Page 158 of Vows of a Mobster

Ever since the wedding, things were going from bad to worse. Mateo ordered me to stay away from Declan. Tensions and attacks between Irish and Italians were getting worse. And now he went and did this. There was no way in hell Mateo would ever let him live through this. He would never let any Irishman, no member of the O'Connor family survive this. If they thought Mateo was ruthless before, they haven’t seen anything yet.

“What are you talking about?” He actually sounded shocked.

“Your brothers took Emma and my brother.” I shrieked into the phone. “Mateo will burn down this city and kill off every single member of your family, you included, for this. How could you, Declan?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure,” I yelled. “I was with her. They shot one of her guards. Where did they take them?”

He recited an address. He gave it to me without hesitation. Maybe he really didn't know?

“I swear Declan-” I yelled. “If something happens to any of them-”

He didn’t say another word but I heard Mateo’s voice and rage drenching it. “Did you fucking know?”

He would kill him. How were those two doing together?

“Don’t kill him,” I yelled through the phone. “Please, Mateo. Please.” I cried with fear. I wouldn’t survive knowing he was dead.

The connection was lost. I glanced at Brianna and Daphne.

“I’m not staying here,” Brianna spoke up before I could say anything. Daphne and I shared a look. Brianna continued, “I don’t care what Mateo says. I’m not sitting here and doing nothing.”

“I’m coming too,” Daphne chimed in, her voice firm.

“Me too.”

“Did you get in touch with Declan?” Brianna was strangely calm after her initial hysterics. It was unnerving.

I nodded and recited the address.

“You have a gun?” Brianna’s question was unexpected. Usually, I was the brave one, the strong one. Brianna was never meant for this world. But she was protective of her daughter. She’d do anything for the ones she loved.

“Yes, I do,” I answered her.

“Give it to me.” I knew she was a good shot but I didn’t want her hurt. Three of us against the Irish mob... it was bound to go awry and we would lose. Even if all three of us had guns and were good shots, we would never win against them. There would be too many of them.

“I took Lorenzo’s gun,” Daphne spoke up.

“Give that gun to Marissa,” Brianna ordered her. “You can’t shoot.”

“Brianna, if you get killed,” I started with dread. “Mateo will never forgive us. He’ll start a war and kill them all. Please don’t-”

“I don’t give a shit,” she hissed. “They took my kid. And Giovanni. I’ll kill them all myself if-”

“They will be okay,” Daphne chimed in. “They won’t hurt a child.”

“If they hurt Giovanni, it is no better,” Brianna’s fear turned into anger. It made me ashamed that I worried more about Declan than my own brother. What the fuck was wrong with me?

“Let’s go.” Brianna nudged Daphne and I towards her car.

Fifty-Seven

Brianna

From the moment we arrived at the gate surrounding the property belonging to the O'Connor family, we were out of our element. I pretended my bravery but the truth was this fear shook me to the core. I didn’t know what to expect. Mateo was a ruthless mobster but he took care of me and his family. The little glimpses of his ruthlessness were never targeted at me.

These men on the other hand showed open hostility at the three of us. I almost expected us to be killed on the spot and when they told us to drive in, the breath I wasn’t aware I held left my lips on a relief.