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Tony shrugs. “You wouldn’t make that mistake.”
He walks to the end of the hall, opens the door to the veranda, and steps out.
“Stay sharp,” I call out to Tony, my voice barely above a whisper. He nods once before disappearing into the shadows, leaving me to confront the gathering downstairs.
Tony is right. There are too many entrances to this house. It’s not a fortress like our home in Chicago. Even if someone managed to get inside, we have a panic room, so I know my family will always be safe.
The fact my closest men have all made the journey here means they all know of Don Abruzzi’s betrayal. Walking into the kitchen, sitting around the dining table are Lorenzo, Marco, Stefano, Jonas, and Dane, who sits at the head.
“Thank you all for coming,” I begin, my voice low but firm. “I know how much you’ve sacrificed to be here.”
Lorenzo stands and briefly embraces me. “We would burn it all down a hundred times over to be here with you.” He lets me go and resumes his seat.
“Can I get you a coffee, Sal?” Dane asks.
“I’ll get it.”
Opening a cupboard, I pull out a mug, pour myself a cup, and take my seat at the other end of Dane’s table.
“What’s the plan?” Stefano asks.
“I’m just waiting on a call. Until then, we sit, we talk, and we wait.” Dane leans back in his chair.
Most of the men at this table answer to me, so understandably, Marco clears his throat and looks me in the eye.
“Sal?”
Wanting to appear as though we are a united front, I nod. “This is Dane’s home, his town, and he’s who alerted us to Don Abruzzi’s betrayal. So, we do as he says.”
Lorenzo raises his eyebrows and states, “Waiting isn’t my strong suit.”
Marco barks out a laugh. “If you hadn’t told us, I would never have known.”
Sitting forward, Lorenzo scowls at him. “Like you’re any better at sitting around.”
Marco drags a shoulder up to his ear, takes a sip of his coffee, and winces. “This tastes like dirty dish water.” He looks at Dane. “Do you have ground coffee beans? I’ll make another pot.”
“Tastes fine to me,” replies Jonas as he slurps the brown liquid.
Marco frowns. “Do you have no taste buds at all?”
Dane’s phone rings, and we all lean forward. “Yes?” He looks at me and nods. “Excellent” Dane ends the call. “We’re good to go.”
Stefano claps his hands together. “Ahh, it’s nice when things come together. A road trip?”
Dane rises. “Yeah.” He carries his cup to the sink. “Jonas, make sure those who are left behind are with us, yeah?”
“I vetted them myself. We can trust them,” Jonas replies with conviction.
“Good. Sal, you ready?”
“Our families are safe?”
Dane shifts his weight, his posture tense as he meets my gaze. The moment stretches out between us, heavy with unspoken fears.
Finally, Dane speaks, his words carefully measured, “I’ve made sure they’re protected. We’ve got people guarding them around the clock.”
Marco barks out a laugh. “And don’t forget Tony. He’d use his last breath to protect your wife and children.”
