There were several nods of approval from my new capos.
“I understand that we are currently facing an enemy that we know well. If my father were alive today, he would be appalled by his brother’s behavior. Attacking defenseless women and children while hiding in the shadows is the work of a coward. How can he expect to command respect when he’s unwilling to step into the light and fight me face-to-face to take the crown from my head?”
A few fists thumped on the table, urging me on.
“For generations, the Bellini name has garnered respect. Even in the dark underworld, we maintain integrity and live by a code. Certain business pursuits have always been off limits. The ones that ruin families, like trafficking and drug distribution. Neither are necessary to line our pockets and control the streets. We take care of our own, and loyalty is handsomely rewarded, as some of you know firsthand, having moved your way up theranks. Irefuseto let someone come in and dismantle what my ancestors have built, simply because they can’t accept their role as the second son.” I gestured to Matteo, who was to my left. “Brothers should stand together, working toward the common goal of keeping this family at the top, not trying to tear it apart from within. Now that I’m back, my heir on the way, it’s time to eliminate the threat Dario poses, once and for all. Spread the word that the man who brings me his dead body will receive ten million dollars and a seat at this table.”
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would place a bounty on my uncle’s head, but he’d crossed a line—threatening the lives of my brother’s family, with the intent of coming for mine next.
He was a traitor and couldn’t be allowed to live.
Chapter 11
Gio
Sweatranintomyeyes, blood rushing in my ears, as I bounced on my toes, moving around the makeshift boxing ring inside my home gym. Enzo stood opposite me, shirtless, his taped hands curled into fists and tucked tight to his chest.
We’d been sparring partners since we were kids, even when my cousin’s muscles took him up a weight class. He had the bulk, but I had the speed, so it worked out perfectly. Now, though, we were even in terms of size, and I was still learning how to adjust my fighting style accordingly.
Already, Enzo had gotten a few good jabs into my midsection, while my fists had yet to make contact with his body.
The only reason I’d called him down here was so that I didn’t punch a fucking wall, so I needed to land a hit soon, or I might just explode.
My highly agitated state could be traced to a single person—Rory.
It outright pissed me off that every time I attempted to speak with her, she completely ignored me. I should have been grateful for the silent treatment she’d been giving me the week since we’d been home, but it didn’t sit right with me, and I couldn’t pinpoint why.
Combine that with giving me her back each night in bed and batting my hand away any time I tried to touch her belly—eager to feel those first kicks—and my frustration with the woman I married had reached a boiling point.
Early on in my life, I learned that drawing blood was the only thing that could cool my temper once it spiked, and since I couldn’t go on a senseless killing spree because my wife was being a brat, making Enzo bleed with a few well-aimed blows was the next best thing.
We continued to circle each other, both of us searching for the perfect moment to strike.
I extended my right fist, and he ducked out of the way before catching me under the jaw with a quick uppercut that made me see stars.
“Fuck.” The curse came out on a hiss.
“Aw, come on,” Enzo taunted, smirking. “Don’t tell me after all the old man jokes, you’re going to let me beat you.”
He was egging me on, and damn if it wasn’t working. My blood pressure shot through the roof, and I saw red, charging at him like a bull. That caught him off guard enough that he stood there stunned for a split second too long, and I was able to wrap my arms around his torso before body slamming him to the mat.
The air was knocked from his lungs in an audiblewhoosh, and wheezing gasps fell past his parted lips as he tried and failed to draw in a breath. Now that I had the advantage, I straddled his waist, pounding his face with my bare knuckles, spurred on by the crimson pouring from his nose and the cut on his lower lip.
He raised his hands to block my flying fists, rasping, “I surrender.”
Chest heaving, I rolled off his body, falling onto my side.
Enzo wiped a hand across his face. “What’s got you so twisted up that you’re thirsty for blood at ten in the morning?”
I leveled him with a glare. “Do you really have to ask?”
He chuckled. “Didn’t want to assume just in case. But what did you think was going to happen when you dragged her back here against her will? That she’d submit to you? That’s not Rory’s style. It never has been.”
Closing my eyes, I blew out a heavy breath. “Of all the women my father had to choose from, why did he have to pick her? Rory’s not cut out to be a don’s wife. She’ll never be content to stand silently by my side. She’d rather scratch my damn eyes out for looking at her.”
“Uncle Dom couldn’t have cared less about her temperament. Not when an alliance with the most powerful family in Boston was within reach.”
He was right. The O’Malleys were heavy hitters in organized crime, and Dad had been salivating at the prospect of joining forces, which was cemented by my marriage to Rory.
