Page 102 of The Mafia's Bride

She shakes her head, worry pulling at her brow. “It’s scheduled for later.”

Later, when everyone is back from their rounds. When money can be collected and counted, the supplies checked to make sure nothing is stolen.

“Check it. I have a feeling all your product has been delivered. Or will be.”

“You think I’m going to sit on the sidelines while my sister is in danger?” She shifts the gun into her hand, cocking it loudly. Nerves make her fingers tremble just the slightest bit. “Fat, fucking chance, Alessio.”

I shake her, much to Killian’s displeasure. “She’s my wife and I won’t risk her by bringing your psychotic ass into a firefight.” I nod at the reaper. “Dom will have the product delivered to show good faith. To show his competence. You need to be there to accept it and keep whoever he hired distracted. I don’t think he’ll be there, but I’ll need them detained.”

“You think if we come with you, he’ll kill Sloane.”

Ace’s face pales and if I thought she couldn’t get any scarier, I was wrong.

Her voice shakes as she says, “I’ll kill him myself.”

I step into Ace’s space, cornering her against Killian’s chest. “You trusted me to take care of Sloane. It was in the contract. Everything that I have, everything that I am, ishers.”

“I cannot have you risking her life. You’ll go to the Wharf and handle that while I save Sloane.”

“You have an hour.” Killian interrupts Ace’s tirade. She’s gearing up to tell me to fuck off and go blazing into a battle to save her sister, her safety and mine, be damned. “We won’t wait much longer than that.”

They turn, Killian pulling the captain toward the back exit, Hayes quickly taking up their back. Before she’s completely out of sight, Ace looks back at me, yanking against her restraints.

“You better bring her home, Lex.” It’s a threat but I read her meaning clear.

The mighty Ace is giving me the power, the control, over someone she cares. She’s trusting me not to screw up.

Luckily for her, I care about Sloane—loveSloane, too much to even think about something happening to her.

40

LEX

Standing in front of my home, my family’s home, the first place I felt safe after the fire that took everything from me, where I healed and became a De Luca, I feel every fiber of my being hum with wrath.

Dominic, my cousin, my oldest friend who translated for me before I could grasp English, is somewhere in there. He took my wife—my wifewho I just told I loved.

He’s trying to steal my business. Hurt his father. Hurtmewith this betrayal.

All of that pales to the fucking rage knowing he believed he was clever and bold enough to takemy wife.

All those nights running the streets with him, watching his back as he tried his luck with the other crews were for nothing.

He’s in there with my wife, doing God knows what.

My vision tints red, hands clenching the branches along the side of the houses, twigs snapping under the force.

“Easy, piccolo,” Nico warns, grabbing my elbow. He hoists me back, hidden into the shadows. “Are you sure he’s here? He has Sloane?”

“I didn’t want to believe it, Zio,” I say, voices whispered. I trulydidn’t. Betraying the family is huge, a risk no one wants to take. The repercussions… are extreme.

“Linwood confirmed it.” I had detailed footage dug up by the reaper, sent to my phone as I left. Dom was the only common link.

Nico swears under his breath, withdrawing his weapon. I grab the barrel, holding him still. “You don’t have to, Zio. He’s your son.”

“He’s a fucking rat,” he spits on the ground. “I taught you both the same. He chose to betray me, not you. I should have been harder on him and maybe that’s my mistake. But I won’t let my niece get killed because he has no fucking loyalty.”

Licking my lips, I gesture to the house. “Fine. Then you take the front. I’ll take the back.”