“Slide it to me,” I demand, training my weapon between both men.
He nods, coming closer, keeping his eye on me as he slides the phone across the asphalt toward me.
“Raise your hands where I can see them. Both of you.” I keep my gun pointed at them as I bend to get the phone. “Keep them there.”
The men lift their arms without question.
I straighten up, pressing the speaker button. “Fiero?”
“Kitten, are you okay? Are you safe?” Terror underscores his words, and I’ve never heard him sound so scared. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay. I’m safe.”
“Thank fuck,” he blurts. The relief in his voice is transparent. “I love you, honey. I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you.”
“It’s not your fault, Fiero, and I love you too.” I wish he was here because I need his strong arms around me. The adrenaline sustaining me is fading along with my fighting spirit. My arms are shaking and my legs feel like Jello. “Are these men to be trusted?”
“Yes, baby. I vouch for them. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get to you. We were in the meeting, and we didn’t find out until Dino regained consciousness and called me.”
“He’s okay?” I lower my weapon and let it fall to the ground. I nod at the men, and they drop their arms to their sides.
“The driver is dead. They shot him in the head, but Orlo and Dino were hit in the back and torso, and they were wearing bulletproof vests. They sustained injuries, but they’re not serious. Where is Cesco?”
“Dead. I killed him. I killed all of them.”
Shocked silence greets my statement.
“How?” Fiero stutters.
“I poisoned them and slit their throats to be sure they didn’t survive.”
The two men stare at me in shock.
“That’s my girl.” Pride laces through Fiero’s tone. “Remember what I asked you that first day?” he adds.
“If I needed rescuing?” I surmise.
“Yeah. I was wrong. You didn’t need me to rescue you because you rescued yourself.”
“I still need you, baby. I need you so much. When will you be here?”
“My plane lands in an hour. Davide will take you to the airfield, and we can go straight home after refueling unless you want to spend the night there?”
“I want to go home. I never want to see that fucking house again.”
“Language, kitten. I can still put you over my knee. You deserve to be spanked for concealing that intel from me and for leaving the house without my knowledge.”
“You’re on speaker.”
“I don’t fucking care.”
I roll my eyes, and the two men standing before me exchange a smile. Gallo approaches, retrieving my gun and carefully placing his hand on my lower back. “I’ve got her, Don Maltese. I’ll bring her to you safely.”
“Don’t touch me,” I say, pushing out of his reach. “My husband doesn’t like anyone touching me but him.”
“Damn straight. Gallo,” he roars, “I’ll riddle you with bullets if you lay one finger on her. I don’t care if you’re a don now. I’ve already gone to war over this woman once, and I won’t hesitate to do it again.”
“Understood, Don Maltese.” He smiles at me as we walk toward the SUV. “She’s definitely a woman worth going to war over.”
