I looked away, toward the water in the distance. “I know you do, but nothing is guaranteed. What Big Bismo said that day when he didn’t know we were in the Hamartia Garden. About you—they’re already—”
“They’re not doing anything right now,” he said, moving my face so I looked him in the eye. “They’ll use me first. Then try to get rid of me.”
He said it so casually, like he was commenting on something so simple, like getting fired from a job that had become meaningless to him, but he had kept for the benefits.
“Use you for what?”
“A war. It wasn’t planned, but I sensed it coming. The other enforcement branch in New York fucked things up. They made a deal with some people, and when those people went to deliver the goods and collect the cash, a few of the men in the New York enforcement crew pulled guns and killed the men delivering and collecting.
“The men who were fucked over want retribution, but New York is only willing to go so far. Which means it might become a war. A war might be useful for us. They’re not going to want so much trouble at once, and to lose me at such an important time. When there’s a massive fire, no one is watching the crowd, ah?”
I thought about Cilla and how much of a manipulator she was. Aniello was the same, but even better. He played this life like it was a game, and he was an all-star. He figured the war would buy some time and serve as a distraction, if needed.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything,” he said.
“I know you know what Cilla is doing,” I said. “You know everything.”
He nodded.
“If there’s any chance for her to live her own life, will you give her that? For me?”
“Tell me why.”
I shrugged. “I feel for her cause.”
He searched my eyes for a second. “If you wanted me to kill her, I would,” he said.
Our gazes locked.
“I would do anything for you, Rosalia.”
“Like you would have done anything for them,” I whispered. Them meaning his family, the ones he took a blood oath to be loyal to.
“I found something more powerful than anything in this world. You.Il mio giuramento.”
My oath.
I breathed out as he breathed in, and I took his hands, weaving our fingers together, hoping the roots our of lives were doing the same thing. Coiling so tightly that no one could ever pry us apart.
* * *
Two days.Only forty-eight hours until the summer event.
The entire club was hopping. Summer and winter were two of our busiest seasons because that was when we hosted two of our biggest events.
Not only was I working nights, but also days to get everything ready. Lists on top of lists seemed to exist. Some days I felt like I could barely get everything done.
Food. Drinks. Decorations. Music. Guests lists—who was sitting next to whom.Thesilent auctionthat was also used to launder money, as was the price of the tickets.
Aniello had been gone for a week, and even though the party kept me busy, it didn’t keep my mind totally occupied. I found it strange that Big Bismo hadn’t brought up Aniello to me since the last time. I found it odd that no one had come to watch us or to even act on Big Bismo’s secret “accusations.”
It almost felt like a trap.
With Aniello gone, there was nothing to catch, but still. There was something going on between us. The powers that be had to know, so there was always a little voice in the back of my mind nagging me.
Was this the rain before the firestorm?
