Page 47

B oyd

Massimo and I tore through the streets of Las Vegas, looking for answers.

We didn’t find any.

Then we got a notification about Sarah’s podcast.

“There has to be something we can do!” I say angrily, kicking the table Cadence is sitting at hard enough that she has to grab her laptop. “Sarah isn’t doing that podcast! It has to be them!”

“I know!” Cadence whimpers, putting her laptop down and tapping away on the keyboard. “I’m trying. They’re bouncing the signal through proxies and VPNs all over the world. Right now, it looks like they’re in Uruguay. A few minutes ago, it was Brazil.”

Massimo hasn’t said anything in a while. He’s leaning against the wall, fingers clutching his hair, knuckles white. This is the same rage that boiled over after his first wife was murdered. But he had a target, then. Someone to go after. We’re just chasing a bunch of fucking ghosts.

And I’m angry too. Angrier than ever. I’m taking it out on everyone around me, including poor Cadence, who is just trying to help. She cares about Lea and Sarah, too. They’ve become close friends since Erica’s coup.

“What about that group you’re working with?” I ask, trying not to snap again. “Surely, they can figure this shit out. You said they’re almost as good as Solitude.”

“Yes, they’re helping. That’s the only reason I’m able to track the signal as well as I can,” Cadence replies. “Wait, one of them got into the traffic network. They can’t decode all of them, but they’ve got a few images.”

Cadence taps on her keyboard and several pictures pop up. She zooms in on a license plate and runs it, but it comes up to a shell corporation based in Russia. The people in the vehicle are dressed in the same gear as the ones we fought at the Bellamy residence, but there’s no sign of Sarah or Lea.

“Can we follow those vehicles?” Massimo asks.

“Trying,” Cadence calls out. “No, they… they split up at the next intersection. No way to know which one to follow. It’ll take too long to decode enough footage to follow them all.”

Cadence keeps working. Massimo and I keep seething.

I’ve broken my last disposable vape and snatched a pack of cigarettes from one of our guys.

I’m chain-smoking like a chimney right now, ready to tear this city apart to find Sarah.

But I need something to go on. When my sister got kidnapped, I had leads to follow.

Leads that didn’t require hackers or hacktivist groups.

The clock keeps ticking toward the live broadcast of Sarah’s podcast. There’s video this time, and Sarah never shows her face.

“The signal just cleared up,” Cadence says. “Oh, this is a trap. They’re not trying to hide it. I know exactly where they are.”

“Tell us,” I demand, slamming my hands on the table.

“I don’t give a fuck if it’s a trap,” Massimo growls, stomping over to where we are.

“It’s an old military bunker in the desert,” Cadence says. “They used to do nuclear tests there in the fifties, but the government abandoned it because it wasn’t far enough away from the city.”

“And you’re sure that’s where they are?” I ask, digging my fingers into the table.

“The signal is coming from there,” Cadence confirms. “I can’t say for sure, but… hold on. Maybe I can access the network.”

Cadence keeps typing. Massimo and I step away from the table and give orders to the Capos who are waiting to hear them. We’re bringing everyone, even the extra guys from Chicago, New Jersey, and New York. There aren’t many of them, but we’ll take all the help we can get.

“I’m in!” Cadence calls out, and we both rush back to the table. “They’ve got a camera set up.”

“Lea!” Massimo says, leaning close to the screen. “She’s there. Sarah’s with her.”

My heart clenches in my chest. Sarah and Lea are huddled together. They look scared. There’s no audio, but I can see tears on both their faces. I can see the words written on the wall behind them—in blood. I don’t know if it’s their blood, but the message is chilling, regardless.

“Let’s go get them,” I say, turning away.

Massimo nods and we leave the war room, other Capos, soldiers, and associates of the Morandi family falling into line. Rank doesn’t matter right now. Nothing does, except saving the women we love. If it’s a trap, it better be a damn good one, because we’re bringing hell with us.

“Boss!” a voice calls out as we get to the exit of Salvalagio. It’s Rowan. Massimo stiffens up when he approaches. “Don’t shut me out, lads. I know I fucked up, but you might need me.”

I glance at Massimo. I can see the rage in his eyes, but Rowan’s his best friend. And he’s right. We need everyone we can get. “Come on, boss,” I urge. “Can’t leave the meanest motherfucker in a kilt behind. Wouldn’t be right.”

“Fine,” Massimo relents. “Come on.”

We get another surprise when we step outside of Salvalagio. Leo . No collar. No rosary. Instead of a Bible, he’s holding an AK-47.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I ask.

