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Goddamn, I hated the ruse. I’d also learned that patience would never be a virtue. At least for a man like me who was far too jaded.
Granted, there hadn’t been a second that Christiana had truly been alone, even if it was likely she believed I’d abandoned her. The game of cat and mouse was getting out of hand.
But today, it ended.
It didn’t matter there were enemy soldiers surrounded the building. I knew of a secret passageway inside. The plan wasn’t to create the scene of a massacre given the number of guests sitting in the pews. That would mean significant loss, something that our organization would be blamed for, not the Bianchis.
“You’re sure you’re ready for this?” I asked Ralph as we headed into the passageway.
“Boss. I’ve been back to work for days. You knew I couldn’t stay away.”
I laughed, shaking my head then glancing at Viper.
“He’s tough. I told you,” Viper said, having served alongside the man as well in the Marines.
“If your wife tracks me down on my honeymoon telling me you’ve further injured yourself, I will be pissed,” I told him. When I heard him sigh, I bristled from the callous words. Ralph’s wife had been ill.
“She won’t, boss. She knows how important this job is to me. To us.”
Fuck. I glanced at Cayman, making a mental note to arrange a special trip for the two of them. They deserved time to spend together.
We headed through the darkened catacombs, and I couldn’t stop fuming. The news reports had splashed my bloody murder and Maxwell’s horrific injury on every local television station and internet newspaper. In addition, we’d made the Today Show, which I thought hilarious. In our time of crisis, we’d become noteworthy. There were reporters not in the know who’d have egg on their face in the morning.
We neared the opening to the area where Christiana was being kept. Everything was in position but that didn’t mean something couldn’t go wrong.
I nodded to a group of my soldiers, who would do nothing but ensure that we weren’t bothered. Others were ready to take her father away for questioning when appropriate. I would torture the man until he gave up the truth about my son.
I’d waited for this exact moment, told Dante had gone into the room where Christiana had been patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin.
I stood in front of the closed door, unbuttoning my jacket yet keeping my weapon inside my pocket. I wouldn’t enflame the situation unless necessary.
Then I heard her scream and my patience was gone.
I burst into the room and in a split second had to comprehend what was happening. In the same amount of time, my hesitation was enough Dante grabbed Christiana’s arm, yanking her against him and backing away. He shoved the barrel of his weapon against her temple and took several steps backward.
Hissing, I already had my Beretta, holding it in both hands, leveling it at his head. Then I grinned. I should have known that best laid plans never went off without a hitch.
The other woman in the room pushed herself away, acting as if she was no one as she headed for the door.
“Keep her from going anywhere,” I instructed Cay.
“Gladly.” Cayman grinned as he stepped in front of the older woman, preventing her from leaving the party.
“Francesco,” Christiana managed, the shock in her voice evident.
“Did you really think I’d forget about you, babe? Not a chance. This stupid fuck thought he could have me gunned down. I must have nine lives.”
I walked closer, studying Dante’s shocked expression. Then I noticed the photograph on the floor, the one that been staged with the help of a local reporter who owed us a favor. When I stepped on it, I was certain I heard Dante growl. “I’m not that easy to kill,” I smiled.
Dante laughed, but I doubted he was amused in the least. “You always were hard to kill.”
“True. You should have figured that out when your brother died instead of me. Do you know how many bullets I put between his eyes? As if the man deserved any mercy for gunning down my friend.” The intent wasn’t to kill him, although I’d do so if necessary. It was to have him try to end my life, allowing for his arrest. However, I sensed he was nearing the end of his rope.
“Fuck you, Francesco. My brother was never fit to lead. I’m glad he’s dead.”
I laughed. “So much for family. Huh? So, it would seem you have something that already belongs to me.”
“You lost your right to her when you sent her away all those years ago.”
