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)
"I like her for me too."
"Amalia and Callandria will love her. Genesis, too, for that matter. She's a fucking warrior just like they are."
"Around here, that's what it takes."
"Yeah." He sighs. "You know she has to go with us when we meet her uncle. He won't show if she isn't there, and our plan will fall apart."
"Fuck." I scrub my hands down my face. "I know."
"You know I'll do everything I can to ensure he doesn't get his hands on her."
"I know," I growl.
"But if we don't make it out…"
"I know," I snap, glaring at him. "You think I don't? I haven't thought of anything else since you made the plan, Rafe. It's driving me fucking crazy. But I'll follow through because there is no other choice. We can't leave him alive, and this is the best shot we have of taking him out without getting everyone killed. Doesn't mean I fucking like it."
He nods, understanding better than anyone how this shit feels. He's been here. Tommaso Genovese kidnapped his wife. We decimated his ranks to get her back, and then Rafe put a bullet in his head. The fact that he had her ate him alive. If anyone knows what hellfire burns me right now, he does.
"She wasn't wrong."
I meet his gaze.
"What she said earlier," he clarifies. "She wasn't wrong."
"I know. She rarely is." We do cling to tradition even when it threatens to destroy us. It's the thing I hate the most about this fucking life. In a lot of ways, it never changes. It's the same shit, different day. But she was wrong, too.
Rafe isn't old school mafia, immutable and unchanging. He and his twin, Nico, watched their mother die on a sidewalk when they were kids. It changed him. He's turned tradition on its head a thousand times over since he took charge, enforcing new ways and new rules, even when he's had to drag the families along kicking and screaming. He's molded us into one singular organization, into one family. If anyone can keep the ship from going down in a world where men like us and ships like ours sink every day, it's him. That's why he has my respect and my loyalty. That's why I follow him.
"Tell her I don't have any plans to kill you, Domani," he says. "I never did. I'm not a complete fucking idiot. I need you alive far more than I need more power." He shoots me a withering glare. "But don't for a single fucking minute think that you're off the hook because you aren't. As soon as this shit is over, you and Coda are going to wish you were dead. Every fucking miserable job that needs doing, you two will do. Every errand, every body that needs to be buried, every skeleton that needs to be dug up, and every drop of blood that needs to be cleaned up, I'm calling you. And you'll answer. If you don't, I'll hunt you down myself."
"Fair enough," I agree, willing to give him that.
"One more thing," he says when I push myself to my feet. "When you kill her uncle, you make damn sure it hurts like hell."
"Already planned on it."
"Good."
I find Finley in the library with Amalia, whispering back and forth. I'm not sure what they're talking about, but the fact that they have their heads together and are whispering probably isn't a good thing. They've known each other for five minutes. And Amalia would absolutely help Finley destroy the world. Queen or no queen, she's a little monster herself.
As soon as they see me coming, they sit up straight.
"Reginetta," I murmur, dipping my head to Amalia. "Mio sole. What are you two doing?"
"Nothing," Amalia lies.
"None of your business," Finley says.
I smile, shaking my head. Yes, these two together are definitely going to be a problem. But it's good to see Finley at ease in this house. It's the first time since we stepped through the doors. "I very much doubt it was nothing, reginetta. It never is with you."
"Fine," Amalia says, smirking. "We were discussing the best escape routes and which ones take you the longest to run. But apparently, she doesn't want to escape you. Good job on the ring, by the way. It's lovely."
"Thank you. May I have a moment with my wife?"
She pops up from the sofa, turning a smile on Finley. "We'll talk later."
"Of course. Thank you, Amalia."
Amalia smiles at Finley, then sticks her tongue out at me before slipping from the room.
"Was she really telling you about her escape routes out of the house?"
"Yes." Finley laughs quietly. "She has a lot of them, doesn't she?"
"You have no idea. Coda and I chased her ass all over this fucking property when Rafe first brought her here. As soon as our backs were turned, she was gone. Why was she telling you about them?"