I glance at him briefly, “Exactly.”
“How do you plan on getting the insider information needed to pull off everything you’ve just mentioned?” Salvatore asks.
“I already have informants within the Bratva. Some of them paid, others coerced. I’ve been getting surveillance and intercepting communications since the day Valentina walked into that warehouse. Rest assured, we have everything we need.”
Tension ripples across Salvatore’s face at the mention of the incident involving his wife. When it clears, he offers me a small nod.
“That’s a good place to start, but it doesn’t exactly stop them.” Raffaele frowns.
“That’s why there are four steps,” I say, trying not to sound exasperated. “That’s step one. Once they start losing money, they start asking each other questions.”
“And when they start tearing each other apart?” Elio asks.
“We isolate them,” I reply. “Cut off external alliances. Suppliers, buyers. Anyone they can rely on. Since they’re largely reclusive, no other organization will be the least bit interested in coming to their aid. Leak some false information, frame one of their lieutenants for betrayal, small actions that will tip the scales. They’ll be dominoes tumbling down and we’ll barely have to lift a finger.”
Raffaele leans forward excitedly, “And when do we start the bloodbath?”
“We don’t,” I say, and his face falls.
Thankfully, Elio takes the opportunity to jump in.
“There’s a RICO case being put together against the Russians. And it’s been done by our friendly neighborhood prosecutor.”
“Beaumont?” Salvatore asks, surprised. “She just can’t keep her hands out of the cookie jar, can she?”
“More like she’s attracted to danger and her father’s pushing her into it as well,” Elio turns to me. “Matt, you can’t seriously expect us to rely on her finishing the Russians. I don’t have much faith in her ability to take the case to court.”
My jaw tightens. “If she fails, we’ll take care of it ourselves. But doing that would draw unwanted attention. Which is why I’d prefer someone else do the final dirty work for us.”
Although I’d very much prefer it if Lindsay didn’t touch the case at all. It all ties in perfectly with my plan. As long as nothing goes wrong, we’ll walk out of this unscathed. An all-out war is the last thing we need.
Salvatore sets his glass down, the sound soft but final.
“The plan’s pretty good. You’ve outdone yourself, Matteo, as always. I’m not comfortable with that last part, though.”
“Me either,” Raffaele adds.
“But I’ll trust in your judgment. For now. Let’s get the wheels in motion, there’s no time to waste.”
I nod in agreement and we get to work fine-tuning the details. I share all the information I have and the four of us work like a well-oiled machine.
My family is very important to me. And I’ll do anything to keep them safe. While my primary goal with this plan may be to avoid bloodshed, If anyone I care about gets hurt, I’ll raze whoever’s responsible to the ground.
If the Russians step one toe out of line toward my family, the streets will be littered with their blood and the blood of everyone they love.
And if Lindsay so much as loses a strand of hair, there will be hell to pay. She may be my newest acquisition, but no one touches what’s mine.
CHAPTER 8
Lindsay
Every new day comes with new declarations. When my eyes open on a beautiful Friday morning, my first day off in a while, I tell myself that I’m going to have a good day.
The past few weeks have come with a myriad of emotions. But today the only thing I’m going to feel is ease. No work, no thinking about mafia men with dark eyes. Or my father or anything to do with that world. I’m going to be happy.
Before I moved out of my father’s mansion, I had a routine. Every morning, when I woke up, I’d go on a run. It was easier then because we had acres of space on the property and no one ever bothered me. The hotel is smack dab in the middle of the city and there’s a lot of foot traffic, which isn’t ideal for running.
There’s a park close by, though. One I can make use of to release some tension. I get out of bed and take a quick shower before picking out a blue sports bra and leggings to match.
