Page 128 of Vows of a Mobster

“Her mother hired me,” he shouted, holding his hands up. There was no surrender here. I observed him. Fucker was speaking the truth.

“What?” Giovanni asked in shock. “Whose mother?”

“The young woman’s mother hired me,” he uttered. “The little girl’s grandmother. She wanted them both eliminated. Said to make it look like the Irish did it.”

Brianna’s mother just signed her own death warrant and didn’t even know it. That fucking bitch would pay with her own life.

“Why?” My voice was pure ice. Nobody threatened my woman, my family. “And why blame the Irish?” How would she even know about the conflict between the Irish and us?

“She didn’t say.” He was more than eager to spill the beans now. “She just said her daughter and granddaughter were more trouble than they are worth. And she wasn’t going to lose it all. I don’t fucking know. I’m just an assassin. Once they are dead, I get my payment. Two million dollars.”

Giovanni lunged for him and his fist connected with his nose. “You were going to hurt innocents without even questioning it.” His fists kept pounding him.

“Giovanni,” I warned him, and he immediately stilled, blood all over his knuckles.

I pulled the gun out of my holster, and the man’s eyes popped out of his head. His face was bloody, his one eye swollen shut, and his nose broken.

“Should we cut this night short and just put a bullet in this fucker’s head?” I pushed the gun toward him and smiled coldly.

“I think so,” Giovanni agreed calmly. I knew it was opposite of what he felt but to be the mafia boss, you had to hide anger and any emotions.

“I’ll have your head delivered to her mother,” I told the assassin coldly.

I pressed the gun against his temple and pulled the trigger, his brain splattered all over the concrete walls. I felt nothing… no remorse.You fuck with my family, you fuck with me. And fuck, Brianna was everything to me.

Putting my gun back into the holster, I turned to Giovanni. “Have the other two men order the clean-up. Then join me outside.”

I left without a backwards glance and exited the building. The hot summer night air hit me, and my rage simmered inside me. Her fucking mother ordered a hit! I wanted to take my plane to California tonight and hunt that woman down. Torture her slowly for years to come.

“Mateo,” Giovanni’s voice came from behind me.

I turned to face my younger cousin. He looked shaken up.

“You good?” I’ve known him his whole life. Giovanni would turn into a strong leader one day.

“Her own fucking mother,” he muttered. “I don’t get it. Brianna hasn’t been in touch with her since she kicked her out. Never asked her for anything. Why would she want to kill her own daughter? And Emma too!”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” There wasn’t a shred of doubt in my mind that I’d make that woman pay. “For now, I don’t want a word of this getting to anyone. The only ones that will know about it will be me, you, and Antonio.”

He nodded, without hesitation.

I climbed into my Range Rover and drove off. With all the shit happening, I hadn’t seen much of Brianna nor Emma over the last three days. It was barely nine in the evening and I hoped it was early enough to catch her before she was asleep. I half hoped she’d eagerly wait for me at the entrance.

The sun was setting over the horizon, the burning rays throwing a glow on my home. It had become a home since Brianna. Before her, it was just a place to lay my head down.

I strode towards the staircase, eager to see Brianna. I wanted to ensure she was safe.

“Mateo,” Antonio’s voice had me halting, my foot on the first stair.

“I’d thought you’d be retired for the night with Daphne,” I half-teased, loosening my tie. What a fucking day!

“Looking for you,” he retorted. “I got information back on Brianna.”

He didn’t look too happy. “Yes?”

“You might want to read it yourself,” he suggested.

“Tell me,” I ordered.