Page 37

Brice

I t was approaching one AM. Dinner had been eaten hours ago.

However, we were all still sitting around the dining room table with intel spread all over it.

We’d compiled so much that the wooden facade was no longer visible.

Jourdan and Tayla had damn near panicked after finding out that’s who Costa had been to see.

It did present some problems, but I wasn’t sweating the shit, and neither was Steph.

On top of all the papers were Steph’s, Tay’s, and JoJo’s Laptops. The loud sounds of their fingers tapping on the keys were the only sounds in the room. They were scouring the web to find a phone number for Bonetti’s estate.

“I think I found it,” JoJo said. It was a long shot that the number was valid or that anyone would answer. If they did answer, would they put us through to Bonetti?

“We’re deep in it now. We may as well get it over with,” I said as I dialed the number on my encrypted phone and placed it on speaker. As the phone rang, we all shifted into our alter egos. I could feel the change in the room.

“Pronto,” The deep male voice answered. There was a pause before I answered.

“Mi chiamo, Due.” For a moment, all we could hear on the line was heavy breathing before we listened to a door close.

“I’m sure you understand who you called.” It was him, and I didn’t like how he said ‘understand’. To my ears, it sounded like a threat. I didn’t deal in threats.

“I’m sure that understanding is mutual,” I returned.

“Let’s proceed with why I called, although I think you already know.”

“Go on,” Bonetti said.

“Costa.”

“What’s done is done.” I inhaled deeply because I was unsure whether he was accepting responsibility. If he did, it meant war. I probed further.

“Elaborate,” I said, seeking answers.

“Costa’s acts were off the record. We sat, and he’s on the outs. Do with him what you will,” he said and hung up.

Damn, it’s a cold world.

With Costa’s unsanctioned movement of our products, he’d fallen out of favor. If we didn’t take him out, they would. I was sure the news had spread. Even if we weren’t permitted to take him out, he would have to live the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

“Let’s move,” Rock said as he stood pulling the gun from his back to check the clip .

“Tonight,” I said tersely.

“The last time we freestyled a hit, shit didn’t exactly go as planned.”

“The plan is to take them the fuck out. Every last one of them. We have more than enough info to move. D always said family over everything. That’s what this is, amo a mi familia. I can’t believe I’m saying this shit,” Rock said with a pained expression.

“We ride together; we die together, right?”

“Rock why are you always acting like you didn’t tell me before ‘if we die, we’re doing that shit together’,” Lioness said and laughed.

He stuck up his middle finger, and she laughed again.

I walked over to him, dapping and embracing him in a brotherly hug.

He’d also spoken in Spanish, which he rarely did, so I knew he was serious.

“We ain’t dying though. Let’s go fuck some shit up.” with all of them around me I felt fucking invincible.

“That part, because I’m coming back home to my baby,” Lynx said. They weren’t with us because their grandmother, Ms. Adri, had picked them up from A Child’s Haven this afternoon.

“Lioness I swear if you say anything about some dead homies, I’m taking your ass to the bedroom really quick,” Rock said.

“On. My…” she started before Tay put her hand over her mouth, stopping her. Lioness’s muffled laugh could be heard through her hand before she smacked it away.

“What? I like his follow-through,” she shrugged and laughed.

“Hmm, I bet you do, but we don’t have time for all that,” Lynx said. The next thirty minutes were spent reviewing schematics and floor plans for the five Costa organization warehouses. We then armored up and dressed in full tactical gear, including a vest, before heading to HCS to pick up a car.

Let the fun begin, as Lioness would say.