This wasn’t the final battle. Sure, we could blow the place to smithereens with the amount of explosives we set up in the church’s basement, which Francine had given us the key to last night when we went over the details for today. But we wouldn’t do that to the town that had been kept subservient to the crime family for far too long, nor would we hurt the innocent in the room. I could tell she held as much fondness for Lorenzo as shehad for us, and I knew she’d never forgive us if we made him a casualty before figuring out if he was with his father. Besides, we still had to figure out who else was helping them so another power didn’t rise in his wake.
“You know, Angelo, I wore this dress for you too.” I leisurely took my time striding back over to him, keeping a firm grip on the remote. “I wanted you to know just what I looked like when I was covered in your son’s blood, when I watched him take his last breath and the light leave his eyes.”
I expected him to spit and curse, but he only raised his brow, his mahogany orbs resembling his son’s, devouring my body an inch at a time with a lascivious tilt of his lips. “I always told my son he was an idiot for trying to leash you to him.”
I cocked a brow, urging him to continue. I tried my best not to gouge out his eyes as a chill skittered down my spine.
“He saw the wolf hidden beneath the sheep’s skin he’d forced you into, and rather than set you loose, he kept you caged.” He shook his head, his mouth pursing into a thin line. “You could have ruled by his side, and instead you tore off the hand keeping you in line. I don’t blame you, but trust me when I say I won’t make the same mistake.”
My arms pebbled with goosebumps at the insinuation, bile rising in my throat. No. This couldn’t happen. I would never be cowed by another Barone, never be owned again. Not in this lifetime or any other.
I glanced at the doors and nodded at Spade and Kellan, signaling the next part of our plan. In the brief moment I looked away, Angelo’s eyes drifted down to my cleavage and the smear of blood I’d left there, a feverish desire flashing there before he quickly concealed it under his stony mask.
I shoved down the revulsion knotted in my stomach and smirked back at him, pretending I hadn’t caught the malicious intent gleaming in his eyes or his declaration. “At least I’ll have aworthy adversary. I wouldn’t want to be underestimated with all the destruction I have in store for all of you.”
Delight glinted in his mahogany eyes and I immediately wished I could retract the taunt. I would rather not capture his interest any more than I already had.
“I expect big things, Giana.” Angelo licked his lips and threaded a hand back through his salt and pepper hair, not hiding the way his gaze slid down my body. “I won’t hold back.”
I suppressed the urge to pull out the dagger strapped to my thigh and stab him through the heart, but if I did, I had no doubt today would turn into a bloodbath regardless of the remote clutched in my palm.
Spade and Kellan’s boots stomped down the aisle, releasing the tightly wound ball of stress tightening my chest. The neon green of their masks shone through the dimly lit church like a beacon.
“We brought a gift to show you our sincere condolences.” My lips curled down in mock sympathy, hoping it might summon that rage again, but he just looked faintly amused as my men flanked me, pressing me between their tightly muscled biceps.
I took the larger bear from Kellan, true glee shining in the grin I gave him. I could picture the glower tightening his brow from the exchange. I told them Angelo had always leered at me before, and even Tommaso hadn’t ever wanted to leave me alone with him, but I’d thought that killing his eldest son would kill the greedy gleam in his wandering gaze. Apparently not.
Angelo arched a brow when I held it out for him.
“It’s just a stuffed bear.” I rolled my eyes. “I have no need to fill it with explosives when there’s enough under your feet to turn this building to rubble.”
Angelo glowered as though he’d forgotten the explosive surprise waiting for him if any of them tried to take us out.Reluctantly, he took it from me, his gaze catching on the golden locket draped around its neck.
We broke into the mansion Tommaso planned for us to call home last night and took some of my personal effects, along with the locket Tommaso had given me at graduation. He’d placed a picture of Merrick and Kellan on either side so I’d always remember who he’d go after if I ever went back to East Haven to escape him.
“Open it.” I grinned a feral smile at him that was all teeth.
He frowned, clearly not understanding the significance, because why would he? Tommaso taking me and blackmailing me into compliance was never something on his list of concerns.
The gold glinted in the chandelier light as he clasped the locket and pried it open. On one side there was a picture of Tommaso, and on the other I’d scrawled the words,You’re Nextin a pretty script that did not match the ominous threat.
Angelo’s jaw tightened for only a moment before his lips curled up in amusement. “Well played.”
I dipped in a mocking curtsy and gave him a fake smile filled with so much hatred I hoped he choked on it. “Oh, and we didn’t forget you, Lorenzo.” I took the second bear from Spade. He grasped my hand before letting go, clearly hating that I was the one putting the target on my back, but we both knew it had to be this way. I had to be the one to play these cards. I strode over to Lorenzo, letting Spade and Kellan’s gun, along with the four rifles still trained on him, keep the eldest Barone in line. “But in my opinion, you should be the one thanking us since we cleared the way for you to walk in your father’s footsteps.”
Lorenzo’s lip curled in disgust before his eyes landed on the bear I extended out to him. He froze for a moment, his hand trembling slightly as he grasped the smaller bear, the one Francine had given us with the hidden notes in the back pocket. He quickly schooled his features into one of cold dismissal.“Excuse me if I don’t thank you for killing my brother, especially right in front of his cold, dead body.”
“Apology accepted.” I grinned. “You’re right, it would probably be in poor taste.”
I turned on my heel, not wanting to draw any more attention to the exchange, and nodded to the men at the door. They hurried off to signal the others and pull up the vans for our getaway.
“We’ll be on our way.” I slid a possessive hand down each of my guys’ arms as they stepped closer to either side of me. “Don’t even think about following us. The remote is still active within a fifty-mile radius, so if we see anyone on our tail, I won’t hesitate to press this button and send the rest of your family to their graves.”
I met each of their gazes, making sure not to linger too long on Rosa’s red cheek.
“I would say I’m sorry I won’t be part of this fucked-up little family,” I said. “But that would be a lie.” I shrugged and gave them all a little wave before twining my arms with my men and letting them lead me back out the way we came, trusting the men above us to have our backs as we made our way through the open church doors.
“I’ll be seeing you, Giana.” Angelo’s voice echoed from behind me, and it took more effort than I’d like to admit to keep my stride steady. “Very soon.”
