“Are you sure about this?” Rocco asks. At fifty, Rocco is the most seasoned mafia man out of us but he never strived to be at the top. Said it always took away from his daughter, Lucianna. “We don’t have enough men with us to invade his house. If this even is Giovanni’s house.”
“He was spotted here,” I say. “He’s here. This fucker can’t hide forever.”
“But he has a team of men around him at all times. I’m not sure we should do this today. We should have more men with us. You have the power, Gabriel.”
“I agree. We’re here so I can see Giovanni with my own eyes. And if he is here, we’ll come back with more men.”
Rocco relaxes. “Good.”
“If it were me,” Leo says, “then I’d go in there and shoot every one of those fuckers up.”
“It’s a good thing you’re not the boss then,” Rocco replies, shooting Leo an annoyed look. He’s always hated how impulsive Leo can be.
“We’re here just to observe,” I remind them. I stop the car down the street from the mansion. It’s close enough to see the front entrance but far enough away to avoid being detected. “I just need to see Giovanni with my own eyes and then we’ll go.”
“How has married life been treating you?” Rocco asks. “I admit, I was shocked when you announced you were getting married to a woman no one knows.”
“Married life is fine,” I grit out. “And don’t talk about my wife.”
Rocco nods, understanding completely that I don’t share much.
“I still think it was strange to marry her,” Leo comments. “I don’t get it. You could have married someone for political gain. But some random girl?”
I grip the steering wheel tighter. “Aurora isn’t just some random girl. And I suggest you stop talking, Leo. We may be friends but that doesn’t mean you don’t piss me off sometimes.”
“Sorry, boss,” he murmurs.
None of us says a word as we watch the house. Hours pass by until finally someone steps outside.
It’s a middle aged man. Greying hair. Sunglasses to hide his wrinkled eyes. White suit that costs more than some people make in a year.
It’s Giovanni. I would remember the man who killed my family. The man who taught me how to be a member of the mafia and who gave me my scar when I tried to kill him.
He managed to escape. I grew my empire. And now he’s tucked away, hiding. But I have finally found him after all these years. He needs to fucking die.
I open my car door without even thinking about it.
“Gabriel?” Rocco asks, startled. “What are you doing? We can’t attack right now. We don’t have the men.”
I thought I would just come here, get a look at Giovanni, and make a game plan. But seeing him now, all I can think of is how he cut my mom’s stomach in half. How her unborn child came out of her.
I need to end this man’s life.
Leo and Rocco scramble out of the car after me as I rush forward.
“Gabriel,” Rocco hisses.
“I say we kill these fuckers,” Leo says. “It will be fun.” He pulls out his gun but Rocco places his hand on Leo’s arm.
“Stop. Gabriel, be smart about this. We don’t have the manpower.”
I don’t listen. I can’t listen. I surge forward with my gun drawn and make it to the end of the driveway. I have Giovanni in my sights.
He stops in his tracks when he sees me. I aim my gun and fire at him. One of his security guards runs in front of him, stopping the bullet. Giovanni rushes to a nearby car. I keep firing at him but his security fires back. I hiss when I feel a pain rip up my arm. I’ve been shot.
“Gabriel!” Rocco screams, grabbing my arm and pulling me back. “We have to leave. We can’t take them all on.”
Giovanni’s security team – of which there are four – all point their guns at me. Rocco is right: I can’t take them all on. But I need Giovanni dead.
