“Are you with us?”Codelli asks pointedly, startling me from the memory of that blowjob.I might’ve even blushed a little, seeing as it was this man’s daughter giving that blowjob.
“Of course,” I tell him and try very hard to figure out if the last thing said in the meeting was.I can’t.
We’re gathered in the main dining room of the house, since this is a big meeting.All my lieutenants are here, as are Rogue and Blade, and my two Russian hackers.The son of the head of the Bratva here in LA and his entourage are here too, along with Takashi of the Yakuza and his brother Hiro.Jesus is here too.He’s the representative of the Sinaloa Cartel that I’ve also managed to entice to fight on my side.And of course, Codelli.He’s sitting on my left, Rafaelle standing behind his chair.
The hate in his eyes as he looks at me is dark and hot and maybe it’s not the best idea to include him so closely.But he’s as good as my father-in-law now.
“As I was saying,” Caputo says.“We have a very good idea of Moretti’s strength in numbers and his daily routine.We also know enough about Hydra to be able to assess the threat from them.My advice would be to strike fast and strike hard.On Monday while Moretti makes a round of his properties.That’s when his forces are most divided.”
Monday is two days from now.Just a little over forty-eight hours.I’m not ready to meet my maker in just forty-eight hours.Not ready to let ruin take me.
I clear my throat and sit up straighter in my seat.Enough of this shit.It’s not forty-eight hours… this has been almost ten years in the making.And it’s time.Come what may.
“I agree,” I say to which Caputo nods.We’d already gone over the whole plan in private before this meeting.This is all just for the benefit of the others.“We will divide into teams of ten men, each with the objective of hitting one of Moretti’s properties at exactly four PM on Monday.”
I look over the room at my men.“Each of you will lead one of the nine teams, while I will lead the tenth… the one that goes after Moretti himself.No one kills him but me.”
Codelli scoffs, but is looking right past me when I shoot him a glance.
“The Bratva and the Yakuza will make up teams eleven and twelve.They’ll be made up of a mix of my men and theirs,” I continue, looking at the Russians and the Japanese.They don’t look happy about this, but neither are they protesting.I figure sending some of my men with them is the best way to prevent them from veering off the course that I set and need them to be on.
“And Rogue Angels MC will go after Hydra, hit them hard and fast, prevent them from coming to Moretti’s aid,” I say looking at Rogue who nods.“We can deal with them fully after Moretti is out of the way.”
“We’ll be doing so with the help of Devil’s Nightmare MC,” Rogue says.“They have a fight with Hydra too.”
I look at him sharply.“What is Devil’s Nightmare MC?I don’t know them and it’s a little late in the game to be bringing in more men.”
“They’re very good fighters and we want them on our side, trust me,” Rogue says.“I’ve been trying to reach you all week to tell you I want to bring them in, but you’re not answering your phone.”
More than a few of the others grunt agreements as they nod their heads.But they stop doing that when I look at them.It’s pretty clear to me that I’ve let go of the reins too much this past week, and it’s clear to Codelli too.I don’t like that disgusted smirk on his face one bit… but I don’t know if that’s because I want his approval or because it signals that I can’t trust him at all.
“I’ll have to meet them,” I say to Rogue.
“And you can do that tonight,” he says.“We’re holding a party at the clubhouse.”
I bet that’s another thing him—and probably Bella with her endless phone calls—was trying to tell me all week too.
“All right, the sooner the better,” I say and turn to the rest of the room.“Now let’s go over the plan in detail.”
There’s not much more to the plan than I already told them.It’s simple.We hit Moretti hard, from all sides, at the same time.That way he won’t have enough men in one place to repel our attack.but the minutia seem endless with all the questions, suggestions, objections, and everything else.So it’s well into the afternoon when we finally break up.
But I’m now confident that this plan will work.For better or worse, I’m about to get my revenge on Moretti, take back all he stole from my family and avenge their deaths.And clear the path for the curse of ruin to claim me too.
My cousin Nico lingers after all the rest have cleared out of the dining room.I’d much prefer to rush upstairs and get some alone time with Goldie before the party tonight and having to decide if I can trust yet another bunch of bikers.
“So, this bikers’ party tonight,” Nico says.“I’m invited too, right?”
Is this all he wanted to waste what precious little time I have left with?
“You can do what you want, Nico, I’m not your boss.”
He grins.“Yeah, but you kind of are now.”
And I guess he’s right.I’ve lost sight of so many things since I got back to LA—since Goldie finally accepted that she loves me.
“And as your consiglieri, I’m duty bound to tell you that you’re losing the men,” he says.“You need to show real leadership in the next few days, or everything could still fall apart.”
“You, my consiglieri?”I ask.“That’s a stretch… I’d need my closest counselors to be sober for at least most of the day.”
