He nods as well. “Yes. Whenever you’re ready, I am,” he agrees. “But first, I’d like to know just why you agreed to all this.”
I glance at him sideways. “You and your family—you have to know everything, don’t you?” I ask him in return.
Soren smirks at me but then his gaze goes cold. “You should know better than to try to keep something from us,” he tells me.
I look back into the crowd and slide my hands into my pockets, no longer carrying a drink.
“If you must know, the Bianchi killed someone important to me,” I mutter. “Anymore than that you’ll have to beat out of me. Are you interested in that, or would you rather I help save your own life tonight?” I glance back at Carmine and Soren.
They stand close to each other, their hands almost touching but not quite. It’s a known fact that they’re together, but they seem to remain subdued in public. It makes sense if they are trying to maintain their reputations for violence. Being lovey-dovey in public wouldn’t exactly be a good image.
Carmine sighs softly. “That’s good enough, I suppose,” he says and glances at Soren, who nods.
“We’ll need to talk more after this. I’d like to know more about the bomb situation,” he tells me.
I chuckle softly. “You and me both,” I reply. Then I glance toward Petra.
She’s looking right at me, her eyes uncertain.
“It’s time,” I mutter.
Soren kisses Carmine on the cheek and then acts as though he’s going to talk to someone else in the room, leaving Carmine and I alone, making Carmine an easy target.
I pull my gun out and press it to Carmine’s back, but not before making sure Petra can see me. She nods toward the back room of the gala and then heads for Raff.
I lead Carmine toward the backroom with my gun pressed to his back under his suit jacket. He remains calm, and I gently maintain a pointless conversation as we head to the backroom. Raff is there when we get in, but Petra is suddenly caught up with Raymond who stopped her on the way here.
Perfect.
I shove Carmine into the backroom roughly and he stumbles forward. Raff follows in behind us.
“Where’s Petra?” he asks.
“Preoccupied,” I reply. “Here, you put your gun on him, I’ll go get her.”
Raff doesn’t think twice, he simply steps behind Carmine with his own gun and I step around him. While he’s doing this, I quickly grab his gun from his hand and toss it to the side. It’s too loud for me to use it.
Carmine tosses me his own gun. If Tommaso did everything right, Carmine’s gun should have a silencer on it.
“What the fuck are y—” before he can get the words out, I point the gun as his head and shoot. The bullet goes through his forehead and out the other side of his head, ricochetting on the floor before going still.
His body slumps to the floor and partially against Carmine’s back.
Just then Petra walks into the room.
“What’s going on here?” she asks as her eyes find Raff’s body, then shift up to me.
I immediately dart for her and she pulls her gun out pointing it at me.
“I knew you were sketchy, Trevor,” she hisses at me as she steps closer. I have my gun pointed at her as well, and we circle each other as she glares at me. “You’re not going to ruin this for me.”
“It’s all about you, isn’t it?” I ask her, my voice low. “Doesn’t matter who gets hurt.”
“Raff was weak. Jealous. Didn’t need him anyway,” Petra says casually, but keeps her piece directed at my chest.
“You’re one hell of a woman, too bad you won’t be here long—” Before I can speak, she shoots me, seeming to take her chances with my own gun. Carmine’s gun.
The bullets hit my chest with a thud and I instinctively drop my gun and fall to the floor. I gasp for breath and put my hands over my chest, over the bullet holes.
