Page 49 of Angel

The tired look on Dominic’s face told me he and Pops pretty much had this exact same conversation before I arrived.

I folded my arms. “And what’s Moretti going to do? What can he do to her or any of us?”

“You know exactly what he could do. You like Paige? Try to help her keep her pulse. He’d go as far as he needs to, just to send a message, to put everyone around on notice that no one gets to interfere in his affairs.”

“Why would he kill Paige is he wants her so much?”

“He may want that woman, but he wants power more, and has no problem with making sacrifices to get it. He can bring serious pain on this family, destroy our connections, and at a time like this, we need all our life lines.”

“You could do the same to him.”

His eyes narrowed. “I won’t. I have no interest in starting a war. Do you really intend on putting your entire family in danger over one woman?”

Something in me wavered, but only for a split second. I would protect them all. Including Paige.

“Think about it, Angelo.”

“If I knew all of this about the Bianchi’s when it happened, I could have done something. Too many years have gone by. Moretti has become too powerful in Europe.”

There might be some other way. Some kind of trade.”

Pops shook his head. “Angelo.”

“He loves money more than anything. Why not try to bargain with him?”

“Just suggestingthat to him is playing with fire, don’t you see?” His voice rose. He was losing his patience. “Moretti thinks we’re allies, Angelo. To even ask for something like this is showing our hand too soon.”

“He has to understand.”

“No! He does not!” He slapped his palm against the chair’s arm.

The room grew dead quiet. I knew it then. The discussion was over.

Alone. I was all alone in this. My plan to make an exchange wouldn’t pan out without Pops. I could go to Moretti on my own and make the offer, but if that would put my family at risk. I couldn’t be in six places at once.

“I’m sorry,” Pops concluded. “Let it go. There’s nothing to be done.”