Page 49

Chapter 49

Massimo

Gabe, Gemma, and I race back to my house. Vito took Zio Marco in his car, knowing that I'd need to speak freely.

As soon as we were in the car, I called Jerome.

"Can you speak freely, Jerome?"

"Yes, I stepped into your office, but I don't want to leave our guests unattended for too long."

"Is Nova okay?" I demand, knowing she must be terrified that her father would get his hands on her again, and hating that I'm not there.

"She's shaken. We could hear the explosion at the gate from the house. I initiated protocol immediately to get her to the safe room. She's still in there."

I relax, reminding myself that no one outside of Gabe and Jerome knows about that room. I had it—and the others around the house—built with my future family in mind in case of an emergency.

"And Vincenzo?" I growl.

"I'm not sure why he's in the city or with your family, sir."

"I need you to go out and monitor the situation, Jerome."

"Of course."

"Once I get home, I need you to hide any presence of Nova in our bedroom and the ensuite."

"I understand, sir."

"But right now, I need you to give your phone to Nova. "

I hear Jerome move through my office and unlock the hidden door. "Miss Nova?" His tone is gentle. "Massimo is on the phone."

There's the sound of Jerome handing the phone over before he latches the door. Then I hear Nova's voice, and something inside me rips open.

"I'm so fucking sorry I wasn't there, princess."

"Massimo," she whispers, almost like she can hardly speak, but then her voice is stronger. "I'm okay. Jerome acted quickly. For an old guy, he sure can move."

"He's a spry old bugger." I laugh, some of the weight lifting off my soul. "I'm on my way home. I'll be there soon. But I need you to stay in the safe room a bit longer. Someone who may be more foe than friend just arrived."

Nova's breath quickens.

"I'll come get you from the room as fast as I can."

I hear her swallow. "Okay."

"You're not a dirty secret, Nova—that isn't what this is. I just need to keep you safe. I'll be there as soon as I can. But please trust me that you're safe."

"What about the phone?"

"What about it?" I ask with a small smile, knowing what she's implying.

"That's twice you've left a phone with your captive."

"Princess… I hope you know that I'm the one who's captive here."

There's a pause, as if my words have taken her breath away. Then she asks, without responding to my claim, "Do you know what happened at the gate?"

"Someone drove a self-driving vehicle with explosives into it."

She sucks in sharply. "Was anyone hurt?"

Even with her obvious fear, her concern was about human loss, and that fills me with pride.

"No one was killed, thankfully. And the gate held. It's damaged, according to the reports from the guards, but still intact." I glance around where we are. "We're almost home, princess. I'll come to you as soon as I can. "

"Okay." Her voice is soft, but I can't read it otherwise. Then she disconnects the call.

Gemma turns to me. Her crystal-blue eyes are hard and dark. "Be careful around Vincenzo. He may look like he's your friendly uncle, but—"

"I know who and what Vincenzo Pisani is." When her brow pinches, I realize how my statement could be taken, especially from someone who was told by her father that she didn't have a role in the mafia leadership because she was a woman. "Sorry, Gem, I'm on edge. Do you have any additional insight into Vincenzo that I don't?"

Like Renzo living 'over the pond', with Gemma in Italy, she'd have her ears in places I don't.

"He's ruthless, which you know. The 'Ndrangheta and increasing its power comes first. Always. Even above his own flesh and blood—he sold his daughter to a known piece of shit because it benefited his family and the syndicate."

That reminder is both a worry and a contradiction.

A contradiction because, with Vincenzo, the 'Ndrangheta always comes first. So, I can't help but question again why he's involved with a piece of shit like Mancini for the Glucoaid-X drug when aligning with someone like that would taint everything he stands for.

And it’s a worry because I know Vincenzo's surprise visit is really to see if I have Nova. What's further worrying is why: is my conspiracy theory correct and he's working with Mancini to get the definitive proof to push through a vote for the 'Ndrangheta to stand against me?

Regardless, it's fortunate for me that he won’t find Nova. He won’t find any trace of her in any of the spare bedrooms because Jerome moved everything—her small duffel bag of clothes and the new wardrobe I'd bought for her—into my bedroom closet. And no one, not even the head of the founding family of the 'Ndrangheta, would dare demand to search my personal bedroom. I'll let him though, because of my instructions to Jerome, all except the walk-in closet

What concerns me, though, is the absence of staff in my home. As a man accustomed to living in luxury, relying on house staff and mafia personnel for most tasks, Vincenzo would definitely notice their absence.

