Page 62 of Filthy Little Regrets (Princes of NYC #2)

forty

MACE

There’s never been a place for me in heaven. It’s for the good. The people who dedicate their lives to making the world a better place. I’m not that type of person, but as Cassia clings to me, her soft form pressing against me, I know it’s the closest I’ll ever get to nirvana.

She’s trembling so hard. As soon as I saw her heaving chest, her wide eyes, and the shake in her hands, I knew she was struggling.

I hold her tighter, trying to rip the panic from her chest, but that’s not how it works.

Sometimes her body is her own worst enemy.

Her hands are all over me, as if needing to make sure I’m really holding her.

She pulls back, those icy blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she inspects my neck, features softening the moment she realizes I’m truly okay.

“Mace,” she murmurs seconds before she collapses.

“Fuck.” I catch her, hooking my arm under her legs and holding her limp form in my arms.

“Well, that was dramatic,” Vito says with a shake of his head. “Fuckin’ women. ”

Anger on her behalf claws through me, and it’s all I can do to keep from laying her down and punching Vito.

Holding my wife, I watch him stroll into the house, stopping beside me and taking a puff of his cigar and lifting an eyebrow.

“Alec?”

The man standing a little too close to where my sister is sitting on the couch shifts. “There were only eight of them. They’re all dead, even Astor.”

Adalie stares at him. Eyes wide. Mouth parted, as if she wants to say something. But he cuts a look in her direction and she presses her lips together. What the fuck is that?

Vito pauses, eyeing Alec. “I thought I told you to leave Grigory alive.”

“It was unavoidable.”

Vito notices my sister for the first time and scowls. “Your wife failed to mention your sister was here.” He eyes me, gears spinning. “You know,” he begins, eyeing Cassia, then Adalie, “you and I need to have a discussion.”

“About what?” I ask through gritted teeth. He’s not getting what he wants.

He sneers. “You know my help doesn’t come for free. Adalie might help even the score.”

She sucks in a breath, understanding his meaning, probably remembering all the men Dad had been bringing around. I glance at her, worried she’ll faint, too, but my sister is steady, stronger than I ever expected, given the bodies surrounding her.

“I have a nephew,” Vito begins, moving closer. “And he needs a wife.”

Rage pours through me. “No.”

Vito shakes his head. “Your family is done telling me no.” He makes a gesture at Alec. “Kill him. ”

“No!” Adalie rasps, clutching the back of the couch.

Part of me expected her to hate me, considering I killed our father, but when I see the worry on her face, I know she doesn’t.

All that’s there is sisterly affection and terror at the thought of Vito’s men killing me. “Please don’t hurt him,” she begs.

Alec glances at his gun, looks at my sister again for three seconds too long, and tips his head. Adalie swallows, chewing on her bottom lip.

My hackles rise as he raises the gun, but his focus isn’t on me. I manage to step away from Vito right before the bullet hits the center of his forehead. Chaos follows the shot, Vito’s men—his former men—cussing, berating, and shouting at Alec. A few older guys lift their weapons.

Goddammit.

“Adalie, get down!” I shout.

Tony is already jumping out of the line of fire.

I take as much cover as I can, but the gunfight is over with four pointed pops that are followed by solid thuds.

Heart jackhammering, I shield Cassia with my body and glance around.

Adalie is fine. Her fingers are pressed to her mouth as she stares at the men who stepped forward to avenge Vito, now all lying on the ground, dead.

Copper is heady in the air, blood splatter and brain matter covering the marble.

“Look away, Adalie,” I tell her.

She rips her gaze from the bodies on the floor, her eyes colliding with mine before jumping to Alec.

I clench my jaw. Why does she keep looking at him like he’s some type of savior?

“Anyone else have a fuckin’ problem here?” Alec asks, voice level and low .

The men he leads as capo are the only ones left alive.

The younger guns all dip their heads. Over the years, he’s gained their respect.

Working side by side with them. From what I know, Alec was always destined for more than a capo.

He’s not like Luca. He was never going to be content under a leader who couldn’t even lead a gunfight.

Vito’s body swims in a pool of blood, and Alec holsters the gun.

“Adalie,” he murmurs, studying my sister with far too much interest.

There’s no way in hell that’ll ever happen. Vito’s nephew was bad enough, but Alec? No fucking way.

I brace myself for his next demand, but it never comes. He wrenches his gaze away from her, glances at me, taking in the hard set of my jaw, the bunching of my shoulders, and nods in understanding.

He approaches me. “How do you want to handle this?”

“My DNA is on Darius. That’s a problem.”

Alec sighs. “JJ.” He calls over one of his guys. “How much?” he asks me.

I glance at my sister and grimace, pitching my voice low. “Mostly his neck, but they had Adalie too. I don’t think they touched her?—”

A soft breath comes from far closer than where Adalie was sitting. I glance at her, pinching my eyebrows together. What has gotten into her today?

Adalie’s gaze moves between me and Alec, whose jaw is clenched tight, and her eyes narrow slightly. “They didn’t touch me. Not like that.”

“You should take your sister home,” he says, not bothering to look at her. “We’ll make it look like Darius was caught in the crossfire of bratva bullshit.”

“There are contracts,” I tell him. “They’re not signed, but they need to be destroyed, otherwise it looks bad for the Marinos.”

Cassia must have filled them in on all the details, because Alec doesn’t even flinch in surprise. He simply nods. “Get your wife and sister home.”

“What about you?” Adalie asks. “Are you in danger for killing Vito?”

My expression turns incredulous. She’s not stupid—she knows what’s going on—so why is she questioning the man who just murdered the Marino boss?

Alec clenches his fists, his attention cutting to me instead of her.

His intentions are clear as day. He’s done taking orders, and once this mess is handled, the underboss is probably dead too.

Mafia takeovers are bloody, a lot of people die, but it’s what has to be done to secure his place as boss.

“Get her out of here,” he says, voice rough and irritated. He turns away as he and JJ plan how to deal with all the bodies.

My younger sister’s features press together, confused, curious...and something else I can’t quite put my finger on as he walks away. This is not a safe place for her. We need to go.

“Adalie?” I ask as Cassia begins to stir, a soft groan coming from her.

The sound snaps Adalie out of whatever trance she was in. She blinks, her face crumpling and eyes filling with tears. “Can we go home now?” she whispers, voice shaking.

My chest clenches at the sight of her vulnerability. She’s been through so much in such a short time. Seeing so many dead bodies in one day has to be a mindfuck, not to mention the fact that she was held against her will.

“Let’s go,” I tell her, and look over at Tony, who is watching the mafia men like they might turn on us at any second. He needs a bonus and a vacation.

“Mace,” Cassia murmurs, blinking awake. “You’re safe.”

I smile down at my wife as I carry her out of the house. “You think I’d leave this world without you?”