Page 168 of The Devil's Heir

"Will you stop with your leg already?" I growl at my best friend.

He's bouncing it uncontrollably, and it's beginning to get on my nerves.

"Sorry. I can't help it. How do you deal with shit like this? I never thought I'd feel so protective over someone until Zita, and now it's like my heart is inside my stomach, being weighed down by an invisible force."

"I know, but you must learn to push that feeling aside. Otherwise, you're not going to be able to think straight and will end up fucking shit up," I tell him. "I need you to get it together, or else I'll send you away to wait it out."

I don't mean to sound like a dick, but my family's lives are at stake, and if Joey can't handle this shit correctly, he won't be a part of it at all. It's understandable how he's feeling, but at the end of the day, he needs to set his fears aside and do what needs to be done. I had to learn this very thing when Lily came into my life, and it's only gotten worse. I give myself a moment, but then I push it back and let the monster take over.

We spot Lonzo and Koval immediately as we pull up to the line of cars just outside my front gates. An unknown SUV sits, blocking the entrance so no one can drive up to the house.

As soon as I exit the vehicle, I walk over to the big lump by the guard shack, covered with a tarp. Lifting it up, I identify Louie, our head guard at the gate, and Seth. My thoughts go to Jackson. Does he know his boyfriend is gone?

Fuck!

This is going to end tonight. Greco and Rossi will pay for every fucking thing they have done. Nobody comes onto my turf and tries to take what is mine.

"Joey!" I call out.

"Yeah," he responds, jogging over to me.

"You remember where the secret entrances lead to?" I ask him.

His eyes widen.

"Shit. I forgot all about those!"

"Yeah, well, that's because we've never needed them until now. We'll leave your father out here with Marino and Ricci once they get here. We should only need a handful of men to breech the inside. I want my best men."

"Of course! I'll round them up now and wait for your command," my friend replies and starts to turn away.

"Oh, and Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"Call Owens, just in case we need him."

"You got it."

I pull out my phone and scroll through my contacts until I get to the contact I'm looking for. Tapping the name, I bring the phone to my ear and wait. I don't have to wait long, though. They answer on the first ring.

"Falcon, I've been waiting for your call. I see you're back from your little jaunt to Italy." Greco's voice is amused.

"Cut the bullshit, Greco! I'm the one you want. I'm here. Let them go." My growly voice echoes through the darkness.

"Oh, but are you really the one I want? Your little whore here would make a perfect addition to my private parties. She'd also bring in a hefty price if I put her on my next shipment."

Greco's primary business is buying and selling people. Thankfully, my uncle did have a little bit of heart and refused to go into that industry. Greco loves what he does, and as for hisprivateparties? A chill runs through me at the thought of Lily being a part of that. The chosen men and women for those parties never last more than a few months, if that. They go through the worst treatment you can think of. They would be better off getting sold. At least they would have a chance of being bought by a decent owner. Well, as decent as an owner can be considered, anyway.

"You're fucking disgusting, Greco."

His sinister chuckle reaches my ears.

"You have no idea how disgusting I can be, Falcon."

A split second later, I hear a woman cry out, and I don't have to guess who it is; I'd know it anywhere.

"Take your fucking hands off her!" My hand squeezes my phone almost to the point of breaking it.