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"What is it, Ashton?"
"I've got news about your son, sir." His eyes flicker over to Daisy. "Should we…ah…talk in private?"
I shake my head once. "Daisy is the one in danger. She should hear everything, too."
To Ashton's credit, he doesn't even hesitate at my declaration and launches into the speech about what they've managed to find. "Of course, sir. We finally found out which family was helping Carlo out. It's the Cirilo family, sir."
Fuck. Instinctively, my arm goes around Daisy's shoulders, pulling her closer to me, as if she needs protecting right here and now. The Cirilos are young wannabes, but that inexperience is more often than not more dangerous than the old families. They have little to lose and no interest in making allies. Shoot-first-ask-questions-later types.
Ashton continues, "Our informant tells us that Carlo offered, once he becomes the head of the family, to share the wealth if they agreed to kill Ms. Linden."
Daisy trembles next to me, her hand coming up and clutching my shirt. It makes my heart squeeze.
"Carlo has decided that since you have no intention of allowing him to take over the family, he’ll need backup.”
"What can we do?" Daisy's voice is so quiet that I'm half-certain I imagined it. She sounds so small and helpless, and the part of me that is still the beast from my youth wants to rip Carlo's heart from his chest with my bare hands. It might kill me to hurt my son, but Carlo is so far gone from the boy I raised, I can barely reconcile the two.
"But why go through all this trouble to hurt me?" Daisy asks, voice tremulous. "I didn't steal from him. I didn't!"
"Of course not, Ms. Linden, but it appears that Carlo owes the Cirilo family a significant amount of gambling debt, and they bought his story about you stealing all his money hook, line, and sinker. I don't know what he thinks will happen if they find you and discover that he lied and that he's actually broke, but it seems like Carlo is panicking. He's in the mindset where he's just worried about surviving day to day. It makes him erratic and dangerous. Reckless."
"Thank you, Ashton," I tell my right hand, who nods curtly. "Keep searching for him. He's hiding somewhere, and we will find him."
Ashton nods again and leaves Daisy and me alone. It's impossible not to feel her trembling, and I tighten my grip on her shoulders, turning her to face me. "You're safe, sweet girl. There are plenty of men here guarding the estate, and no one gets in and out of here unnoticed. Carlo is not getting within an inch of you."
"He's your son," Daisy whispers, her eyes wide. "How could he do all these things? Why me?"
I don't have an answer for her. The old adage is true: blood is thicker than water, but not always. "I don't know, sweet Daisy. Carlo...I don't know. But you are under my protection, and I will die before he harms a hair on your head."
There's a flicker of emotion in her eyes, something I can't read. Her lashes sweep down, and her voice is soft, almost shy when she speaks. "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." Then her gaze shoots back to mine. "But what about everyone at the restaurant? Marie, the other chefs, Mario...are they in danger?"
My chest feels tight at her words. God, someone wants to kill her and all she can think about is the safety of others. People she barely knows.
"I'll tighten security, but even as it stands right now, a Cirilo goon would have to be insane to try and hurt you or anyone else in the very heart of my family's empire. Il Fiore is untouchable...if they value their lives, that is."
Daisy lets out a relieved sigh and gives me a tentative smile. "Good. That's good."
"Come, sweet thing," I say, dropping my arm and instead wrapping my fingers around hers. "It's been a long day. I think it's time for a bath, and then bed."
Her eyes change from fearful to curious—excited, even—until I call out for Elena. No matter how much I had been looking forward to spending the evening alone with Daisy, Ashton's information means I have work to do. I'm far from the only Falcone, and if another family thinks they're going to go toe to toe with us, I need to inform everyone.
Elena appears quickly, and I instruct her to draw a warm bath. "Run the tub for Miss Linden and get her anything she needs before bed."
Daisy's expression falls, and I lean down, whispering into her ear, "I promise to make it up to you, sweet thing."
She shivers, and I grin. Oh, how I plan to make this good for her.
* * *
Despite the late hour, most of the Falcone associates I call are more than happy to come out. We all understand the business and the fact that it has no schedule.
Some arrive within the hour, some the following morning, but by the time the sun rises, nearly all the important heads in the organization have been briefed.
They all agree with me. This is a foolish attempt at a takeover by a cocky upstart.
I'm not naive enough to believe that Carlo is the only one behind this. It's a child's ploy, one meant to distract me and cause the Falcones to divide. Carlo is just too inexperienced to realize he's being used as a wedge meant to drive the Falcones apart. He thinks he's the mastermind behind it all, but in truth, he's just another puppet, and I have no doubt that the Cirilo family would use him as a bullet sponge at the first chance.
Carlo may be a fool, but I'm not.
