He grins, the ink on his face warping. “Perfect. I’ll be in touch.”
We shake, which may be the most difficult part of the meal.
I rise, thank him for the food, nod to our server, and pretend to go to the bathroom but actually head into the alley through the back door of the restaurant.
Nino’s going to sell me the diamond for cheap? Sure, and I’m planning to launch my presidential campaign as soon as I return to the safe house.
Under my breath, I count. “Three, two, one…”
Nino’s heavy boots thump on the concrete behind me. He’ll attack from his right—during our meal, I noted his dominant hand—with a knife. A gun’s too loud.
I spin, blocking the six-inch blade stabbing toward me by snagging his wrist and deflecting until his own knife swipes him through his brow.
He cries out as blood streams into his eye.
He’s fast, though.
Before I can go for a hit, he drops the weapon and reaches for my neck with both hands.
Only out-of-control crazy people try to strangle a person right out of the gate.
These Italians need to learn how to fight with their legs.
Once I sweep his, he’s down.
Nino flips like a fish while scrambling for his knife.
I kick him onto his back and punch in in the jaw—once, twice—and he swipes again, clipping my chin.
The sharp sting knocks my teeth together with aclack.
That hurt.
I keep punching, ignoring Nino’s wild swings until he’s lying limp and whimpering beneath me.
Panting, I kneel over him, pissed that I had to do this at all.
My knuckles hurt. My jaw aches.
But this had to be done.
Fucking prick.
As I stand, the glint of his blade on the ground captures my attention. I snatch it up.
“I think you were looking for this.” I toss the weapon onto his stomach and leave.
Declan would not be impressed with my show of compassion, but I plan to sleep like a baby tonight knowing I went a round with Nino and let him live.
For Cat.
Chapter 29
Caterina
My mother’s favorite silk scarf and some of my parents’ wedding photos sit in boxes in our basement. My father asked me for these things months ago, when he believed he was dying of liver failure. He wanted them placed in his coffin, so a piece of her could be buried with him.
I told him I’d find them but never did.
