Page 139 of The Fates We Tame

Alessio glances at Niro and rolls his eyes. “You always this pedantic?”

“Just getting started,” he replies. “Are you always this much of a cunt when you’re alone with a bunch of bikers who have no time for you at all?”

“That doesn’t mean I haven’t left clear, time-delayed information for my right-hand man to let him know where I went, who I was meeting with, and what we found. Anything happens to me, you won’t survive the wrath of the five families.”

“What do we get if we assist?” I ask.

“Beyond my sister?” Alessio asks. “And the promise to never come for your side of the docks?”

“Touché,” Bates says.

“The next time you need an army-sized backup for something, we’ll answer,” Alessio says.

“You have the authority to authorize that?” Clutch asks.

Alessio stands tall. “I have over a thousand soldiers at my command as a captain. But if this works, tomorrow I’ll be the boss of our family. Don Viscuso. Then there won’t be anything I can’t authorize. But back to the issue at hand. The easiest way to fix the problem we all have is to get rid of my father.”

“Where does he live?” King says.

“Brooklyn. But it’s a busy neighborhood. His brownstone is a fortress. We need to get him out of there in a believable way.”

“You need bait,” Sophia says. “You need me.”

“No fucking way are you being bait to get your father,” I say.

“Why not?” Sophia looks up at me with defiant eyes and a level of bravery that amazes me.

“Because I won’t let you get hurt.”

“I call him. Tell him what happened here. That I’m confused. That Alessio is dead, and I’m scared. That I need him to come and get me.”

“Still no.”

“It could work,” Alessio says. “He’ll have to think on his feet and move fast. He might bring cleanup with him. But we could be ready. In position.”

Saint looks up to the buildings. “Plenty of good spots to set up. If Soph could get him to say on the call how long it will take to get here, we’d know what we are working with.”

I think through what they are saying, and the thought of Sophia caught up in the crossfire makes me feel so ill, I want to throw up. “She makes contact with him, and then I get her out of here.”

Spark nods. “I’d make the same call.”

“But if Papà arrives and doesn’t see me, will he even get out of the car?” Sophia asks.

“Sophia,” I warn. “We’re not staying.”

Not wanting a fight in front of my club, I take her hand and lead her away from the group a little. “Soph. We’ve done everything backwards. We married before we fell in love. I met you when you were already injured. I can’t stand here and watch it happen in the present.”

“You love me?” she asks.

“Off topic. We’re talking about why you can’t stay here if your dad comes.”

“For the record, I love you.”

“Your timing is terrible,” I say.

“Maybe. But it’s always the right time to tell someone you love them, right?”

I cup her cheeks and kiss her with all I have. “Yes, I fucking love you, Soph. Which is why I can’t let you stand out here as bait.”