kiss her again, holding the back of her neck to keep her in place as I devour her lips with mine. I kiss her hard, not willing to let her go yet. But when I finally pull away, she’s breathless and beautiful. I run my thumb along her cheek as I smile at her.
“I’m coming home.” With that, I pull away from her and turn, heading for the door. The guys all pile out and climb into the vans waiting for us. My nerves are firing off one by one. I don’t know what Costa has planned for us, but whatever it is, we’re ready for him.
Chapter 24
The tension is thick. My heart beats rapidly as I climb from the van and walk toward our meeting place. I know he has men out here; I can feel them. Little does he know I do, too, and so does Margetti. This is it. This will be the end of the war that was waged between us. This will be the end of the Costa famiglia too. I can’t say I feel bad or that I’m sorry because I’m not.
I see Costa standing near the creek and walk over, coming to stand next to him.
“You came.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I just figured you’d send your men in to shoot and kill,” he chuckles. I laugh along with him.
“I promised your daughter, and I don’t break them. I won’t kill you,” I tell him once again. He turns to face me, a strange look in his eyes, but it quickly passes.
“Is that what you promised her?”
“It is. I want this to be over, Costa. I want to live in peace. I want my child not to have to worry over any future wars. We’re good with the other families, and I’d like it to be that way with the Costa’s as well.”
“And by other families, you mean all of them?” I nod my head.
“I have business dealings with most of them right now. The other’s, well, we agreed to stay out of each other’s way. It’s a win-win for us.”
“Then, by all means, let’s finish this,” he says.
“What is it you want?”
“The original deal I had with your father. I want to be involved in the Bianchi businesses.”
“I can’t agree to that. I don’t trust you, Costa. You tried to touch what belongs to me once before, and you think I’d trust you with businesses?” I ask him.
“This isn’t up for discussion, Luka. There’s one of three ways this ends today. One, you take my offer, and we run those businesses together. Two, you’ll be killed. Or three, I’ll be killed.”
“I’d like to opt for option three. My father trusted you, but I don’t. What kind of man would I be to turn over businesses to you when there is no trust?”
“So what do you want to do? How can I gain your trust, Luka?” I reach up and scratch at the scruff on my jaw, signaling to Margetti that I’m over this shit already.
“There’s no way to gain my trust, Costa. You ruined that when you touched Delaney.”
“Have it your way, then.” He raises his hand to run it through his hair when the shot is fired. Blood splatters from his head over my face before he thuds to the ground. Then shots are fired from all over. I duck behind a garbage can, wiping my face on my sleeve while I pull my gun free. I fire back at Costa’s men, watching out for any of Margetti’s when I hear Rigo.
“Luka, let’s move,” he roars. I shove myself up and follow him as we return to the car. I climb in, and Rigo jumps in the driver’s seat before we take off.
“Where’s Margetti?”
“He’s safe in his car.”
“Good.”
We drive out of there quickly and pull up to the abandoned warehouse, where I climb out and walk inside. The place is empty as I pace the floor waiting.
