“They would have killed me in order to regain control.” Massimo stares idly out the window, but it belies the transparent tension written all over his face. “I always knew I didn’t matter, but this has totally driven it home.”
Fiero sits up straighter, staring directly at his best friend. “You have always been the better man, and you got the upper hand. You killed them first. That’s the ultimate punishment for always underestimating you. Fuck them, Massimo. They got what they deserved.”
“What do you plan to do with the bodies?” Joshua asks.
A deep crease lines Massimo’s brows. “I need to speak to my mother. It will be her decision.”
“Is she capable of making it?” I ask what everyone is thinking.
Joshua scowls at me, but I ignore him. Sometimes he takes the older twin routine to extremes, and it pisses me off. He’s not my parent or my babysitter even though he seems to take both those roles on when he considers the need arises.
“I don’t know.” Tiredness resonates from Massimo’s tone. “But I want to at least give her the option of burying her son and husband. If she can’t or won’t make the decision, I’ll burn their bodies and toss their ashes in the trash.”
“And Calabro?” Ben asks, clenching his jaw.
“We will afford him respect as a don.”
“We wiped the Barone out. Who the fuck cares about showing that prick respect?” I eyeball the boss. “It should be Don Mazzone’s call. It was his son they came after. We don’t need proof to know it was Calabro who gave the command.”
Massimo rubs at his mouth. “The decisions we make now will affect what Lorenzo Rizzo does in the future. Do we really want to make an enemy of the Barone for a third time?”
“It might already be too late. Leave that problem for future generations to handle. We’ve got enough shit on our plate and they’re small fry.”
This is bullshit and Massimo knows it. It’s clear his head isn’t where it should be. Under normal circumstance, he wouldn’t hesitate to make the right call.
“I’m with Caleb,” Ben says. “That prick doesn’t deserve to die with honor.”
“We should vote,” Fiero says, silently communicating with his buddy.
“Fine,” Massimo concedes.
The vote is unanimous. Calabro is going swimming with the fishes.
“How do you want to play this?” I ask the following night as Joshua, Gia, and I make our way down the stairs that lead to the underground interrogation bunker on Staten Island. Howlsof pain comingle with cussing and the whirring sound of chain saws and other torture instruments as we pass by cells on either side of the narrow passageway, heading for the last one at the end that houses McDermott.
The bunker is heavily guarded, and there is barely room to move past all thesoldation duty outside individual cell doors. We are taking no chances because we have no clue where that sub went, where Cruz is, or whether the big Italian boss is here or calling the shots from Sicily or the mainland. Massimo sent Volpe and Pagana back to Florida in case Don D’Onofrio is sheltering his buddy Cruz. While we haven’t found any evidence of treachery, none of us trust the new Florida don.
Massimo and Ben are currently interrogating the Italiansoldatiwe captured for intel, Cristian is dealing with the traitors within the DiPietrofamiglia, and I left Giulio and Vittus—our newconsigliereand underboss—to continue pushing the Accardi spies and Marino supporters for answers. Most of them appear to have been completely in the dark, blindly following their underboss out of stupid, misguided loyalty.
“Gia is taking the lead. We’re just here to support her.” Joshua tightens his grip on the duffel bag slung over his shoulder, nodding at his girl as they walk side by side in front of me.
“Please say we’re dragging this out and I can have some fun.” My hands flex at my sides in anticipation of inflicting more pain.
Gia glances over her shoulder, her nose scrunching at the blood drying on my face, coating my hair, and clinging to my clothes. “Didn’t you have enough fun earlier?”
I’ve been here for hours, interrogating the ninety-nine rats we locked up before the battle along with those who switched allegiance from Marino to us at the last minute. Not that there are many of them left. Most were taken out in A.C.
By this time tomorrow, no one who supported our dead underboss will be alive. The only way to be sure we regain full control is to end every last one of them. It will send out a clear message to the rest of ourfamigliaand ensure no one attempts to mutiny in the future. “Not really,” I truthfully reply, cracking my shredded knuckles. I waggle my brows and flash her a dark grin. “There is no torture sufficient enough to repay those traitorous pricks for their betrayal, but I’m enjoying trying. The fifteen I’ve killed already haven’t come close to sating my thirst for revenge.” Bloodlust surges through my veins, and I can’t wait to get my hands on McDermott.
“You seriously scare the shit out of me sometimes, Caleb.” Gia pokes her finger in my face when we stop at the end door. “Please stay away from my best friend.”
“Fuck off, Gigi,” I bark, earning a warning look from my twin as he talks in hushed tones with thesoldatoon guard outside McDermott’s cell.
I know Gia is whispering in Elisa’s ear, encouraging her to cut all ties with me. I’m still wired after our hospital run-in, and I got fuck all sleep last night when I finally crawled into bed. I can’t lose Lili. No matter what she thinks, she’s important to me, and I’m not giving her up without a fight.
“You fuck off,” she snaps. “You have no idea how badly you’ve hurt her, and it’s not the first time.”
“Park this shit,” Joshua commands as I open my mouth to spew venom at my future sister-in-law. “Unless we go in there as a team, you’re not coming in, Caleb.”
