Ricco’s jaw was tense, his eyes no longer edged with kindness but with irritation, as he approached me again. Still, he remained gentle and careful not to let his hands wander as he patted down my T-shirt and jeans. There was nothing to find except bus fare in one pocket and my letter to Renzo in the other. Ricco found both.
“I need that,” I said, grabbing his arm that held the money.
Guns came out in a wave.
“Considering the state of my car, Ms. Burch, you have very little say.” I hated how calm my brother’s murderer sounded.
“People know where I am. They’ll know if something happened to me.”
His laughter was caustic, burning right through the shaky lie I wished was true.
A scarred man, with long hair tied at his nape and wearing an eyepatch, aimed his gun at my head. “By the time they notice you’re gone, the worms will be gorging on your body. On your knees.”
I stared down that barrel. This had gone so wrong. Would I see a flash before the bullet dug through my skull? Would I feel anything? Had Noah?
“Natale, lower the gun.”
Natale did as ordered, as another man whispered in Iannelli’s ear.
“We’ll finish this in my office. Vinny, Tore, with me. Ricco, bring Ms. Burch.”
Iannelli left without any fanfare, only two men trailing him out. He didn’t wait for us to follow—just gave an order and expected it would be done. I hated that. I wanted to dig my heelsin just to go against him. Was it smart? Absolutely not, but it made me feel like I’d taken back just a little bit of control over the mess my life had been for the last seven months.
“Move.” Ricco nudged my shoulder. “The boss’s waiting.”
I tossed him a glare over my shoulder. “What? So he says jump, and you say how high?”
“Absolutely.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Trust me, you don’t want to stay here. In this room. With them. Be happy I’m even giving you that warning, but don’t you try to sack tap me again.”
I almost wanted to goad him some more, but the feral gazes of some of the old men stopped me short. The way they carelessly exposed their guns or how they raked their eyes over me from head to toe with utter revulsion gave me the heebie-jeebies.
“Fine. Lead the way.”
Chapter 12
VILLAIN
You’re the reason I’ll never be innocent again.
Thewindowsinmyoffice thankfully overlooked the hillocks that made up this part of California wine country, not my driveway. If I had to look at the damage to my car again…I squeezed my phone in my right hand to avoid grabbing for my gun. This kid had a knack for thoroughly testing my resolve. Just like Vinny foretold, I regretted ever summoning Ms. Burch.
“You’ve been focused on Persetta since you took over. As any good brother would do,” Vinny said from his chair. “But that’s done, and business has suffered. You let this girl go, they’ll think you’ve gone soft, and that you don’t have the family’s best interest at heart.”
“Is that what you think?” I asked both my underboss and consigliere, a warning in my voice.
“For once, I agree with the hard-ass, cugi-boss.” Tore snapped his lighter shut with a metallic ring. “There are already whispers.”
My left ring finger scratched against my palm. The dull ache reminded me that there was always something worse lying in wait around the corner, and underestimating those around you got you killed.
“Then it’s time we remind them why they agreed to my ascension as don and what that means. Find the two loudest in their qualms, and gather the capos for a demonstration of how I handle dissent.”
I turned away from the rural view to face my underboss and consigliere. Tore smirked like this was all in good fun. The man found humor in anything and everything, which often made him reckless and impulsive in personal matters. However, he was exceptionally organized and methodical when it came to the good of the famiglia.
Vinny, on the other hand, remained stoic, with nothing more than a nod to tell me he’d get it done. We’d been inseparable since the day I lied to my father to save a boy I barely knew, and there was no one else I trusted more, not even my own cousin and potential heir.
