I snort. No way he left that information out intentionally. “You didn’t know I was coming.”
“No, but I was hoping you would. Heard congratulations are in order, by the way. Is my sister treating you well?”
“Half-sister. And I’m not here to talk about my love life. Why don’t you tell me what the fuck you want, if you were so eager to meet me?”
“Love life,” he muses. “Interesting. You rarely hear of happy endings for men like us.”
I cross my arms, feeling the weight of a gun strapped against my chest beneath my jacket. I could easily reach for it and shoot the fucker, but not yet.
“Vabene,” he sighs. “The truth about my partner. Tell me, did he betray me before you killed him? Or did he die loyal?”
I don’t mind answering that one. “He cried like a fucking baby. Spilled everything.”
“Then I suppose I should thank you for taking care of a problem for me.”
“Thank me for keeping my mouth shut. I don’t know if you noticed, but I never told Antonio about your existence. Neither has myPakhan.”
“I did notice,” he says. “Heard you gave him half of Chicago. Let me guess: you want it back, and your alliance with the Cosa Nostra is a sham.” When I don’t respond, he shrugs. “So take back your city. When I distract him with my attack, it’s the perfect opportunity.”
Don’t I fucking know it.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I take it out, seeing Victoria’s number on the screen. The fuck? Declining it, I shove the phone away.
“If you’re offering to help, it only tells me you need us,” I say. “Either now, or later down the line.”
“I like collecting favors, and I want a big, fat piece of the pie you all seem to be feasting on here in North America.”
Once again, the phone buzzes. Declined.
“Well, too fucking bad.” I snort. “We don’t give out favors to nobodies who haven’t proven themselves to us. If you want my Bratva to have your back, give me proof we can trust you. Then, we’ll talk.”
“Hear that, Renato? Give the man what he wants,” Remus says, but there’s no one else in our proximity. He must be talking into a microphone. His attention returns to me. “Your hacker should have the missing piece just about…now.”
I brush my earpiece with my thumb, and Maksim’s voice connects a few short seconds later.“You there? Someone sent me coordinates to a warehouse. It’s close to San Maleno.”
“Come January 22nd, that warehouse will be filled with weapons,” Remus explains. “You’re welcome to follow the shipment from the port to that exact location. My men will be there, waiting for my signal. Because on that same night, I’ll see my father, and our conversation will decide whether he lives or dies.”
“I also got details of a shipment, including the sender. It’s one of the arms dealers we collaborate with,”Maksim adds.
Well, I’ll be damned.
I nod, pinning Remus down with my gaze. So far, everything checks out. Of course, I’ll have to track that shipment and see if the warehouse really is where his men will gather on that night. But since he won’t be asking for his favor until later down the line, I doubt he’s lying at this point.
He turns his face to look at me, sketching a satisfied smile when our gazes meet for the first time. I mimic it, and before I disappear, my pocket vibrates for the third time.
“Impressive,” I say. “But I don’t fucking know you, and I sure as fuck don’t trust you. So don’t be expecting a favor until we get Chicago back.”
I take out my phone. Once again, it’s Victoria—but it’s a message this time.
The second I see my wife’s name mentioned on the first line, everything else around me becomes irrelevant.
Victoria: Something’s wrong with Cecilia.
Victoria: You need to come home.
Victoria: Right now!
With the phone clutched tight in my hand, each word I read feels like a stab to the heart.