Gabe slows the car as we approach the gates. The wrecked shell of the autonomous vehicle comes into view—what little metal remains intact is twisted and scorched.

The gate is scarred and dented, the surrounding stone chipped and blackened. The breach failed, thanks to the blast-proof steel of the gate and the reinforced plates embedded in the stone walls.

My teeth grind as I watch the flashing lights of the police and fire trucks. Keeping this under wraps and off the radar is impossible. Even if I called in a favor from the police commissioner and had him order his subordinates to stand down, he wouldn't have been able to. My neighbors would ask questions if no one showed up to investigate the unmistakable blast.

There are some perks to having the police involved, though. They'll dissect the blast, gathering and analyzing any evidence. Once the perpetrator is identified, I'll make sure true justice is served.

Marcelo sees us and opens the gate to let us in. It grinds and jerks as it slowly opens.

"Shit," Gemma mutters. "That's like nails on a chalkboard."

The gate opens just enough for my armored Rolls Royce to squeeze through without scraping the sides.

Once we're inside, Gabe stops for me to get out and speak to the officers in charge.

A man with deep lines and groves in his face approaches. "Mr. Santoro. I'm Battalion Chief Logan Callahan with the Fire Department. And this is Captain Riley Vasquez with the SFFD." He motions to a no-nonsense-looking woman.

"Thank you both for your team's rapid response," I say smoothly. "Anything you can tell me?"

"Little at this point," Callahan says. "However, we've determined there are no other explosive devices in the vehicle."

"And no one was hurt?" I ask, even though I know the answer; optics are always good.

"No." Captain Vasquez studies me with a hard expression.

It’s no secret who I am; law enforcement knows we’re mafia. They also know about the Chamber—and how we work to limit risk to civilians. The police commissioner is aware of some of the ways my family and I keep the city safer: such as preventing human trafficking, and dealing with anyone pushing tainted or toxic drugs in our clubs—even if we operate on the wrong side of the law.

The Captain's expression tells me she’s aware of all this and isn't pleased, but she won’t do anything about, likely under direct orders from higher-ups.

"I'll have the head of my tech department—" Crispin would snigger at the description—"provide you with any video footage of this evening. Please let me know what else you need from me."

"Any reason for an attack like this?" Vasquez asks.

I'm certain this has to do with Nova. And I have a few theories on who's behind it and why, with one that is bubbling to the top for being most likely. But I keep those thoughts to myself as I straighten the cuffs of my suit jacket.

"None that I can think of at the moment."

Judging by their looks, they both think I'm full of shit, but that's not my concern at the moment.

"Please keep me updated, and like I said, don't hesitate to contact me for anything you may need." Then I'm back in the car, and Gabe is whisking us up the long driveway toward the house.

I check my phone, quickly scanning the details Crispin has unearthed so far.

There's nothing on the gate's video footage, but the intel from the drones tells a different story. Crispin's team has been operating military-grade, undetectable drones to monitor my estate and my family's for the purpose of guarding against threats from Mancini, and tonight, those drones and their surveillance hit pay-dirt.

My brightly lit house illuminates the darkness as we approach. Vincenzo waits inside, likely in ambush. But all I feel is excitement. I'm returning home to my soon-to-be queen, and I'm a predator who just got a lead. Because thanks to the broad aerial view provided by the drones and the city's network of CCTV cameras, Crispin has already traced the origin of the self-driving car to Visitacion Valley.

Which, coincidentally, is Serpent territory .

Ivan Everhart, who suggested the 'social networking' of our faction's inner leadership, has used that opportunity to create chaos. The why he did so is unclear, but I have my suspicions that it has everything to do with the four-million-dollar bounty that hangs over Nova's head.

Why Ivan would make an enemy out of me is also unknown, but I don't give a fuck. I'll cut the head off that serpent, just like I will with Mancini.

Gabe stops the car in front of the house and looks at me in the rearview mirror. Gemma is pensive as she turns to me. I can hear Vito's 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 rumbling up the driveway behind us, bringing him and Zio Marco.

"What's the play?" Gabe asks.

I feel a bit of Vito's unhingedness settle within me. "Whatever is necessary to protect my soon-to-be wife."