This isn’t a war. Wars are unpredictable. Messy. Risky. I don’t do risk.
She’s everything I’ve always imagined I could love, if love were in the cards for me.
But make no mistake, this is not a love story.
It’s a hostile takeover.
And Lindsay Beaumont is my next acquisition.
CHAPTER 1
Lindsay
ONE YEAR AGO
The wedding is beautiful and blue and looks like it came from a dream. My best friend walks down the aisle, more beautiful than words can encapsulate. Breathtaking as she takes her place in front of her husband, a man I’m still not sure isn’t a monster.
They say their vows, and the love they share is almost impossible to ignore. The sight of it both fills me with hope and leaves my gut twisting. Perhaps I’m wrong and happinesscancome from even the darkest pits of hell.
And just as I think that, a gunshot goes off. And pandemonium ensues.
My first reaction is shock, but it doesn’t last more than a few seconds. Sophia is still standing beside me and her shock doesn’t seem to be going away. I duck, pulling her to the ground with me, while I scan the church, looking for the invisible assassin.
But it’s almost impossible to see anything amid the screaming wedding guests running for their lives. A minute ago, this was a beautiful wedding that could have stirred hope in even the most deep-rooted cynics. Now it’s a disaster.
I scan the altar for my best friend but there are several men surrounding her and her husband, protecting them I’m presuming.
“Sophia!” someone screams and I realize it’s their mother, crouching down as she heads over to meet us.
“Mama!” my best friend’s little sister screams back.
I hold onto her arm as her mom joins us, all of us trying frantically to locate Valentina. A man steps back holding a rifle. He’s not paying attention to what’s behind him and very nearly ends up stomping down on my hand with his leather dress shoes. I grit my teeth before turning back to the terrified mother and daughter.
“We need to get out of here,” I state and it’s almost like they don’t hear me.
“Mrs. Marino!” I yell, the urgency clear in my voice and this time she looks up at me. “We need to get out.”
She nods in agreement, steeling her expression and clamping down on her daughter’s arm. One last look at the heart of the pandemonium where Valentina must be and we begin making our way out. We’re largely unobstructed since most of the guests have cleared out by now.
The most dangerous kingpins of the underworld, and all it took was a bullet for them to scatter. I would laugh if I weren’t so focused on survival.
My heart races as I head for the nearest exit. I try hard not to think about who that bullet was meant for, who might have gone down.
There’s someone back there, bleeding out and possibly dead.
We get through the doors and into the open air and I take a deep breath. I lead Mrs. Marino and Sophia toward a huge tree in the open courtyard.
“Are you both okay?” I ask.
Sophia looks like she’s on the verge of a panic attack but she manages a small nod, wrapping her arms around her body. Mrs. Marino looks like she’s about to start crying. I place a comforting hand on her arm.
“Hey, I’m sure Val’s okay,” I tell her softly.
She shakes her head, her eyes becoming redder by the minute, “Marco,” she gasps, “He was beside me. And I’m pretty sure he was shot. I-I tried to reach down for him but someone pushed me back and I couldn’t see anything. Oh god, what if he’s dead?”
Since I have no answer to that question, I do what I should have done as soon as the shot rang out. I whip my phone out of the pocket of my dress.
Every outfit I own has pockets, a habit I have yet to regret.
