Matteo chuckles and looks at Lucas for a second who smiles in return.
“It’s nothing much,” Lucas insists for his brother.
Stephan opens one of the drawers of his desk and pulls out a pen and paper and slides it across the desktop.
I watch as Matteo grabs the pen and clicks it several times. He seems to be hesitating.
“Get it over with, Carvel,” Stephan orders him. “I don’t have all day.”
He actually does have all day, there’s nothing else for him to do today except meet with the Carvels and figure out his next step with the Dresvannis. Since kidnapping Carmine didn’t exactly go as planned.
I fold my arms and tilt my head as I watch Matteo write down a number. My eyes widen slightly as I see that number.
One million dollars.
He slides the pad back to Stephan.
Stephan looks at it, then back up to Matteo, then back to me.
“You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?” he asks. “One mill for twenty-four guns and twelve guys?”
“They’re skilled marksmen, Stephan,” Matteo says. I know he’s lying. I’ve looked up every single one of their men, and the Bianchis’ men, and if they’re skilled marksmen, well then… I’m the fucking president of the USA.
“Doubtful,” I say brashly. “What are their body counts?” I ask.
Matteo stutters. “Higher than either of you can count, believe me,” he insists. “It’s worth it, Bianchi. Worth every penny to get back at the Dresvsannis.”
“How exactly do you think we’re going to do that?” Dante asks curiously. “What do you picture as taking them out?”
Matteo grins and the sight makes me sick to my stomach. Not as much as the words that come out of his mouth.
“We’ll take down each and every one of those brothers,” he says. “That way there’s no one to take control of the situation and no one to fight against. Just some poor lackies looking for someone to follow. They’ll fall right into our—I mean,your, hands.”
Stephan smiles at him. “Boy, you’re sayin’ exactly what I need to hear,” he tells him. “I don’t want a single one of thosebrothers left alive when we’re through with them. Not just Carmine, but all of them.”
I’d say that I can’t believe Stephan is really falling for this crap, but…I can. He’s blood thirsty, and he’s only interested in taking down his enemies, no matter what it costs him.
“We can do that whether or not we have their help,” I remind him. “I’ll see to that.”
“That we can,” Stephan agrees. “Which is why including the Carvels will only make us stronger.”
He looks down at the notepad again, and then stands up from his chair.
“You’ve got a deal, Mr. Carvel.”
11
TOMMASO
“They need to be taken care of,” I tell my brothers. We’re convened in the board room, and the tension in the air is thick. “The Carvels have caused enough trouble. They’ll partner up with any of our enemies that they can.”
“They’ve certainly made it clear they’re not willing to settle with us,” Tiberi agrees.
“Have we tried talking to them?” Cassian asks.
Carmine’s face contorts slightly, brows furrowing and mouth twisting. “I don’t think they’re open to conversation,” he tells all of us. We all know something happened between him and Jackson Calver several months ago, but we have no idea what exactly. Only Soren, who saved him, knows. He doesn’t talk about it with the rest of us.
Frankly, I don’t care what he did. He deserved to be taken out no matter what. You mess with one of the Dresvannis, you mess with all of us.
