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“Your associations with Giovanni Battaglia have to end. For your own safety.”

He loved her. That part had been real. She believed it. But he cut her lose, and at first she thought it was for him, now she was beginning to believe he did it for her.

Kei took her hand and helped her rise. He wrapped his arms around her. “We’re in this together, from now on.”

****

Fish hated many things but America topped the list. It was a noisy confusing place. People were always in a hurry. The women looked like men, and the men looked like women. A fucking wasteland of over indulgence. He sat behind the wheel of his rental car with a map spread across the steering wheel. He was told to park here, under the bridge and wait. He’d waited for over an hour. Could he have been wrong about the location? Fish crumbled the map and grimaced. It was all bullshit! He needed to get in and out of this country fast. He had no time to deal with the Americans to make his business happen.

A passenger van drove up. Two men jumped out of the back, one in a black and white sweat suit with a thick neck and fat jaws walked toward him. Was this the cousin of Angelo Calderone? The man opened the door and got in.

“We have everything,” he said in Italian not bothering with introductions. Fish glanced to the van and watched the men start to unload the products he needed to create the explosives.

“The bitch you want has a condo in Manhattan. Reporters are all over it right now, might be tricky so we got you this.”

The man had a bag with him, a shopping bag. He showed Fish some kind of uniform. “You’ll go in as a maintenance worker to do the job. My boys are going to work on getting you a badge for the building. From there you can come and go without issue.”

Fish removed a padded envelope from the glove compartment and passed it to the man. He then got out of the car and popped the truck. He didn’t need any help. He’d set the explosive and be home to Maria before they could find all of her body.

****

Mira stepped out of the bathroom and turned off the light. She was surprised that Kei kept some of her clothes there. She had a t-shirt and pajama shorts in his drawer. Did he think she was coming back to him? When she padded out into the loft she saw him standing near one of his windows sipping his tea. He turned and looked back at her. “Better?”

“I need my things.”

“Call Angelique. I have an idea.” Kei set his cup down.

“What kind of idea?” Mira walked towards Kei, and he threw his hand up to tell her not to. She glanced to the window and stepped back. A news van had found them. He was certain they wouldn’t look here. “Go upstairs. Let me handle the reporter. Call Angelique. Okay?”

She nodded and went for the stairs. Kei watched her. He winked. She smiled and climbed the stairs, hurrying to his room to avoid being seen.

****

Only Dominic joined him. He wasn’t ready to see the men. Word had been sent that Flavio had to meet with some of their friends in the Republic to address their concerns. The delay in Flavio’s return made Giovanni’s rage hot and fiery in his chest. He drank to keep a cool head.

Dominic rose and opened a cabinet. He then picked up a remote and turned on the television. Giovanni barely responded until he heard an American broadcaster. He glanced to the screen. The runway show was on. Mira’s fashion show. The scene switched to Mira and Fabiana being interviewed, then to Fabiana alone speaking to the press. A running tab beneath announced her death in a fireworks accident along the Amalfi coast.

“This is Flavio’s work?” Giovanni asked.

“He’s cleaning it up.” Dominic confirmed.

“Cleaning up.” Giovanni scoffed. “He thinks he’s Don. I’ve given him too much power and he’s turned on me.”

“I believe he did this for you.”

Giovanni cut his gaze to Dominic. “Is that what you believe?”

“Flavio has always done what is needed for the greater good. Giovanni, can you honestly say that you have a clear head with all that has happened? I’m loyal to you, all of us are, but we need you here, in this fight with us. I don’t agree with Flavio’s methods, but I understand why he went to the extreme. For Battaglia. For what we are poised to lose if we don’t contain that.” Dominic pointed to the television screen.

“You want a leader?” Giovanni gave a bitter chuckle. “I’ll give you one.”

****

Over the years everyone, including Kei, joked that Angelique could be her twin. When his assistant wore her hair down and sunglasses, they were strong lookalike’s. The plan Kei hatched had to work. He wanted Angelique seen by the press in Manhattan. They agreed that she would return to her condo and collect Mira’s things and then have them brought to his office where he’d have his assistant bring them to his private airport. They would leave for Switzerland. She could escape the reporters and recover. It was a solid plan. Why did she still feel hopeless?

Mira turned the channel, flipping from one to another. Kei entered the room. He dropped on the sofa next to her, close to her. She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. Though she needed him, being with him again felt like a betrayal. As crazy as it sounded, her heart remained very loyal to Giovanni.

“Turn to the news.”