“Appreciate the dinner,” Tank said before he walked over to Sydney.
To her surprise, he pulled her into his arms and held her for a few precious seconds before he kissed the top of her head. “I’d feel better if you were back at?—”
“There’s no way I’m stayingtherealone,” Sydney said.
Tank held out the key fob to his ALPHA SUV. Rather than get into it with him—especially since she had no idea how long he’d be gone—she took the fob.
In the foyer, they said their goodbyes. When the brothers left, Z exited as well. Sydney eyed her parents like she was seeing them for the first time.
“Well, looks like there’s alotmore going on with Mr. and Mrs.Smiththan I thought,” she said.
Her parent’s laughter filled the air. Despite their light-hearted reaction, she was dialed-in to what was really going on.
Sydney re-heated her food, sat at the center island. “Where are Tank and Gabriel going?”
“The Bratva, who were at war with Gabriel in Italy, have followed him here,” her dad replied.
“Yeah, he told me.” Sydney couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with her parents.
“They’re being executed,” her mom said.
“Who?”
“The men who followed Gabriel here,” her dad replied.
“What?” Sydney blurted. “By whom?”
“The Santini brothers,” her mom said.
Oh. My. God.
The hounds of Hellhadbeen unleashed, and they were fast on their way. To Sydney’s complete and total surprise, the dogs of the devil were the Santini brothers.
