Page 33

Arosso

“He killed seven of our men,” a deep Russian voice comes from behind me.

There’s a barrel pressed to the center of my back, and I can’t believe it… I failed my final mission. The rookie’s neck is squeezed tight around my arm, but I’ve lost my leverage.

“The back way is clear, Niko,” the crooked cop behind me says. “But there’s a mess out front. We should call the clean-up crew and get out of here.”

We’re all in Quinn’s house. There’s blood spatter everywhere from the three crooked cops I took out inside, and four more outside.

“Don’t worry, Kashmir. We will be back to gambling soon,” Nikolaj says haughtily, but I can tell he’s boiling with anger.

“Do you know how long it took to install those officers, Italian scum?” He pushes off my cop hat and grabs at my face.

“I will make sure you suffer the worst death. Electrical waterboarding. Ever play? Shocking you slowly while you suffocate—there is no better way to watch your enemies writhe.”

I’m not worried about torture or pain. Just her.

I let go of the rookie in my grasp and put my hands up.

Rodney turns around. “You’re the neighbor. The one Quinn kept going to see.”

“ You? ” Ferraro belly laughs. “That’s my fucking niece. The fuck do you think you’re doing with her?”

I grit my teeth. “Fuck you, sending the bratva to sell out your own.”

“Big mouth, even when the cards turn against you.” Ferraro picks up his gun and cocks it.

“Ah, ah.” Nikolaj sticks a finger in Ferraro’s face. “It’s like this Italian scum said before… You’ve done enough, I think, da ? Go help clean up the mess outside.”

“Niko… if someone sees me—” Ferraro pleads.

“Best move quickly then.” He taps his watch. “Hurry up. I have four men coming to help.”

Ferraro scoffs, takes a good look at me, and moves out of the room.

“Now where were we?” Niko pulls out a curved knife and flips it into his grasp. “You killed Yuri’s cousin, hm?” He grazes the blade across my face.

I know I can move quick enough to stab Nikolaj, but I’d be killed thereafter, and then the Valentinos would be dragged into this mess. I have to state my case and keep the family clean.

“I think I know what this is all about now.” Nikolaj puckers his lips. “You fell in love with a girl. The forbidden fruit. She’s beautiful, isn’t she? The captain’s daughter. My bratva brothers showed me pictures of her in Ferraro’s house.”

I tense hard, and Nikolaj grips his knife harder against my neck.

“Want to test me, old man?” He smiles. “I hope she was worth it.” He clicks his tongue, kicks my gun away, and then paces around the room. “Or maybe… that’s all a ruse, and you’re sent from one of the families. You like to play costume. You are interesting. What is your name?”

“Arosso Valentino.” There’s no point to hide it. “But I was kicked out of that family a long time ago,” I scoff, making a show of it. “Said I was too unpredictable. I’m on my fucking own and don’t you dare associate me with those scum.”

“Ooh. Testy.”

“Don’t care what you do to me, Nikolaj. Just leave the Dalls out of this. Back it up. Take Ferraro and me, give Yuri a two-for-one and call it a day.”

He arcs an eyebrow. “You have no more pull since my man Kashmir got the better of you, hm? Besides, you made a mess for me. And led me on a goose chase, like I got nothing better to do.”

Shit. At least I cleared Donny. Best I can do now is take out this prick before I go.

Sorry, Quinn. You and your father are going to have to find protection on your own. At least I thinned the heard for you.

Just as I’m about to make a move, I glimpse a man in a trench coat heading up the front stairs, gun drawn.

“Boss,” Kashmir says.

“Don’t fucking move.” Patrick stomps into his house, dirtying the wood floor with snow under his boots.

I shake my head in anger. The whole point was to keep this big idiot safe.

“Patrick, don’t! ”

Kashmir tightens his hold around my neck.

“ Reinforcements, ” I try to say.

“Let go of the silver-haired prick.” Patrick points to Nikolaj. “He’s your man, right? Do it .”

“Captain.” Nikolaj drops his knife. “You’re playing out of your league, I think, da? Policemen cannot do much with their threats. But we’ve shown you, we can .”

This turned into a real fucking mess.

My vision becomes blotchy as I gasp for air. Kashmir sticks the barrel harder into my spine, threatening to pull the trigger.

“Patrick!” I shout air, but it’s too late.

Bang!

An unsilenced gun goes off, and the captain falls to his knees holding his stomach. Who’s left standing behind him is Ferraro with a smoking gun, taking time to clean his boots as he shuts the door behind him.

