“There’s very little I don’t know, Leo. You of all people should know that or you would’ve been sitting in my place today, correct?”
My right-hand man’s features soured, and I cocked a brow. “True,” he muttered.
Leo might be my father’s younger brother, but he understood his place. I was the head of the Salvatore household. I controlled everything the Salvatore name stood for. It was what my father wanted. And Leo knew better than to question my authority. Fuck, he knew better than to blink without my approval first. Still, I always detected a hint of his resentment whenever decisions needed to be made. He felt he deserved better. His ego was his biggest downfall and why my father never gave him the title of Don.
“I’ll send him in,” he finished with a quick nod before leaving.
I stared out the window. Since my father’s death, I trusted very few people in my life, and Cassius Mancini topped my untrustworthy list. A man who sold his daughter, wouldn’t hesitate to betray his business associates and he’d proven me right.
“Mr. Salvatore.”
I turned away from the window, wondering why the man had never called me by my first name, ever. “Cassius.” I didn’t offer him the same courtesy. He stood at the open door with his shoulders squared and chin jutted declaring his arrogance.
“May I?” He gestured to the seat on the opposite side of my table. I nodded. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and waited for me to sit, when I didn’t, he lowered his tall frame into the leather seat. “Forgive my barging in on you without an appointment but I felt it prudent that I get to you before it was too late.” My blank stare was all he got. “I’ve had a change of heart,” he paused, waiting for a response. I said nothing. “I’d like my daughter back and I have the entire fifty million ready to transfer with interest, of course. Just say the word.”
I walked around the table and stared at the man, who in his circles was probably a confident bastard. But the fine sprinkle of sweat across his brow and upper lip told me one of two things. Either I intimidated the fuck out of him which was a given or he was lying. In my line of work, I shot first and asked questions later. If you were dead by then, who the fuck cared. Then again, I already knew why he was nervous. His reason for wanting his daughter back had nothing to do with a loving father come to rescue his only child from the clutches of the devil.
“The word is no.” I buttoned my jacket, a clear indication this conservation was over.
His lips pulled into a thin line and for a moment I considered emptying my 9mm in his skull. That meant him bleeding out all over my clean office. I didn’t think his dirty blood warranted my staff’s time.
“I was under the impression we were businessmen, Mr. Salvatore. Surely, repaying my debt would warrant the return of my daughter since you haven’t married her yet.” He stood, stiffening his shoulders to show his rigid stance in the matter.
Taking my time to straighten the cuffs of my jacket, I lifted a slow gaze to meet his. Where his were hard, mine burned with raw fury. “I’m not in the habit of repeating myself, Cassius so make sure you hear me clearly. Fuck with me again and I’ll cut off your balls, have my chef make Machaca, and feed it to you while you watch. Trust me, you’ll enjoy every fucking morsel,” I sneered. The man visibly blanched. “Only because you’re Gianna’s father, I’m allowing you to walk away with your balls intact. Now, get the fuck out.”
Swallowing repeatedly, he headed for the door. It would’ve been easy to gut the bastard from forehead to navel, but I was reserving that joy for someone else.
“Cassius.” I stopped him. He turned to look at me. “If you’re not sure, ask Mendez to explain how to make Machaca. I’m sure it would make for an interesting conversation of how you fucked up.” Snagging his surprised expression, I turned my back on him.
On my way out the front door, five minutes later, my phone rang. It was one of the men I’d sent with Gianna. “Tony?” I answered, climbing into the backseat of the SUV.
“We were ambushed, sir,” he breathed like he’d been running.
“Fuck. How many?” Signaling for Marco to stop the vehicle, I climbed out and gestured for him to get out.
“Six, maybe eight. I lost count taking cover. They were after the girl, sir. Julian took a hit and she...” he trailed off as an explosion of gunfire erupted in the background.
I slid in behind the wheel and Marco barely had time to jump into the passenger seat next to me before I shot off down the driveway and out the gate, tires spinning as I swerved on a bend. Fury pounded through my veins heating my skin and shooting my heart rate topline. I was expecting this, just not so soon after Cassius leaving. Seemed like he was the decoy sent to distract me.
“Where’s the girl?”
“I’m not sure if she took off or they dragged her out of the car and she ran. I couldn’t see but I know which way they went,” Tony rasped. “I’m going after her.”
“Where?” I waited for him to give me their location before I cut the call. It took me half of the fifty-five minutes it would’ve taken Marco. The sight of Gianna’s overturned SUV and Tony’s bullet-ridden Mercedes didn’t do anything for the rage flooding my body. I white-knuckled the wheel and turned to Marco. “Find out everything you can.” I nodded to the policemen skirting the other two vehicles probably belonging to Mendez. “Marco,” I stopped him as he closed the door. He leaned down to look at me through the window. “Don’t mention the girl. I’m going after her.”
“Yes, sir. But shouldn’t I shadow you...”
“I can handle myself,” I gritted. “I want to know if any of the fuckers survived.”
“And if they did?” Marco’s questioning eyes met my hard stare. “Right.”
Given I was more an action man than a talker, my men had learned very quickly how to read my expressions. I climbed out of the car, slammed the door behind me, and dialed Tony.
He answered on the second ring. “Sir.” He was breathless. “They went down Fifth, but I lost them in the crowd,” he panted.
There was only one way out of Fifth street. “I’ll cut them off on Tenth.” Pocketing my phone, I headed down the street at a brisk pace. The bad blood between Mendez and me began years ago. He knew I’d come for him, it was just a matter of time. Regardless, I doubted he was aware of the truth behind Cassius’ manipulations. Maybe the promise of a warm pussy had Mendez going against a man like me and while I was all for giving him the war he wanted, I still planned to bide my time until the right moment.
The question right now, though was whether my little minx was running or had the men taken her. Tony wasn’t sure. Either way, I wouldn’t give up until she was back where she belonged. With me. I rounded the corner into the alleyway on Tenth and the sight that greeted me, not only answered my question but sparked a rage so intense, my muscles spasmed as I clenched my fists.
