"Where do you hold the wedding?" Serenity asked.
Julia considered. "New York. Russo territory. That's where the killer will feel bold enough to act."
"That's also where you're most vulnerable," Stone said. "You'll be surrounded by Russos. Any one of them could be the killer."
"Then we control the guest list," I said. "Limit it to people we trust."
"You trust almost no one in that family," Stone pointed out.
"Exactly. Small wedding. Intimate. Easier to monitor." I looked at Julia. "Your family will hate it."
"My family hates everything." She shrugged. "At least this way, fewer people can try to kill us."
Serenity tapped her tablet. "Security will be critical. We'll need eyes everywhere. Cameras, guards, background checks on every vendor."
"I'll handle it," Stone said. "Forrest can help. We'll make it a fortress."
"A fortress that looks like a wedding," Julia amended. "It can't be too obvious or the killer won't take the bait."
"Agreed." Stone made a note. "What about the legal documents? The evidence against Filomena?"
"We give copies to Carlo," I said. "Let him investigate internally. If he finds proof she ordered the hit—"
"He'll handle it," Julia finished quietly. "Family justice."
The words hung heavy in the air. Family justice meant execution. Even if Filomena was Julia's aunt.
"You okay with that?" I asked her softly.
She met my eyes. "If she killed my father. Tried to kill you. Tried to kill me. Whatever Carlo decides—she earned it."
Fair enough.
Stone stood, pacing now. "Let me make sure I have this right. Today: courthouse wedding, legal protection locked in. Tomorrow: fly to New York, meet Carlo, present evidence, ask for more time. Then: plan a wedding in New York that's actually a trap to catch a killer. Am I missing anything?"
"The part where we don't die," I said.
"I'm working on that part."
Serenity glanced at us. "I should mention—my vision of the wedding was happy. Joyful. Whatever happens, you both survive. I'm certain of that."
"Both of us?" Julia pressed. "You're sure?"
"I'm sure." Serenity's voice was firm. "I saw you together afterward. Flour, laughter, love. You make it through this."
Some of the tension left Julia's shoulders. Not all of it—she was too practical to rely entirely on visions—but some.
"Okay," she said. "So we have a plan."
"A terrible plan," I corrected.
"A plan nonetheless." She turned to me. "Are you sure about this? Meeting Carlo on his turf, planning a wedding that's designed to draw out a killer? Last chance to back out."
I took her hand. "I'm not backing out. We’re in this together."
"Okay. Together." Her eyes brightened with hope.
Stone cleared his throat. "Before you two get any more disgustingly romantic, we need to handle logistics. Serenity, call Isobel about expediting the marriage license. I'll contact Forrest about New York security. You two—" He pointed at us. "—start planning what you're going to say to Carlo. He's not going to make this easy."
