Page 212 of Caught in the Crossfire

I head-butted thecapo, disorienting him, and then I kicked him off me. I followed, wrapping my hands around his neck and squeezing. He scrambled, scratching and kicking, to get free. When he lost enough oxygen that his fingers became weak, I snatched the knife and dragged the blade across his neck. He gurgled his lifeblood onto the floor.

Fuck.

I sat back, pressing a hand to my side and holding in my groan.

Blood gushed beneath my fingers. My eye was already swelling shut. Everything hurt. I slumped to the side while trying to catch my breath. How long did I have until I passed out from blood loss?

I looked around the room. I had nothing, and no one. My house—the one safe haven I’d had my entire life—no longerbelonged to me. The Camorra were on the move. My heart sank to my feet when I caught sight of my father’s watch face, shattered, the time stuck at the moment my life utterly fell apart.

I struggled to my feet with a groan, hoping for a plan to take shape in my head, but for the first time in my life, I came up empty.

69

LEONA

Isat down on the couch in the living room, nursing a glass of wine after a lovely dinner with all my men. Cas was right. We needed this night off.

In the kitchen, Cas and Ciel were doing dishes while Ryuji and Wynn put away leftovers. They’d kicked me over here to pick a movie while they cleaned, and I was just flipping through the streaming apps when Obi got a call from Samuel Achebe, our lawyer.

“Your interview with the FBI is tomorrow,” he said when they hung up.

“Of course it is,” I said with a laugh while I took a drink. I picked something easy to watch because we’d likely be up discussing this new development. It never fucking ended. “Can you go with me?”

“Yes,” he answered, brushing his fingers through my hair. “Samuel said it would be best if only one of us came with you, but we should still expect resistance from the agency. He believes they’ll try to corner you to speak alone.”

“I can set up my .50 caliber somewhere,” Ryu offered from the kitchen.

“Please do not snipe any federal agents,” I said.

“Boo.”

I exhaled through my nose. “They said my father was acting as a confidential information, but for what, I still have no idea. Did Samuel say anything?”

Obi shook his head. “No, but he suggested we let him do the talking.”

I frowned down at my wine. “I have this feeling they’re going to ask me to start doing the informing.”

“That’s what I was thinking, too.”

My mind immediately flipped to Max. If my father was tattling, he had to be tattling on someone. Maybe he was trying to get Max in trouble? To take Max out before Max could take him out?

Maybe the feds would want me to do the same.

As soon as the thought went through my head, I knew I’d never do that. The mafia operated onomertà,the code of silence. It was one of our most strict rules and beliefs. We did not snitch to law enforcement. I would never sell Max out, even if it meant eliminating him as one of our enemies.

I’d just have to wait and see what they said. Whatever it was, Obi and I could handle it.

“Well, should we make a plan?” I asked.

A sly smile overtook his face. “Actually, why don’t we deal with that in the morning? I’d rather talk about something else. A surprise.”

“A surprise?” Ciel asked from the kitchen.

“What kind of surprise?” Wynn wiped his hands on a towel, and the rest of the guys came closer.

“In light of our home’s location becoming known to our enemy, I made a purchase with which I think we will all be pleased.”

The grin stretched across my face. “Did you buy a new house?”