Page 56 of My Solemn Vow (The Mafia Arrangement #1)

VALOR

THE ODD JOB

My phone vibrates more than once in my pocket. I pull it out to see the reminder flashing and an indicator of some text messages from Antonella.

Calendar Reminder:

Dinner @ 6:30 with Parents at Estate. Bring Rolls and Butter.

Antonella:

You’re 100% sure that store-bought rolls are fine? I could have made some quickly.

Kerrianne swears you always bring these ones so I’m going with it. Be safe.

Attached is a photo of three bags of rolls from the local grocery store and the butter my mother likes on our kitchen counter.

Valor:

That’s perfect. Excited to be home. Buyer is late.

I hit send the same second there’s an explosion. It startles me, and I snap into focus. Even with the echo of the warehouse, I know it came from out front.

Neil is quick to shout and wave his arm, beckoning us to follow him. “This way, we’ll go out the back before they can get there.”

No. Danger. Go out the front, they’ll have moved away from the explosion themselves. It’ll be an ambush. My wolf and I agree that Neil is headed the wrong way.

“No!” I shout, letting the alpha command rip through me. “It’ll be a trap out the back. They won’t expect us to walk into an explosion.”

“That’s ridiculous! We can’t take the ammunition and C-4 past the flames. They’ll explode.” Neil has a point regarding the explosives, but precious seconds are ticking by.

My gut disagrees with his orders. The men are clearly conflicted, looking between me and Neil.

“Leave it. It’s five grand, not worth worrying about.” I turn and leave them to their devices.

It’s not up to me if they come or go, but I’m trusting my wolf.

Pulling my gun, I head toward the front where we came in. I don’t know what they blew up. It sounded like one explosion, not multiple, so chances are there’s a vehicle in good enough shape to limp out of here until I can get somewhere on foot. I test the doorknob for heat.

It’s cold.

Footsteps come from behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see three men have followed me with their guns drawn. Two of them were recently shipped in from Ireland, and one is younger in the business, leaving Neil and two others to go out the back.

I count down on my fingers.

Three .

Two.

One.

Guns raised, we sweep, heading out of the building.

Danger. My wolf draws my attention to a single enemy standing by a vehicle.

He raises his gun, but one of the fresh-from-Irelands shoots the gun out of his hand rather than to kill.

“Fresh body for the basement.” I huff a laugh as we jog past what was one of our throwaway SUVs, burning from the explosion.

Our heads are on a swivel, watching for threats.

One Irishman grabs the injured man’s gun and then drags him, kicking, swinging, and groaning in pain, to our other SUV that looks drivable.

The young gun and the one with the prisoner watch our backs as the other Irishman and I sweep the vehicle for explosives. The tires aren’t even sliced, and we don’t find any detonation or tracking devices of any nature. What sort of amateur hour is this?

Gunfire is coming from the back of the warehouse, but they knew the risk. We’re not a no-man-left-behind agency. Neil will have to handle his fuckin’ self.

I get in the driver’s seat, and the rest of the men climb into the SUV with the captive before I throw it in gear. Out in less than two minutes.

Home to our mate and pup. My wolf is on edge, forcing me to watch for tails and other potential threats.

“Quit your bitchin’ and moanin’, would ya?” the Irishman in the back snaps at our wounded capture.

I catch a glimpse in the mirror of what’s happening.

The Irishman looks over the wound on the man’s hand. “A flesh wound. You’re grazed at best. Valor will do far worse to you.”

The man groans, and I take a corner harder than I need to while trying to listen closely, but the Irishman doesn’t use the opportunity to question him. That’s okay. It’s my job anyway. He’ll have to wait until after dinner with my parents.

Once we’re finally far enough away and I’m sure no tail is coming, I slow, trying to avoid looking suspicious or breaking traffic laws.

Nothing worse than being pulled over with a hostage in the back.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out.

Not being the SUV my phone is connected to, I answer it and hold it to my ear.

“The hell happened out there?” my father snaps. “I got a call from Neil that you were ambushed. A shoot-out, four dead? Two of them ours?”

“One of the SUVs exploded. Neil went out the back. I took a team out the front. We left the goods. I don’t know what happened to the others who went out the back with Neil.

I wasn’t staying around to figure out what the fuck was going on.

