Page 97 of A Madness of Crows

“They’ll be here.” I have no doubts when it comes to Luciano Morelli and his loyalty. Not anymore.

I scan the grounds for a sign of our enforcers, but Rocco and Johnno have vanished into the darkness.

Gio bounces lightly on his feet, stretching. Then he pauses. “They’re coming.”

Sprinting, in fact. They race toward us, heads down as they put as much distance between themselves and the wall as possible.

“Down.” Rocco bellows it, waving his arms at the men behind us. “Get down!”

We hit the ground a split second before the explosives go off, and I shove my hands against my ears. They ring as deep holes appear in the wall with flares of light, sections collapsing slowly to the ground. Shouting and several screams begin to fill the air as the scent of motor oil floats across the space between us.

I don’t wait for it to clear before I’m up, roaring orders at the men behind me, telling them togo.

Gio is next to me as we race for the massive holes blown through the walls of the Asante estate.

Already, they’re rallying. A small army of black-clad men pours from those holes as they lift their weapons.

I lift my own gun, aim it at one of the closest soldiers. The sound of gunfire echoes over the smoke.

He drops.

One down.

Hundreds more to go.

Day 100 - Caterina

Cecile chokes.

A line of red opens up against her skin, bright crimson drops beginning to spill over her neck, her chest, flecking her amethyst dress as she staggers, her eyes locked on me.

I assess her coolly as she drops to the floor, her fingers clawing. Garbled sounds come from her throat. “Your carotid artery has been severed. You have around ten minutes before you die, Cecile. And you’re going to feel every single one of them.”

Stefano is pale when I turn to him, his eyes moving between Cecile and Salvatore. “Cat – how did you—,”

I hold up my nails as a response. “The girl at the bar. The nail polish contains something that creates a temporary paralytic effect.”

Frankie Costa.

“We’re leaving.” My voice tight, I turn to check on Salvatore. “But not before I tie up some loose ends.”

A low sound comes from him as I reach forward and rake my nails down his cheek. Skin splits open in my wake.

Stefan grabs my wrist, turning my hand over to reveal the cuts in my palm from the glass shards. The sting barely registers. “What about Alessia?”

My throat tightens. “Luc will get her out. If Salvatore is dead, he can’t push Matteo to use her against me.”

One hundred days.

One hundred days of hell, and I am goinghome.

And if they don’t have Alessia, I will go for her myself.

His dark eyes fix on my face, his expression slipping into readiness. “Where do you want me?”

I open my mouth—

The room shudders. I almost lose my balance, Stefan’s arm keeping me upright as something resembling thunder shakes the floor beneath our feet. The candles on the table collapse, flames flickering out. One sets the cloth alight.