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“I don’t have all the details, but I got to say, you finding that key is a miracle,” Sebastian says.
“Why New York?” Thunder asks.
“All I know is that Risk, Guard, and Demon are waiting for us for a private meeting with Raffaele Di Morte and his consigliere, Ivo. Reno and Guard want you to hand over what you found directly to the rightful owner.” That’s all Sebastian knows. He waits for us to buckle in before giving the go-ahead for takeoff.
Thunder can see my apprehension. “Guard wouldn’t put us in a dangerous situation.”
“Not intentionally,” I whisper.
“There’s history betweenNostra Casaand Satan’s Pride. The bond goes so deep that I would bet my life that Reno would never put Risk, Guard, or any of us in a dangerous situation. This is the end, baby.”
“That would be a relief,” I breathe. I dare to hope that this will soon be over.
TWENTY-TWO
It’s Over, Baby
ROSE
I’ve never been to New York. The hustle and bustle of the city and the loud honking of irate commuters isn’t something I would want to get used to. But the beauty of the architecture of the buildings and the grand theaters would be something I’d want to explore.
We seem to be traveling outside the city limits to an industrial area. It’s another half hour before the limousine stops at a gated security fence. The guard moves closer as Sebastian rolls down his window, and he immediately opens up and allows us through. As we approach the warehouse, I become increasingly nervous.
This reminds me of a scene in a gangster movie. The kind where guns are drawn and, in the end, bodies are splayed on the ground, riddled with bullets. I look at Thunder, unable to hide my concern.
“I would die before I let them hurt you,” he says as the car comes to a halt.
“I’d rather none of us die,” I murmur. Guard and Risk are standing together with several other men. They all seem to be friendly, and Risk flicks his hand, gesturing for Thunder and me to join him.
“You ready, Rosie?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I expel a heavy breath, taking Thunder’s hand, feeling his encouraging grip as he guides me up the steps to meet the others. When Guard turns to face us, his expression gives away nothing.
We reach the top of the outdoor steps, on the platform where a pair of large bay doors are open. Inside, the place is stacked with crates nearly as high as the ceiling, and neat and organized. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, except it’s Saturday and no one is here working.
“Gentlemen, this is Thunder and his woman, Rose,” Guard nods toward us and continues with his introductions. “This is Nero, and his right hand, Luciano.” Both men give a solid hello. “You’ve heard us talk about Reno,” he says, pointing to the man on his left, then he indicates the man next to him. “And this is Dante, Reno’s other brother.”
Reno extends a hand. I place mine in his. He’s being gentle and must sense my nervousness. “A pleasure, Rose. I’m sure this situation has been worrisome, but with any luck, this all ends today,” he says with an encouraging smile. Reno is an extremely handsome man, with dark hair and dark eyes, a defined jawline, and perfectly groomed hair. He also seems very sincere.
“This business will be done,” Dante says. He looks like a carbon copy of Sebastian, with the same blond hair and light eyes. If it weren’t for their own distinctive style, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. Where Sebastian is more outgoing and has more flair to his clothes, Dante seems more reserved and dresses in the same manner as his older brother, Reno.
“Thanks for stepping in and helping us out,” Thunder says to Reno. He then turns to Nero and Luciano. “I want to thank you guys as well, for setting this up.”
“We want to keep the peace and this truce in place. Seems to me that Rose here got roped into something she knows nothing about. We’ll save the rest for when Raffaele arrives, but I’m certain he’ll appreciate what we’ve discovered,” Nero says. Nero is younger than the others, yet he seems wise.
“I’d just be happy to get this done,” his friend says. Luciano is lighter in coloring, and you can see that these two men are inseparable.
As hot as all these men are, not one of them holds a candle to Thunder. It’s not just that Thunder is exceptionally gorgeous, it’s in the way he knows what I need before I do. He’s protective, but in a way where I feel safe and I can still be who I am.
“Luce, you’ve always been the patient one,” Nero ribs, playfully poking an elbow in Luciano’s gut.
“Except I have a baby teething and Grazia is losing her mind,” Luciano says, glancing at his watch.
Nero rolls his eyes. “Felicia and your mother are both with her.” Luciano ignores his friend, takes out his phone and taps out a message. After an immediate bleep back, he relaxes when he glances at his screen.
“Finally, we can get this over with,” Reno says. He raises his eyes at the Escalade coming through the gates and rolling to a stop beside the other parked vehicles.
I gasp at the height and breadth of the two men emerging from the car. They’re massive! They look like heavyweight prize fighters who would not only beat you in the ring, but would do it just for shits and giggles.
