Page 33

CHAPTER 33

M assimo

I get the bullet out of my shoulder and Lea helps me wrap it in a bandage that immediately bleeds through. It’ll have to do. I need stitches, but I don’t have time for it. I grab a black button-down shirt from my bag, hoping it will make the blood less noticeable.

We make landfall at a fishing dock that is mostly deserted. I text Theo to let him know where the yacht is. I’ve got several fake IDs, so I use one of them to rent a car. That’s safer than getting it under my real name, or using Lea’s name, since I don’t know for sure that Theo will get rid of her bags in time. I’m not sure who I can trust right now other than him.

“Are you mad at me?” Lea asks nervously once we’re on the highway.

“I’m frustrated and angry, yes,” I snarl. “But not at you. Well, I’m not happy you told Sarah, and I’m definitely pissed about the hacker, but I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for you. I can’t believe Erica was involved in Layla’s murder.”

“Maybe she was forced?” Lea whispers.

“It’s possible, but I took care of the Bratva. If they were holding something over her, then she had no reason to fear them after that,” I mutter, still trying to make sense of it in my head. “Plus… she tried to take care of me after it happened. Most of my family kept their distance, but she came almost every day. I had to tell Emilio to keep her at home, because she was driving me crazy when all I wanted to do was drink. She was like a damn mother hen.”

It was annoying at the time. Now it makes me feel sick to my stomach.

Neither of us says anything for a while. The miles pass beneath us. I’m lost in disarray. Lea seems shell-shocked, and I’m not surprised. The sweet, innocent girl who came to Isola Selvaggia looking for an adventure certainly found one. I bet she never imagined her vacation would end with her stabbing a Mafia hitman.

“What are you going to do when we get to Las Vegas?” Lea asks timidly, finally breaking the silence.

“I don’t fucking know,” I mutter. “First thing I’m going to do is make sure you’re somewhere safe. After that, I need to talk to Emilio—or shoot him in the fucking face. I haven’t decided yet.”

“What about his wife?” she whispers.

“I don’t kill women,” I sigh. “But today, I might make an exception.”

It’s easier said than done. Erica is my niece and nephew’s mother. If Emilio had something to do with it, he’s a dead man. Fuck going to my father. Fuck doing it the right way. But Erica… I need to know more, and I can’t get those answers until we get to Las Vegas.

More silence. I’m okay with that right now. I have too much going on in my head for conversation. Too many questions I don’t have answers for. But my top priority is getting Lea somewhere safe. I can’t take her to my place, so I’ll have to use one of my safehouses. Luckily, I’ve got a few nobody knows about except Rowan.

When we finally get to Las Vegas, I see some wonder in Lea’s gorgeous green eyes, despite everything that has happened today. I wish I could give her the grand tour, but we don’t have time for that. Hopefully, I can do that after all of this is over. Whenever that is.

“My phone is blowing up,” I snarl, ignoring another call. “Word is spreading.”

“That’s not a good thing, is it?” Lea asks apprehensively.

“No, but they haven’t started shooting at each other yet,” I answer. “Emilio hasn’t made a move. I might be able to use that to my advantage.”

“What are you going to do?” Lea tilts her head inquisitively, and there is more concern than I can ease etched on her face.

“The less you know the better,” I say firmly. “I’m dropping you off somewhere safe. As long as you stay there, nobody will find you. If I don’t make it back tonight, it means something went wrong, and you need to get out of Las Vegas. Don’t go home.”

“Where should I go?” she asks.

“I’ll leave you some cash, directions to another safehouse, and a card for a woman named Jillian Morris. Tell her who you are. She’ll know what to do,” I instruct. “Understood?”

“Y-yeah,” she whispers, nervousness cracking her voice.

Lea can figure out the rest once she sees how much money she has at her disposal. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but precautions are necessary. Emilio hasn’t made his move yet. He could be expecting me to come for him and setting a trap. Or he could be planning to pretend he had nothing to do with it so he can try again after the dust settles. He doesn’t know the hitman talked to me—another thing I might be able to use to my advantage.

I turn into the driveway of my safehouse and open the garage. Once we’re safely inside, I turn off the car and hop out.

