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My brother grinned. “It was bound to happen.”
“Besides, we’re already war-ready, so it’s not like we need that much of an advanced noticed,” Costas remarked. “I’m willing to bet that Schulz will have most of his men with him in a futile attempt to protect him. I don’t think that we’ll need to go far to hunt them all down.”
“He has a point,” Victor said, finally giving his two cents, feeling useful for the first time in ages. Everyone knew that Aurelio was my consigliere, regardless of the picture that Marco and Victor presented to the rest of the family.
“Then it’s decided,” Marco agreed. “We’ll let Morocco in on what’s going on, then we’ll all meet back here at six.”
“Go home and kiss your wives goodbye, gentlemen,” Elio smirked. “Shitis bound to get bloody tonight.”
As everyone began leaving the room, I called out to my father-in-law. “Renzo, do you have a moment?” Even though I’d phrased the words like a question, it hadn’t been, and he was wise enough to recognize that.
Hanging back, he waited until everyone else was gone. “What did youneed?”
I thought back to last night, and I was man enough to admit that I was still wrestling with the fact that my wife’s plan was to never love me if she could help it. When she had reiterated her promise to honor the original betrothal contract, I’d already known that there’d be a catch. Nothing was ever that easy, and when I was in love with my wife the way that I was, her withholding her love from me was the worst thing that she could probably ever do to me, even worse than cheating on me. While I would still kill any man that dared to touch her, everyone knew that nothing was more powerful than a woman’s love.
“I will pay you back the money that you delivered last night,” I informed him. “Kasen’s debts are mine, something that I’m sure you can appreciate.”
“I can afford any commitments that my daughter makes,” he replied smoothly.
“While I’m sure that you can, she is mywife,”I reminded him for the millionth time. “I need you to understand something, Renzo.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“The only reason thatI haven’t put a bullet through your head for your blatant disrespect is because of Kasen,” I told him truthfully. “If she didn’t love you so fucking much, your family would have buried you already.” His hazel eyes glittered with anger. “So, this will be the last time that I tell you to get your shit together. I am not going to spend the rest of my life bumping dicks with you, upsetting Kasen when she doesn’t need to be.”
“Don’t act like you care about her,” he shot back. “We both know the truth.”
A couple of inches shorter than me, I leaned down in my father-in-law’s face. “You don’t know shit about how I feel about my wife,” I snapped. “Nevertheless, whether I love her or hate her, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s my wife, Renzo. She belongs tome.”
“Fine,” he spat. “Just as long as you know that I have no problems dying for her.” I immediately knew what that meant. If Kasen asked him to help her escape me, then he would.
“I think now is a good time for you to take your leave, Mr. Milano,” I ordered, straightening before I killed him.
“I think that you’re right, Mr. Sartori,” he replied coolly.
After Renzo took his leave, I pulled out a cigarette and smoked that motherfucker like it was the only oxygen in the room. I felt calm yet out ofcontrol all at the same time, and I’d never felt this way before. I’d always been the levelheaded one. I was known for always being reasonable and ready, but I felt neither right now. I felt like Elio, ready to paint the streets red, not caring about any consequences that might come my way afterwards.
As soon as I finished my cigarette, I made my way up to my bedroom, and I took a seat in therocking chair, watching my wife sleep. Dr. Chapman had given her the good stuff, and after we’d fought last night, Kasen had fallen into a deep slumber, and thank God. Had she not been passed out on pain medication, she never would have let me hold her all night long like I’d had.
While I was confident enough to know that I was going to make it out alive tonight, avenging Kasen only strengthened my position as the Sartori Underboss. Tonight was not going to matter where Kasen was concerned. I could bring her a pile of bodies, and it still wouldn’t endear her to me. I’d lost any chance that I’d had with my wife, and now I needed to do whatever I could to fix that.
Chapter 32
Kasen~
While I looked like shit and was still sore as hell, that hadn’t stopped me from showing up to work this morning. Everyone had been so concerned about me after my horrible ‘caraccident’, and they’d been quick to offer their help if I needed anything. There’d also been some whispers of Ryan not showing up, but I had ignored those. Two days later, I still didn’t know how I felt about what I’d done. I probably still wasn’t done processing this weekend, but as of right now, I didn’t feel sorry for killing Ryan. It was hard to feel guilty when he had put my life on the line first.
I also hadn’t seen Nero since our argument Friday night. I had slept most of Saturday away, Dr. Chapman being kind enough-or ordered-to check on me throughout the day. It hadn’t been until I’d gone down to make some soup that I’d notice how eerily quiet it’d been in the house. There’d also been more guards stationed on the grounds than usual, and it’d only taken me a few seconds to figure out why. When I’d seen the missed calls from my mother, that’d been enough to confirm my suspicions.
At any rate, when I’d been ready to leave for work this morning, Rafael had been waiting for me, andhe hadn’t looked happy about it. In all honesty, I’d been surprised to see him still alive, but then when I remembered how replaceable I was, I just laughed instead.
Unfortunately for me, as soon as I’d shown up for work this morning, my secret had gotten out. Since Rafael refused to wait outside like before, I had tried to explain him away as my help while I was injured, but Rafael had quickly put an end to that when he had also mentioned that he was my guard and why. Though I’d been wearing my wedding rings for two weeks now, it was like no one had noticed until Rafael had mentioned me being married to Nero Sartori.
So, with Rafael sitting outside my office, my afternoon pretty much clear for a Monday, I actually thought about going home before the powersthat be divvied up Ryan’s work to the rest of us. No matter how good Ryan was at his job, the senior partners weren’t going to wait long for him to show up. Besides, refusing to wear a sling, I needed to get home, take some ibuprofen, then elevate my arm.
However, before I could pack it up for the day,Myra was walking into my office with a guy that was pretty good-looking if anyone were to ask me. He kind of reminded me of an older Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and what hockey players weren’t sexy?
“Oh, great,” she gushed. “You’re still here.”
