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“Please, Francesco. Let this be over. I can’t do this any longer.”
“I know, little dove. We won’t need to.” Who the fuck had betrayed me? There were only two people possible. As I locked eyes with Cayman, I sensed his nervousness. If I were the same man I’d been years before, I’d put a bullet in his head right now. But I couldn’t risk doing that.
As the door opened, Maxwell walking inside, he lifted his eyebrows when he noticed Dante’s body. Then he exhaled. “You’ve been busy. At least the bride to be is safe.”
“I’m not getting married,” she said in defiance.
Chuckling, I led her close to my godfather. “This is my brother-in-law, Maxwell, known to everyone else as Don Powers. He’s going to take you to one of our estates. Can you trust me?” I purposely didn’t say which one and fortunately, only Maxwell and Viper knew. To think I couldn’t place trust in my best friend, a priest, or my most trusted Capo was debilitating.
She glanced at Max, offering him a slight smile. “As long as there’s liquor. I need a drink.”
I couldn’t help but laugh even though I knew she was still in shock from learning about the death of our son. Again. “Trust me. You’ll find everything you need.” When I released her, Viper moved closer.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Christiana. This man has driven his entire family crazy for years pining away for you.” Maxwell grinned, relief on his face.
“You’ll need to tell me everything,” she said, as she glanced in my direction. There was still a haunted look in her eyes, the acceptance our son was really dead something she needed to heal from.
I wasn’t ready to do that just yet. A hell of a lot didn’t add up.
What she’d been told had gutted me all week, but the fact her father had removed any doubt about the possibility disgusted me. Then again, the fucker enjoyed playing games. One way or the other, I had plans on ripping her father’s heart out with my bare fingers.
“I do trust you, Francesco. It’s the rest of the world I don’t have any faith in,” she said with such angst in her voice that I was ready to carve her name into her father’s chest.
I watched as she was led out the door toward the awaiting vehicle. Max nodded once, trying to offer me some sense of comfort. Now wasn’t the time to let my guard down, not when the party was just getting started.
Viper moved closer, keeping his voice down. “I don’t have any updated news, Francesco. But my man found another dead end. Especially after what Christiana said, I think her father was using the information on your son as a tool. Just like I’ve thought the entire time.”
“Yeah, I know.” I glanced at Cayman who was more nervous than I was used to seeing him, continuously glancing at me as he arranged to have the German woman taken from the room. “But I need to know for certain.”
I noticed Ralph entering the area, motioning to Viper.
“Her father is on the way,” Viper said with a grin on his face.
“Good. Then we can end this bullshit.” I grabbed a chair, pulling it near Dante’s body, my men moving to the outskirts of the room.
I sat with my legs open, my weapon resting in one hand. When the door opened, the look of shock on Michael Lorenzo’s face was exactly what I was expecting.
“Come in. Join the party,” I told him.
“What the fuck is this? Where is my daughter?” It took him that long to glance down at the dead body. Then he realized what he was facing.
“Take a look around you, Don Lorenzo. You have nowhere to go. In fact, this city’s entire law enforcement apparatus and the other syndicates have been put on notice that you and the Bianchis are under the false assumption that you’re running the show now. I was surprised how helpful our mayor has been in directing the police commissioner to do whatever it takes to round up Dante’s and Roberto’s men. That is being done as we speak.”
I allowed for a dramatic pause, curious as to his reaction.
Deadpan.
He hadn’t gotten into a position of power without being able to hide his emotions. We were all good at it in this profession. Or at least the ones who’d succeeded.
I wasn’t certain where on the echelon to consider myself at this point.
“What do you want?” he finally asked, as if finally resigned to the inevitable.
“What do I want?” I jerked to a standing position, moving toward him slowly. I stood almost five inches taller, outweighed him by at least seventy-five pounds. As soon as I was within a few inches, he flinched. “First, let me tell you what’s going to happen. As the future husband of your bride to be, I will be acquiring your entire regime since you won’t be needing it any longer, given your upcoming prison term.”
“What?”
“Yes, you are about to be arrested.” I motioned to Cayman who opened the door even wider, allowing officers of the law to enter the room.
