Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
"Cazzo."
"Our best guess is that he didn't show today because he's already made up his mind on how he's going to proceed." Coda eyes me levelly. "We're preparing for war and hoping we're wrong, brother."
"Why are you here, Coda?"
"You know why."
I close my eyes, muttering a curse. "No."
"It's not your choice to make, brother. It's mine."
"Yeah, well, you're making a shit choice if you're here right now instead of there." My eyes flash open. I pin him with a withering glare. "Because they need you. I don't. The only thing you're liable to do here is paint a fucking target on your back too."
"We ride together, we die together." He grins, a cold-blooded, merciless grin. "But I'd like to see that son of a bitch howling for mercy before we die, wouldn't you?"
"It's the number one item on my to-do list." I pause. "But I'm not just taking him out. I'm taking out his sons, too. The only one I'm leaving alive is the one who begs the loudest."
"Sounds like a good time to me."
I sigh, shaking my head. I don't want him to do this. If he does, there's no guarantee he'll be welcomed back. Like me, he'll be defying a direct order and betraying his oath. There's no room in the mafia for men who can't fucking take orders. There's no room for men who can't keep their word. Failing to punish one leaves the door open for others to do the same.
But this is Coda. The most dangerous motherfucker in the mafia. And the one person I'd trust to watch my back against any comer, any time, any place, any day. If anyone can help me kill that son of a bitch and stop him from starting a war, Coda can. I need him on this, even if it costs him everything, too.
"Fine. Let's go kill my wife's uncle," I mutter.
Coda's brows shoot toward his hairline. "Hold on. You got married?"
"Today."
"Cristo. Rafe is going to shit a brick."
"No," I say quietly. "That's the one part of this Rafe would understand. Let's get the fuck out of here before Diego gets bored of sitting in his car and decides to come in to poke around."
"You saw him out there?"
"He wasn't exactly trying to hide."
Coda lifts his chin in acknowledgment. "No one wants to be doing this shit, Domani. You're family. It's a shitshow all the way around."
"Yeah, well, I made my bed."
"Was it worth it?"
"No question, brother. No question."
Chapter Eleven
Domani
Cillian's compound isn't dark and silent this time. Every fucking light is on, almost as if they're afraid of the bogeyman. He even has guards posted at the front door. I'm guessing he has another at the back.
"Killing him somewhere else would be easier," Coda mutters from beside me. "Who knows how many people he's got inside the house?"
"True, but he didn't let her leave here. Why should he get the opportunity? Besides, he has an incinerator in the basement."
"Jesus fucking Christ." A look of disgust crosses Coda's face. "He burned bodies with her in the house?"
"He did worse than that."
Coda grunts, his contempt obvious. We watch the house for a good hour, not speaking. The guards don't leave the front porch. They aren't particularly observant, either. They don't check the perimeter. They just fucking sit around, talking.
"If the guard around back is anything like these two, getting in won't be a problem," I mutter.
"Nope," Coda agrees. "When are we going in?"
I consider telling him right now. I want this shit over and done with. But everyone in the house is still up from the looks of it. And I want this to be as easy as possible. I don't want to fight my way through Cillian, his four sons, and whoever the fuck else is inside. I want to catch them while they're sleeping. Sooner or later, the motherfuckers have to sleep.
"As soon as we're sure Cillian and his sons are the only ones inside," I say.
"That won't be tonight. It'll be dawn soon."
"I know. Merda." I scrub a hand down my face, fucking exhausted.
"Have you slept?"
"Not much. Not enough," I admit.
"Go. I'll keep an eye on the house and trail him if he leaves. You get a few hours with your wife and meet me back here at sundown. If we're lucky, he'll be dead tonight."
"You know Rafe and Mattia will be looking for you today."
"Yep."
"What are you going to tell them?"
"The truth. You aren't my enemy, and we want the same fucking thing. If Rafe and Mattia need to handle me when the dust settles, so be it."
"So be it," I sigh.
"You're back!" Finley cries, flinging herself at my chest as soon as I step through the door into the safe room. I don't think she's sat down once. The bed is still perfectly made. The chairs are still pushed up to the table. She's probably been pacing since I left.