Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
That girl is going to kill me, and I can’t wait to die.
Osteria del Sole is quiet this early in the day. The staff ignores me and Adam as we sit at the bar and drink beers. Valentina decided she’d better not show up—I think I freaked her out with that little crush comment earlier.
“I don’t know how you did it,” Adam says, staring at his drink, and I honestly can’t tell if the guy’s happy.
“It wasn’t too hard.” I give him the abridged version of my meeting with Michael.
Adam grunts and seems amused. “I could have done that.”
“Maybe, but I did, and it worked.” I clink my glass against his. “You’re welcome.”
He leans back and studies me. I can tell he’s looking at me in a new light now. I’m guessing for a long time, I’ve been nothing but Luciano’s former Capo, a talented hacker and a smart crime boss, but not necessarily someone to fear.
Now, he’s rethinking that attitude.
“I told you that if you could get me the restaurant, and if you could convince the others, I would join.”
“I remember.”
“You’ve done one of the two.” He tilts his head. “Now, do the second, and I’ll go up against the Biancos.”
“About that. I’m going to tell the others about the deal we made. All I ask is that you don’t deny it.” I figure pressing him to help me convince the others will only backfire, but if they know he’s a step away from joining, that’ll do a lot of work all by itself.
He nods and tilts his head towards me. “That’s reasonable.” But then he pauses and clears his throat. “I should tell you something, though. Dusan has no intentions of joining this group.”
I don’t like hearing that, not at all, even if it doesn’t surprise me. I knew Dusan was going to be the most difficult of them to bring around. “What makes you say that?”
“He’s currently dealing with a problem.”
“As you’re now aware, I’m good at dealing with problems.”
Adam’s lips press together. “You won’t like it.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“Dusan’s goddaughter fell in with a man. She’s only fifteen, and he’s twenty-six. He’s also Italian and a member of the Bianco Famiglia.”
I sigh and take a long drink. “That sounds unfortunate. But wouldn’t it be more of a reason for him to want to oppose the Biancos?”
“Yes and no. Dusan’s got a soft spot for the girl, apparently, and she’s madly in love with this boy. Her father is livid, but the girl insists she’s going to marry the Italian boy. It’s a mess.”
“I can see that.” I turn my glass in a slow circle as the condensation pools around the base. “What if I were to make the boy go away?”
“That would break his goddaughter’s heart, and I think he wants to avoid that.”
I grunt and cock my head to the side. “And I assume going to war with his goddaughter’s new boyfriend’s crime family would also be bad?”
“Now you see the problem. Dusan wants the girl to leave this boy, but he also doesn’t want to hurt her. Or that’s what he told me at least. I suspect there’s more to the story that he’s not sharing, but you’ll have to figure that part out on your own.”
“I appreciate you telling me all that.”
Adam shrugs and finishes his beer. “I suppose it’s the least I can do, considering. That restaurant means a lot to me and my family, and we’re very happy to have it back under our ownership, where it belongs. I’ll keep my word, even if it’s a long shot. Convince all the others, and I’m in.”
I walk him out after we finish our drinks. Adam’s not a talker, and I’m ready to tell Valentina the story of Dusan’s goddaughter and her much-too-old Italian boyfriend. I suspect she’ll have some ideas on what we can do.
We exit Osteria del Sole together and pause on the sidewalk. I shake his hand as his bodyguard flicks away a cigarette and comes to join us. The butt barely hits the ground before a car comes screaming down the block, tires churning up black smoke as it slams on its brakes directly across from us.
“Boss, get down,” the guard says, leaping forward and drawing a gun. But he’s too late, and much too slow.
I hit the ground hard and roll toward a parked truck. Car alarms blare as gunshots bang out into the morning, loud like cannons on the otherwise silent block. I curl up and cover my head as glass rains down around me, and there’s a brutal, pained scream, which better not be fucking Adam. The shooting goes on for way too goddamn long before it stops, and a car door opens.
The assholes. I yank my gun from my waistband, roll onto my belly, and as soon as a guy in a black ski mask steps onto the sidewalk, I shoot him twice in the shin and again in the head as he falls backwards. Arrogant prick was going to finish us off, but now he’s dead, and his friends abandon him as the car swerves, burns rubber, and shoots away. I take a couple shots but miss.