Page 7 of Dangerous King (Savage Kings of New York #2)

I stand, flick open the lighter, and hold it in front of my face for a second. The flame dances in my eyes, and the fear in Ringo's intensifies. I step back. "Burn in hell," I say, and drop it.

The fire kisses the gasoline and roars to life with a hungry, wicked sound.

It devours him, fast and greedily. I don't look away when Ringo writhes in pain, muffled screams coming through his gag.

The stink of burning flesh assaults my nostrils, and the air is filling with thick smoke, burning my eyes and lungs.

Silvano grabs my arm. "We need to get out of here. "

I allow him to lead me to the stairs, from where I take one last look at the burning husk that was once Ringo. He's still twitching, but it won't be long.

"Find Roberto," I order flatly. "Alive."

Silvano tilts his head. "And if he's not?"

My jaw ticks. "Then I'll bury the entire fucking bloodline."

But even as the words leave my mouth, the weight of what I've done tightens across my chest. Giovanni's disappearance won't go unnoticed. It doesn't matter, capo or not, he crossed a line when he laid hands on my sister; not that that will matter to him .

Edoardo.

The self-appointed king of kings. The so-called Capo dei Capi. That sick bastard won't care that Giovanni deserved what's coming to him, only that I lit the match without his blessing. Toni's been warning me for years. Edoardo won't stop until he breaks us all.

Back then, I didn't want to believe it. I told myself we still have order. That there was still some code left in this world. But tonight? That illusion is ash. Just like Ringo. But if Edoardo decides to make an example of me for this... I may have just painted a target on my entire family.

Fuck.

"Find out more about that girl, Cat," I tell Silvano, who falls in step beside me.

She's not just a maid. Not just some quiet girl tucked away in the Giordano mansion like furniture no one's allowed to touch.

There's more to her. I saw it in the way she moved, how hyperaware she is, cautious, always scanning her surroundings even after I told her she was safe.

That kind of vigilance isn't born and doesn't fade overnight.

Giovanni kept her to keep her father in line. That makes her not just a hostage, she's leverage.

And that changes everything.

If she's been in the belly of the beast this long, she knows things. The kind of details no one sees on paper. Habits. Schedules. Weaknesses. If she's talking to me, she's a threat to the Giordanos. If she trusts me, she's a weapon.

She could be just the wedge I've been waiting for. Not just to unravel Giovanni's house from the inside, but to get eyes on Edoardo.

Toni has been talking about it for years, about how Edoardo's been orchestrating all the conflict, keeping the rest of us too divided to challenge his throne.

I used to think Toni was paranoid until another capo killed his father.

When there were no repercussions against Carlos, except that Edoardo took his LA territory and gave it to Toni, my eyes started to open.

Edoardo even forbade Toni from taking vengeance. Threatened the entire DeLuna family.

Now that Giovanni has taken Izzy? I see it for what it is.

Calculated chaos. Divide and conquer.

Unfortunately, burning one family to the ground isn't enough to topple an emperor. I'll need more allies. But who? Except for Toni's, I don't trust any of the other families enough to align with them. If Edoardo so much as suspects I'm coming for him, he'll turn every capo in the city against me.

He'll try to have my throat slit. He'll organize someone to kill me, just like he did with Toni's father. If it were just me who was in danger, I wouldn't give a shit, but whatever threat is coming my way will be gunning for my entire family.

I need to be careful and think strategically .

Better yet, get married.

My father has been pressuring me for years to get married, to solidify our family's blood ties with those of another capo.

That's power, son , he said. I scoffed because I wasn't ready, but now, I'm starting to see his point.

It can't be Guiliana, Toni's sister; he and I are already thick as blood.

Sophia, Carlos's daughter, is already married to Roberto.

I rub the bridge of my nose in thought… once I get my hands on that son of a bitch, she'll be a widow soon.

There's no way that slimy bastard wasn't involved in Izzy's kidnapping.

Toni will take care of the old man, Carlos.

His surviving son, Marcello, the one I just asked for help with Cat's parents, is an unknown.

He built his own organization in Italy, but now he's back and the heir to the Orsi family.

As a brother-in-law, he'd be more inclined to join Toni and my ranks.

So yeah, Sophia sounds like a good choice. An excellent choice.

So why the fuck am I hesitating?

Because someone else won't leave my mind.

Uninvited, Cat's amber eyes flash across my vision, haunted, steady, and not nearly as afraid of me as she should be. I shake my head. I don't even know who the girl is. She's not my type. Too skinny. Too quiet. Too young.

Too full of secrets.

And yet...

She went into the fire for my sister. I need to know why.