Jino's brow furrows, confusion bleeding through his usually controlled expression. "Dead? What? No. Giovanni's not dead. He called me hours ago with specific instructions."
"What?" Lorcan and I say it simultaneously.
Jino looks between us like we've lost our minds. "He ordered me to bring Dom and Ricky to Boston immediately. Told me to get them settled in a hotel downtown—keep them out of the way. Then he commanded me to report here after I dropped them off." He pauses, studying our faces. "He didn't mention anything about going to Little Italy."
"Well," Lorcan snaps. "He definitely went. I saw the fucking—" His words cut out, his gray eyes meeting mine. But quickly slide back to lock on Jino. When he continues, his voice is low, almost a whisper. "I saw the footage, Jino. It looked… bad."
The gate alarm screams again.
I flinch hard enough that my teeth click together.
Lorcan's already moving to the security monitor, Jino right behind him. Their movements are identical—that professional synchronicity that comes from years of being armed and paranoid for a living.
On screen, the Aventador sits at the gate.
Black. Sleek. Unmistakable.
My heart stops, then restarts at triple speed.
The window tint is so dark I can't see inside.
Giovanni could be inside. Alive. Coming for me.
Or his body could be slumped in the driver's seat, staged there as a message.
Or LaRiccia soldiers could be behind that wheel, driving his car because they want us to open the gate thinking it's safe.
Or it could be rigged. A bomb. A threat I can't even imagine.
I don't know.
And not knowing is worse than any answer.
Lorcan and Jino move in perfect tandem—both drawing weapons so fast I barely track the motion.
I stand frozen between them, my heart hammering so hard I can hear blood rushing in my ears.
Lorcan reaches for the remote gate control.
He presses the button.
The steel gates swing open. The Aventador pulls forward. Slowly. Too slowly.
The car stops in the center of the courtyard, engine purring that low, expensive growl.
Still no one can see through those windows.
I hold my breath.
The driver's door opens.
Giovanni emerges.
And I?—
I break.
Completely.
