Page 69 of Caught in the Crossfire

Anthony crossed his arms over his chest. “The Don requested to speak with you, but only you and the woman are to be permitted. You’ll also be required to turn over your weapons as a show of respect.”

My men instantly balked at the idea, with both Obi and Ryu reaching for me. I held up a hand, and they paused.

“And what about a show of respect to me?” I asked.

Rossi was a Don.

I was a queen.

I stepped out from under Cas’s arm while pulling a knife from my thigh sheath. I sauntered closer while my men all tensed behind me. The Rossi Italians didn’t even look twice, like they couldn’t be bothered to even consider that I might be a threat.

Assholes.

Anthony stared down his nose at me while he reached for my knife. I flipped the knife through my fingers, away from his grasp, like I’d seen Ryu do countless times.

I lowered my voice to a whisper. A dare. “Take it from me.”

He flinched when I brought the blade to his scrawny throat. We didn’t have time for disrespect. If they wouldn’t let us in, then I’d cut my way inside.

Now I was interested. I wanted whatever Rossi had.

The man beside Anthony reached into his jacket but stopped moving when I cast him a withering glare. Behind me, Ryu cocked his gun. Waves of displeasure radiated from my men to Anthony and these goons.

Cas placed a hand on my back. His voice was monotone. “Rossi has asked for us. Go tell him we’re here.”

Anthony swallowed, pulling back slightly from whatever he saw on my face. “The Don will not be pleased.”

“Do we look like we fucking care?” Ryu snapped.

“Call him,” Cas said. “Or I’d be happy to. We’ll wait.”

Anthony stepped back and pulled a phone from his jacket, holding it to his ear. After a few moments, he returned slightly more pale than before. “The Don says Caspian and Leona Vero can enter with their weapons. The rest of you must stay out here.”

I rolled my eyes but looked back at my men. Rossi obviously had something he thought we wanted, or else he wouldn’t have reached out. Would he really lure us here to kill us or harm us?

Cas seemed to believe he was a good man. I trusted his judgment, even if Rossi’s men were making me murderous.

“Fine.” I tucked my knife back into my thigh sheath. I turned to the other goons. “Don’t do anything stupid, or they will kill you. I’m the level-headed one in the group.”

Ryuji snickered and grinned while Obi crossed his arms overhis massive chest and glowered. They looked positively menacing, and I smirked.

“Follow me.”

Cas and I followed Anthony into the restaurant. Behind me, just as we were walking inside, Cas whispered in my ear, “Rossi might be my friend, but you’re in charge. I’m just here for backup.”

The corner of my mouth pulled up as I looked at him. He didn’t realize how much those words meant, how they lit a fire inside my chest. It wasn’t very long ago that I questioned their belief in me, that I feared whether the men around me would follow simply because of who I was. But here Cas stood, showing me that no matter the circumstances, no matter what happened, he still believed in me.

I grabbed him on the forearm and pulled his ear down to my mouth so I could whisper without Rossi’s men hearing.

“I love you.”

He smiled crookedly, and his eyes sparkled. “Sempre e per sempre.”

Before I got lost in those deep ocean blues, I hurried after Anthony.

The first thing I noticed aboutNonna’swas the smell. It smelled like my childhood. Garlic and tomatoes and bread and seared meat. A notch in my defensiveness dislodged almost immediately. The restaurant itself was warm and inviting: wood tables lit by candles and small, intimate settings. Waitstaff bustled between filled tables, even though it was late in the evening. How long was this place open?

It was anactualrestaurant? Not just a front?