“Quinn’s secret admirer brought company? What do you say, Niko? This has to shave off some of my debt.” He steps over to Patrick, brow slowly furrowing as he realizes who he just shot. “What in fucking hells?”

I elbow the Russian holding me and get to my knees to help Patrick. It’s over at this point. I see it when I’m looking into his eyes.

“Couldn’t let you die like a dog, Arosso.” Patrick grits his teeth, blood leaking through his belly wound to the floor. “My daughter was right about you.” He coughs. “About everything, actually.”

“What the fuck are you doing here, Pat?” Ferraro holds the gun on me, as does Kashmir.

Patrick turns on his back and inches toward the closest wall. I do what I can to help him get comfortable. It’s going to be a slow bleed out with a gut wound like that. Awful.

“All this time, Ferry.” Patrick winces. “We bled together in our early days. You don’t remember?”

Ferraro wipes sweat from his brow, teeth clattering.

“You got into some trouble, I get it. But going after my daughter? Sacrificing your wife?” He coughs. “Let my last words echo for the rest of your days, old friend. Blue brothers, the three of us. Me you and Billy. And this is how it ends?”

This is a goddamn mess.

I clench my jaw, considering if I can charge Niko and force their guns my way. But the truth is, I’d be dead before I made it one step. Doesn’t matter how fast I am. Two weapons trained on me is checkmate.

I’m off my game because of a jumbled head. It’s the same as when I lost my family—my judgement couldn’t be trusted for a long time after that. Well, that’s how it is with Quinn. Leaving her was never going to be okay. But dragging her father into this?

This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.

“You did alright, Ferraro.” Nikolaj cackles, shaking off his dismay of being cornered by Patrick. “I guess you delivered after all. Too bad he wanted the captain alive.”

Patrick struggles to push himself to sit upright on his fists, groaning from the pain. “You—going to be able to live with yourself after leaving your blue brother to die, Ferry?”

Ferraro pulls at his greased hair. “Never meant for it to be this way, brother. Things got out of hand.”

“I’ll say,” Nikolaj cackles again. “Can’t resist a good game of five card. How much are you in the hole? Two big ones, by my count. And the interest ticks daily.” He crouches to look us both in the eyes. “You know what that means, right?”

Don’t you fucking say it.

“Once this guy closes his eyes for good, Yuri is still going to need payment. The blood of your daughter will have to do.”

“ Bastard! ” Patrick shouts, causing all guns to point at him.

I see red.

Thinking of coming home to my murdered family propped up watching TV… reliving that horrible moment in my head… something cracks inside me. The underworld is punishing, and dark, and I can’t escape it.

Then I remember… it can’t escape me either.

I lunge for Kashmir’s weapon and kick out Ferraro’s leg. Gunshots fire in all directions—I feel the vibrations as I hold Kashmir’s arm toward the ceiling and push his head against the wall.

Bang!

Another gunshot goes off, and my leg jerks as a web of pain pulses near my calf. I try to push Kashmir’s hand toward Ferraro, but Niko tackles me.

I punch him in the face and elbow his temple, but then a knife is against my throat.

“You are just making your case worse, Italian scum. Now the captain’s daughter will suffer me before she goes to Yuri.

Her blood will not fall fast.” He digs the knife closer to my neck, pricking the skin as I do everything in my power to hold it back.

“I have to admit, I haven’t had this much fun in a while. ”

Thinking of Quinn panicking in the van against the Russians triggers something visceral. The pain in my leg numbs, everything numbs, and with one swift movement, I grab the knife, twist it, and stick it straight through Niko’s neck.

His gasp causes Ferraro to struggle to his feet.

“No! He’s the one who gets me free. ” Ferraro pulls at his hair, then points the gun straight at me. “You piece of—”

Bang! Bang!

Bang!

Ferraro’s body jerks in three different directions before he falls limp. Silenced automatic weapons resound outside, and when I lean over Niko’s dying body, I see him.

Donny. He rushes over and puts a bullet in Ferraro’s head for good measure, then whips Niko’s bloody body off me.

“We don’t leave our family behind, even when they fuck up.” Donny offers his hand to pull me up, and I immediately strain from the bullet still lodged in my leg. “You’re hit.”

Sal Dicey is trying to pull Patrick up. “Yeah sure, leave the fucking horse to me, the smallest of your fucking crew. Guys , give me a hand here, will you?”

With one arm around Donny’s neck as he hoists me, I see Quinn at the front door, and I know for the first time… I’m not alone.