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I march down toward the door, letting my anger worm its way to the surface, and shoulder one of the Sicilians out of my way. “Vlad,” I grumble.
“Yes, Donny?” He turns while still counting the incoming bags.
Crrrk!
The rusted gates at the top of the slope crash open. All activity comes to halt just as revving cars rush down the ditch. Sirens are blaring. Cop sirens.
“Fuck,” I say.
“You were followed.” Vlad’s tone is of quiet panic.
“Scatter! Get your investors out of here!” I look to the cars, where Scar and some of my crew are pulling out their guns, readying for a shoot-out.
Russians and men in suits scatter from the back of the building. Fat ones, skinny ones. All the scum of the earth with big dollars are waddling like pigs to their safe spots.
I almost laugh in disbelief when a yacht engine fires on below in the shipyard.
Calmness leaves me. My heart is pumping to the point I can’t hear the commotion.
My first job as boss… I shake my head. What did I miss? I thought of every angle.
I march out in the light confidently, telling my men to lower their weapons. All of the drugs are out of the cars already. Save for the speck of dust on one of the chairs from Vlad opening the bag, they have nothing on us… Unless the Russians left the product.
My brow furrows when a tall, thin man with a leather jacket gets out of one of the gate-crashing cars. He takes the siren off the top of his hood and flings it to another guy. T’ch… figures.
Paul Rickard, the dirty cop, and Marty Loophole – Ellie’s brother.
There are so many guns pointed at me I don’t even know where to look.
Marty struts forward, angry eyes on me. His patchy beard and stringy frame evoke nothing of what a traditional mob boss should look like, yet he squirmed his way to the top, somehow.
“Look who it is. The Valentino who took the bait.” The flashing siren lights illuminate Marty’s wicked smirk. “Daddy’s revenge blinded you, and now it cost you everything.” He clicks his tongue. “Such a shame the old feuds are.”
“How did you find us?” I drop to my knees and put my hands behind my head as the gunmen closely surround us.
“I tagged your car the day you rolled up on my sister,” Marty says proudly. “Compliments of my loyal dog, here.” He pats Paul on the shoulder.
“Bad business, Paul.” I glare at him.
“It’s a dirty game we play,” Paul fires back. “I had to pick the winning side. You understand.”
“And you. You sacrifice your sister to us? Where’s your fucking honor?” I spit at Marty’s feet.
He smiles wide at that. “I play unconventionally, Stallion. In a million years you would never have guessed I was onto you. Because in your little peanut brain, you think I care about family ties, or old rules. Look what happens when your mind is confined to a little box. It landed you in checkmate.” He paces in front of me, kicking dirt everywhere.
“I’m consolidating power, Donny. Apologies, but the Valentinos won’t be having a seat at the table. Now, where’s my lovely sister? Still in one piece, I hope?” He laughs. “Of course, she is. The investors like their little birdies intact.” He bends down so we’re eye-to-eye. His white teeth are too clean and his hands too manicured to be a boss. It infuriates me. “Hand her over.”
I glare at him and say nothing.
“Oh, big bad Donny silent all of a sudden? Not a good idea.”
The first punch went to my gut, and I grunted through it. Before I could attempt to strike back, his manicured fist popped my temple, making me see stars.
Chapter 18
Ellie
“Sal! Stop the fucking car!” I can’t turn away from the trail of sirens. “That was Paul’s car, I swear I saw him. And I… I think I saw my brother too.”