We took a hostage. Headed to my place now. ” I answer as concisely as possible.

Dad’s silent for a moment, and I figure out that his hand is over the speaker. “No, I know Valor will want mashed potatoes and gravy.”

Then Royal comes on the line. “Send me a picture of him and any tattoos. I’ll see what I can figure out, and for the love of God, please don’t forget the buns. They’re acting like Antonella is the pope.”

“Got that Valor?” Dad is back.

“Yeah, I’ll get it sent over.” I immediately regret not taking the time to learn my teammates’ names, but we worked well as a unit.

Bad of us not to know. We should know our pack. My wolf agrees, and I’m already feeling guilty enough as is.

I hand my phone to the back seat. “Photos of him. Anything he’s got, face, tattoos, et cetera. To my brother, please.”

“Yes, Alpha,” he answers .

I don’t waste the seconds it would take to correct him that I’m not alpha yet.

My wolf, however, doesn’t hesitate to puff up with pride that he’s accepted me in that position.

“Want me to arrange transport for us off your property?” the new kid asks from way in the back of the SUV. “I don’t know if you want Kerrianne to see all of us.”

“You haven’t heard of Valor’s lair?” the second Irishman asks loudly over his shoulder.

“No?” The kid sounds embarrassed.

“Valor’s the best interrogator the Mafia has known.

If Valor can’t make them talk, then they don’t know anything,” the Irishman in the front answers.

“He’s got a whole outfit hidden away in a secret bunker.

His daughter and the mate will never know we’re there.

It’s legendary. Talks are all across Ireland of how Valor works. ”

“That’s... interesting,” the kid in the back answers, clearly trying to pick words that aren’t offensive.

“Sent,” the Irishman in the back says, passing my phone forward.

I realize I haven’t heard any moaning and groaning and look over my shoulder. “He die or pass out?”

“Had a little help passing out,” the Irishman admits. “Can’t stand wussy nonsense like that.”

But my brain has moved on to other things.

Like the fact that the two men who went with Neil are dead.

It was their job to get him out alive, so it’s not beyond reason that they died carrying out their duty.

Plus, we don’t know how many they were up against. We may not be a no-man-left-behind outfit, but I’m going to need more answers to respond to the call of violence.

But even more disarming than that train of thought is the sinking feeling in my gut. How did they know we were there?

We were meeting usual buyers, people we’ve worked with for years. It’s why we had such a small, nonconforming shipment. I’d never cut a deal so small. For just anyone.

My phone rings again, and I don’t check the screen before answering. “Valor.”

“Valor. What the fuck? We get to the warehouse, and there’s a burned-out SUV.

Two of your guys and three other dead bodies all around.

Did the cost of these shipments increase in price now that you’re working with the D’Medicis?

” It’s the buyer, and he increases my suspicions with every question.

“I don’t really think the cost to clean this up is worth what little product we ordered. ”

I drum my fingers on the dash. Do I believe it wasn’t him?

“Clean it up. On the next shipment, I’ll have two of the custom M-9s you’ve been bugging me about for a while.” I try to negotiate.

Royal won’t be happy. It takes forever to make the customized pieces in his printers. But body disposal isn’t cheap, especially when they’re shot to pieces.

“You know that only covers one man.” He negotiates right back.

This is the part of business I like.

“Well, we want our dead back to bury. That’s a delivery charge at best. So that only leaves two and an SUV to clean up.” I sigh like it’s such a big deal to compromise. “What do you want if the M-9s aren’t enough?”

“You get me two of those fully armored SUVs that you got off the Callahans and my kid into that fancy private school that Kerrianne goes to? The one in River North?” He groans. “The wife is all sorts of pissed about a current administrator at our school and the bodyguard situation.”

Good. My wolf sighs with some good news. Not everyone knows our pup moved to someplace safer.

“Two SUVs fully loaded, and I’ll get you in touch with the administrator at River North who was willing to talk about nontraditional tuition options. You’re on your own to buy your way in, but I’ll act as a reference.” I won’t budge. I’m not spending money on a school I don’t use.

“Fair enough.” He agrees. “Text me with a new meet, and I’ll get your men back to you by dawn.”

One thing’s for certain: There was no way Antonella could have known about this meeting, and it got sabotaged anyway. This couldn’t have been something she had a hand in.