AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Donny is six-feet of dapper muscle. His slacks are perfectly fitted, expensive loafers clink with metal buckles as he steps forward, and his demeanor might be even more dominating than my father’s. But if that were true, why would he be with these low lives?
“I’m sorry, Donny. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Fear oozes from Terry’s eyes.
A wolf is so confident around a lamb, and trembles in front of the pack leader.
Donny’s hands are in his pockets. “We went over this, Terry. No playing with the food, especially when it’s not yours.”
Food. Is that all I am?
Donny’s movements are calculated, the way he cracks his knuckles, prompting the last man sitting next to me – fake Furio – to climb out.
“Lift ’em,” Donny says calmly, and the two Sicilian thugs scramble to get Terry to his feet.
This is my only chance to escape. Even the mute driver is distracted – hanging one arm out the window to watch the exchange. I slither forward as quietly as humanly possible. I know there’s nothing but forest and dirt in every direction, but maybe if I wait them out long enough, I can jump back on the main road and hitchhike to somewhere far away.
I’ll change my hair again, maybe even save up for plastic surgery. Anything but this.
Wham!
Donny’s punch hits Terry like a rocket, and his head jerks back. All eyes are on Terry’s slack jaw. And as Donny winds up for another hook, I ready myself to hop out of the SUV.
Wham!
The crack of bone on bone masks my feet hitting the ground… or so I thought.
Donny spins on me and my breath catches in my chest. His eyes are lost in some rage-filled daze, and I’m terrified he’ll exercise it on me.
He’s the reasonable one, I tell myself.
My lips tremble. “Donny. Please.”
His cheek twitches. His lashes are so dark it looks like he’s wearing eyeliner, and his chiseled jaw makes him look like a model, though none of that matters. All that I feel is his presence. He can crush me with his pinky.
“Did you hear my deal? It’s in good faith.” My legs go weak.
He takes a step to overwhelm my space, and I feel as small as a pebble. “Your family stepped on mine for three decades, Ellie. It’s time for a change.”
Chapter 3
Donny
That bastard’s face busted my damn knuckles.
I hop back in the passenger’s seat and take stock of everyone behind me. Terry is tied up in the same wire as Ellie, and the crew is awkwardly silent. Good. They’ve been warned that one more peep out of anyone will see them all gagged. I need time to think.
Terry deserved that beating – sick bastard. And it has nothing to do with the crush I’ve had on that woman since high school. Still, too bad for her she never gave me a second glance.
Now, business is business.
My driver – Johnny the Scar Picatto – is an old loyal dog who can be counted on no matter what. He’s the only one I find comfort in. At first, I thought he was my dad’s eyes and ears for my crew, but he’s proven otherwise time and time again.
My dad is bitter about the Rigianos, and honestly? I can’t blame him. His whole underworld career has been in their deep shadow. Times are changing though. Decades in the sewers forced the Valentinos to adapt. The days of squeezing mom-and-pop shops are done. Credit Card fraud is nipped so quick it’s hardly profitable. Where does the Cosa Nostra turn next? Where we’ve been for years.
The black market.
Murder, extortion, trafficking, drugs, crypto, and laundering. All our specialties these days. We’ve done the unthinkable since no one regarded us. Now we’ve got more money than God.
But it came at a price.