“Lea saved my life, so if she’s in trouble, I can do more than just pray,” he says, chambering a round. “God’s just going to have to forgive me for not turning the other cheek this time.”

Massimo looks like he’s going to protest, but he doesn’t. He hugs his brother. I’m caught by surprise, because they were never that close, even before Leo turned away from the life he was born into.

“Guess this means the Four Horsemen of Las Vegas are together again,” I grunt, glancing at Rowan as Massimo lets go of his brother.

“Still prefer Musketeers,” Rowan says.

“Musketeers, horsemen, who gives a fuck,” another voice echoes. “And there’s five of us, not four.”

“Emilio!” Massimo turns as his youngest brother approaches. “I haven’t seen you since the wedding! Where the fuck have you been?”

“Had to get my head screwed on straight after everything that happened with Erica, but I’ve been keeping tabs on everything,” Emilio answers. “Good to see you, Mo. Let’s go get your wife.”

“And Sarah,” Massimo says, looking at me. “We’re bringing them both home.”

“Damn right we are,” I growl.

Massimo gets in his SUV and Emilio hops in the front. There’s not enough room for all three of us, so once Rowan climbs in the back seat, I turn toward my SUV and pull my keys out of my pocket, but Leo snatches them out of my hand.

“That’s a hell of a limp you got, Boyd,” Leo says. “Let me drive.”

I consider snatching them back, but he’s right. I could manage. I’d get there, even if my leg was about to fall off, but it’ll be easier to let him drive. I climb in the passenger seat. He tosses his AK-47 in the back and slides behind the wheel.

“Surprised you even remember how to fire one of those,” I rumble, motioning to the gun. “Actually, I’m surprised you even have one.”

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,” Leo smirks. “Psalm 144:1.”

“Pretty sure the good book isn’t encouraging you to go after Solitude and the Bratva,” I chuckle. “But it’s nice to have you by my side again. Even if it’s just for one day.”

“Missed me that much, huh?” Leo asks, cranking the SUV and peeling out behind Massimo. “You know how things were. I found comfort in what I could—in the words she found comfort in during her last days.”

“Yeah, I know,” I sigh.

Leo and I were best friends, back when we were young. I tried to be there for him after his girlfriend died, but I didn’t have the answers he needed. Nobody did. I don’t think God had them either. It just made him feel closer to her. Maybe that’s what he really needed.

“So, Sarah, huh? She seems like a lively gal,” he says. “Things getting serious, or are you still too scared to let anyone get that close again?”

“I love her, Leo,” I admit. “Might even ask her to marry me one day, if she’ll let me.”

“Guess I better start writing the wedding sermon,” Leo says, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. “But let’s get her back first.”

Once we get to the outskirts of Las Vegas, it doesn’t take us long for us to find the bunker.

The road is gone, but the ground is still fairly solid.

We find a spot to park and get out. Leo grabs his AK-47 from the back seat.

I pop the lift gate and grab my shotgun, then sling an assault rifle over my shoulder that is loaded with armor piercing rounds.

“Hold on, there’s a problem,” Massimo stops us, holding his phone up. I see Cadence on the screen. “Tell them what you told me.”

“Okay, since I had a way in because of the signal—never mind, you don’t care about the technical stuff.

Lea and Sarah are all alone in that bunker.

There’s nobody. I was able to tap into the security cameras inside,” Cadence hurriedly explains.

“The entire bunker is rigged with explosives. I went through the old footage and saw them bringing in a lot of fuel. I don’t think they needed that much to power a generator. ”

“Fuck,” I mutter. “Then that’s the trap. We go in, they blow up the bunker. We won’t even have a fighting chance. We’ll die with them.”

“It’s not on a timer. They’re using a remote,” Cadence continues. “I might be able to lock them out of their system, but that won’t buy you much time. Solitude can get through anything I put up to block them, so the best I can do is slow them down.”

“We’ll take it,” Massimo says, turning and giving orders to Dante.

My leg hurts like a motherfucker, but I ignore the pain and start walking toward the bunker.

Leo is on my right. Rowan is on my left.

Massimo is beside him. All of us are heavily armed, but it doesn’t sound like this will be the fight we’re prepared for.

I just hope we’re not leading the entire Morandi family to their deaths.

“The door is standing open,” Rowan says as we get closer. “They’re expecting us, aye. Hope that lass knows what she’s doing.”

“Only one way to find out,” Massimo says, gritting his teeth as he walks into the bunker.

If this is the end, I’ll die for the woman I love.

Probably should have asked Leo to read us our Last Rites.