Page 13 of Soulmate of the Mafia King (Kings of Philly #8)

TOMMASO

T he rented house displayed none of the chaos it had shown when I arrived this morning.

The dozen cars sat in neat lines of six, all off and shut.

Light blared from every window of the house, but even as I walked up to the front door, I couldn’t hear a peep.

My stomach flipped. Had the spot been found?

I opened the door to see hundreds of men creeping from room to room, all armed to the teeth. My split-second of panic vanished. We’d planned this perfectly. Now, we just had to execute. I stepped inside and grabbed the nearest guy, one of Killian’s.

“Where is everyone gearing up?”

“Up there, second and third doors.” He jerked his chin at the stairs. “Killian said we had to because if we couldn’t walk down the stairs quietly, he’d send us to sit on the plane rather than letting us blow everything.”

That sounded like Killian. I patted the guy on the shoulder and headed upstairs. There was a little more activity here, men streaming into and out of the two indicated doors. I ducked into the first and found Stan behind a table full of guns, ammo, and armor.

“Morris…yes, you haven’t picked up your magazines yet.” He checked something off on a tablet and handed the man at the front two loaded magazines.

The guy nodded and walked away as I strode up.

“Looks like a pretty tight ship,” I said.

Stan nodded. “Thanks to you. Numbering and assigning numbers before we shipped out has been a godsend.”

I grinned. That had been one of Paige’s ideas, one she hadn’t wanted to take credit for in case she seemed naggy. I’d have to tell her if I got back.

When . Shit. When I got back.

Stan offered me the tablet, and I scrolled through the list to get out of my own head.

Synced to the tablet of whoever was running supplies in the other room, new checkmarks popped up as I watched.

Nearly everybody was kitted out. Just a handful of mercs, myself, Stan, and Killian to go. I handed the pad back to Stan.

“Conti.” I smiled. “Haven’t picked anything up yet.”

“That so?” Stan smirked at me. “Seems you’re here for a bulletproof vest, a mask, an automatic, and two magazines.” He hummed. “Plus two clips for a handgun. Special guy.”

“I’m in with the boss.” I winked as he handed me the gear.

The automatic rifle sat heavily in my palms. I wasn’t used to serious weaponry like this, though I’d been training nearly as much as Paige since I’d realized we were closing in.

I knew how to shoot the damned thing. It just reminded me how many people we were coming up against.

“I want you leading the main team at the trap location,” I said.

Stan nodded. “Killian and I were taking bets on whether it was going to be him or me. I said he’d probably be at the house with you.”

I met the gaze of my second. “I thought it should be you to lead that team. You’ve earned it.”

He puffed up with pride. “So, this is the trap location, the one where Zahur thinks he’s hitting the other trader, right?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s empty.” I frowned. “Rahim will likely leave a few guards, and I’d expect to find women.”

“I’ll keep the mercs in line.” Stan straightened until he looked less like a retiree and more like someone everyone in this room, even me, should be afraid to fuck with. Those mercs didn’t have anything to worry about with him around.

I dropped my voice. “Focus on Zahur’s men, though. I want as many of them dead—not down, dead—as possible.”

Stan smiled a hungry smile. “Nothing to worry about there.”

I cleared out of the way as the next merc stepped up.

In the hall, I pulled my vest on over my shirt.

It compressed my breathing just enough that I knew I’d never forget about it.

Was this how medieval knights felt, gearing up before going to war?

Like every piece of armor they put on was a reminder of how much danger they were in?

I shook off the thought and headed back downstairs.

The prayer call rang over the city. I froze, just listening for a moment. With any luck, by the time the next one came, we’d all be loading into the plane to leave.

Stan, Killian, Carp, and Teddy joined me downstairs before long. Groups of armed men began eddying around us, the nexus point of the biggest weapon I’d snuck overseas.

“Stan’s leading the attack on Rahim’s warehouse,” I said.

Stan passed Killian a five-dollar bill.

“He’ll take the first three hundred men.” I raised my voice so the whole first floor could hear me. “If your gear is numbered one to three hundred, go load up now.”

Stan grinned at me. “What, you don’t think we can hold our own?”

“I know you can,” I said. “But I want you to crush them.”

He shook my hand and left with his group.

“The rest of you”—I looked at Carp, Killian, and Teddy next to me, and the remaining fifty-odd men gathered around—“will be coming with me to Zahur’s house.”

Murmurs rippled through the room.

“I’m not going to lie to you. The odds aren’t great.

” I rolled out my shoulders and felt the automatic rifle against my back.

“The bastard’s going to be there, and he’s going to fight hard.

But there should be fewer guards, and we’re going in through the back.

Stay quiet, stay smart, and above all, stay alive. ”

Carp leapt onto a chair and lifted his gun. “To no new widows!”

“No new widows!” the men cheered.

I let their fervor rain over me, washing away the last of my fears.

Killian met my gaze and nodded. We were ready for this.

“Load up!” I barked.

Men began draining from the room.

I spotted Jer in the crowd and grabbed his arm. “Special job for you.”

He looked up at me with breathless relief. “I thought this was a little early. What’s up?”

I rattled off a couple more names. “Grab them, take Gamal out into the desert, and be ready to shoot him in the head if you see my name pop up on caller ID.”

He frowned. “Gamal?”

“You’ve been training,” I said. “I picked you for this because you need to prove to yourself—and your mom, if we’re being honest—that you’re good enough.”

He smiled widely. “I won’t let you down. As soon as I see the caller ID. I promise.”

I took a deep breath and walked outside to load up.