“I’d give you the grand tour, but I don’t have time,” I mutter, helping Lea out of the car and leading her inside. “Just stay here and remember what I said.”

I lead her straight to my office, open my safe, and leave it ajar. I pull Jillian’s business card out of my wallet, put it on my desk, and scribble the directions to the next safehouse on the back.

“Keys for the Bentley in the garage are hanging by the door,” I say. “It should have a full tank of gas.”

Lea rushes to me and wraps her arms around my waist. It yanks me out of my horrifying reality for a moment and I pull her into a warm embrace. I never thought I’d hold her again—never thought I’d see Las Vegas in her eyes. I’ve got a chance here. A chance at things I never imagined. It’s just going to come at one hell of a price.

“I love you, Lea,” I sigh. “I mean that.”

“If you love me, then come back to me,” Lea cries, tightening her arms around me.

“You’ll be okay, regardless,” I say. “But I’m going to do everything in my fucking power to walk through this door and kiss you the way you deserve to be kissed every damn day for the rest of your life—or at least the rest of mine.”

She looks up and I kiss her with the fury of a man who has a second chance. A man who has tasted death and wants to stay amongst the living as long as he can. Lea is the reason for that. She’s changed everything.

But first, it’s time to make everything right. Settle a score I thought was already settled. I don’t know if I’ll put a bullet in Emilio’s head for the hit, but I’ll damn sure do it if he was involved with Layla’s murder.

Who am I kidding? Death is the only way this ends. It’s brother versus brother, now. This civil war will be a bloody, violent mess that lasts until one side can no longer keep fighting. But if Emilio hasn’t started firing shots yet, then I might be able to stop the worst of it before he can start giving orders.

“Remember what I said, bambina ,” I growl, looking her in the eyes. “No more playing hero. You could have gotten yourself killed earlier and if something happens to me, you have to leave.”

“I will.” Lea swallows hard and tears prick the corners of her eyes.

“I’ll text you soon,” I say. “Remember, if you don’t hear from me, something’s wrong, and you need to go.”

I turn away before she starts crying. I’ve seen her cry so many times I’d like to give her a reason to smile for a change. The only way that happens is if I survive.

I leave the safehouse, get in my car, and make sure everything is locked down before I leave. There are several places my brother could be holed up. He’s got a club on the strip, an office at one of our casinos, and several safehouse I know about—probably several I don’t know about, if he’s anything like me.

I make my rounds, looking for one of my brother’s cars, or one that my immediate family would use. My phone is still blowing up. Theo, Rowan, my father, my mother, Emilio—everyone is trying to call me. I’m not answering them. The element of surprise is about all I have. If word has spread that I got shot, Emilio may think I’m licking my wounds rather than launching a direct attack.

“He’s at his fucking house?” I hiss as I park on the hill that overlooks his estate. “Fuck.”

The signs are obvious. Extra security at the front gate. Men patrolling the grounds, and not just foot soldiers. I spot several made men, one of my father’s Capos and Emilio’s bodyguard. There’s no sign of Big Boyd, which is a relief. He’s Erica’s bodyguard and a tough son of a bitch. I’ve seen him shrug off a half-dozen bullets and break the neck of the motherfucker shooting at him.

But loyalty is the real question. My father sits at the head of the table. I’m next in line. None of them should raise a gun if they see me, unless Emilio has flipped them to his side. I know he’s got a lot of secret alliances, and men who will support him, but identifying them in a group of guys I’ve known my entire life?

Time to see who calls my bluff. A traitor won’t, and I’ll deal with them on the spot. Hopefully, I don’t have to fight against an army of guys I’d want on my side in a war.

My Glock is tucked in the back of my waistband. I park close to Emilio’s estate and walk the rest of the way. The guys at the front gate spot me first. I let my hand hover, ready to pull my weapon at a moment’s notice—if I get that long, considering the two men in front of me are holding M16s.

“Massimo!” the first guy calls out, stepping forward. “We heard—there was trouble.”

Dante De Luca. My cousin, by way of my father’s younger sister. He doesn’t sit at the table, but he’s a Capo. He should be the highest-ranking member of the Morandi family here except for my brother—well, now that I’m here, I outrank everyone.

