She glances down, striking a pose with her hands. “This is my lookout outfit.”
“We wear black, not camo,” Mattia laughs. “I think we need to hire her a stylist, brother.” He walks out the door, leaving her looking stunned in the foyer.
“That’s not what they wear in the movies,” she huffs, now upset with the outfit. Fucking females.
“Let’s go,” I snap, storming to the cars with a sulky Charlie behind me. “I’ll ride with Charlie,” I yell ahead to Stefano and Carlo.
Rocco jumps in the driver’s seat, while Mattia climbs in the passenger seat, and Charlie and I slide into the back. She chooses to sit in the middle, and I’m unsure if she’s trying to be close to me or if she wants a better view of where we’re going.
The car is silent until Charlie squeals in my ear, smacking the back of Mattia’s chair, “I love this song! Turn it up, Mattia!” He obeys, and she starts singing along, carefree and off tune like we aren’t about to go do something illegal.
Swinging through the night, heartbeats in the sky, chasing every moment like it’s do or die. No safety nets below, just the thrill ahead. Living on the edge, where angels fear to tread. I don’t fear the fall, I embrace the night, dancing with the shadows, chasing the light. I’m looking for a love so fierce, so bright, it will burn us up and kill us with its light.
“Turn it off,” I demand Mattia when I’ve heard enough.
“But it’s Ellie Raynes.” Charlie bats her eyes beside me, resting her hand on my lap. Like that will help plead her case.
“Yeah, brother. Ellie Raynes,” Mattia teases.
Charlie beams. “I would love to see her in concert. You know she can play nearly every instrument.”
“I play guitar and the occasional spoons,” Mattia says, grinning from ear to ear, waiting to see if Charlie will laugh at his stupid joke—she always does. I shake my head, staring out the window. If I thought my brother was trouble before, the two of them together is worse.
“Did you know Ellie Raynes is also an acrobat and performs all these crazy stunts while singing? Like no lip syncing, it’s all live,” Charles says.
“Yeah, well, I do parkour while killing people,” Mattia adds.
Charlie moves and leans between the two front seats, looking Mattia right in the face. “If you’re trying to compete with Ellie Raynes, then you, my friend, will be disappointed. She’s like an angel and you are no angel.” She jabs his arm.
“No, I like to think of myself more as a ghost.” He shrugs. “Besides, I’m your bestie, not just a friend.”
“Stop here,” I say to Rocco. We pull up behind Stefano’s car. Turning to Charlie, I give her a stern look. “Listen to Mattia. Stay focused and no joking around.” I eye them both, making my order clear as day.
“Yes, Don.” She salutes, causing my chest to grumble. I would love to bend her over my lap right now and smack that sarcasm out of her, but instead I have to step out and watch as the car peels away and up the hill to a safer place.
19
Charlie
Rocco stops the car at the top of the closest hill to the shipment yard. “Grab this,” Mattia says, tossing me a blanket. My fingers tremble slightly as I catch it, my nerves raging inside me. He bends down, sliding the pistol I’ve used many times in training out of his boot. “I grabbed this for you just in case. Remember to give it back before we catch up with Luciano.” He gives Rocco a look to say,you better not tell the Don,causing Rocco to shift uneasily. I can tell he doesn’t want to be punished again by Luciano.
I shove the cold metal into my back pocket, hiding it beneath my oversized camo shirt. Why did I think this outfit was a good idea? The weight of the gun presses against my skin, a sharp reminder of the dangers lurking around us. “Thanks,” I mutter, trying to steady my voice as I follow Mattia to the lookout point, Rocco close behind like always.
We spread the blanket beneath the overhanging branches of a nearby tree and lie down, Rocco and Mattia on either side, guarding me. My heart hammers in my chest as my eyes lock onto the empty shipment yard below. It’s lit up like a Christmas tree against the dark night sky.
“Now what?” I whisper.
“We wait.” Mattia sets up his sniper and peers through the scope with an unshakable focus. I pull out my night vision binoculars from the bag, scanning the area as I watch two cars roll in; our cars. One of the soldiers rounds the car, and Luciano steps out. He straightens his suit, his posture oozing power as Stefano and Carlo walk closely behind him.
“Where’s Gabriele?” I whisper. I’ve just realized he didn’t leave with us.
“At home. Gabriele’s strength is behind the scenes, not amongst the chaos,” Mattia says. That makes sense; he’s more a computer geek than a fighter.
My gaze flicks back to Luciano, the man who might be my salvation and my undoing at once. I watch as two tall men approach Luciano, leading the way towards a shipping container. My mind races wildly. They must be our men. Our firearms are inside that container. The two men pry it open, and suddenly three men bolt out, charging towards Luciano with knives drawn.
But Luciano doesn’t flinch. I watch as his whole body changes before my eyes. He unleashes the demon within him, and it’s terrifyingly magnificent to watch. He marches towards them with fury. The first man collapses inches away from him, at his feet. I glance at Mattia, who silently reloads his sniper rifle, not taking his eyes away from his scope.
I force myself to continue watching, my heart pounding, anxiously waiting for this to be over. Carlo and Stefano now have the other two men pinned on their knees, guns pressed to the backs of their heads. Luciano paces before them, shouting.