“Stand down,” I growl. “The trouble is over. I handled it. Pull all your guys and leave. I need to meet with Emilio, and it’s a private matter.”

Dante gives me a curious look and scratches the back of his head. “Your father asked us to lock this place down. First Leo goes missing, then someone takes a shot at you? Something big is happening.”

“Like I said, I handled it,” I bark, reaching for my phone and watching them closely. Their guns don’t budge. They haven’t been flipped. “Do you want me to call my father so he can give you the order, or are you going to do what I said?”

Dante and the guy next to him exchange nervous glances, then they both nod. Dante reaches for his walkie-talkie, and I hold up my hand.

“No, don’t use that. It may have been compromised,” I caution. “Just pull your guys and go.”

Emilio will see this, but if I’m going to have a fighting chance, I have to thin the herd. Emilio’s bodyguard is no problem. Johnny Price is a weasel and has always been scared of me, even when we were kids. I’ll do what I have to. I’m getting answers today.

As soon as Dante begins pulling his guys, I march straight for the house. Johnny meets me at the door, and I ball my fists.

“Out of the way, Johnny,” I say. “I need to see Emilio.”

Johnny stiffens for a moment then he nods and opens the door. “Yes, sir, Mr. Morandi.”

That was easy. Too fucking easy. The hair sticks up on my neck as I walk into Emilio’s residence. As soon as my brother turns the corner, I see red. I can’t hold my emotions back. He looks surprised to see me. Probably because he thinks I should be dead right now.

“I’m going to ask you one fucking question, and you damn sure better tell me the truth,” I snarl, stomping toward him and catching him by the throat before he can react. I lift him off the floor and he gasps for air.

“What the fuck, Mo?” Emilio shrieks. “Johnny!”

I have my gun out and pointed behind me before Johnny can reach for a weapon. My shoulder screams with pain, but I try to ignore it.

“Don’t fucking move, motherfucker.” I keep the gun leveled at Johnny and turn my attention back to my brother. “Answer my question, Emilio. Did you have anything to do with Layla’s murder?”

“Mo, I’d never!” Emilio shakes his head. “It was the Bratva! I was right there with you when we took them out! I killed as many as you did!”

“No, you didn’t!” I snarl, but that actually sounds like something my brother would say.

I stare into Emilio’s eyes, trying to read him—trying to get the answer that will decide if he lives or dies. This doesn’t make any sense. Emilio looks scared to death. He didn’t scream for anyone except Johnny.

“Of course he didn’t have anything to do with it,” a shrill voice calls out. It’s Erica. She walks into the room with a guy named Paulie right behind her. “My husband is too much of a coward to make sure his family is taken care of.”

I glare at Emilio, but don’t let go of him. Johnny has his hands up, but Paulie has an M16. He’s clearly on her side. If it was Big Boyd, I’d be fucked, but since it’s Paulie, I may still have a fighting chance. I move the barrel back and forth between the three of them as Erica walks closer. The look on her face reflects pure hatred, but I don’t understand why.

“Maybe less of a coward than you think,” I growl, glancing at my brother who is still struggling to breathe. “He hired a hitman to kill me.”

Emilio starts shaking his head and Erica laughs.

“You really think your worthless brother has the balls for that?” Erica asks.

“Erica, what the fuck did you do?” Emilio gasps.

“What you wouldn’t!” she snarls. “I took care of our family! I made sure our son will sit at the head of the table—or I will. Paulie…”

Paulie raises the M16, and I shoot first. The pain radiates into my shoulder and pulls the shot, so he still gets off a round. Except it’s not a bullet. A dart lodges in my chest. I try to squeeze the trigger again, but the room starts to spin. I lose my grip on Emilio. Another dart hits. Then another. They’re hitting Emilio too.

“Fuck!” I growl, then Johnny staggers back, trying to pull his gun.

Johnny doesn’t get hit with a dart. Paulie switches to his Glock and ends Johnny’s life before he can pull his weapon. The last thing I see is the front door flying open and more guys storming in.

Then everything goes black.