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He just played the part, until Katerina fucking Sokolov ripped it away and exposed him for the weak, sniveling coward he is.

Pathetic.

I should have put a bullet in Katerina’s head from the start. It would have saved us all a lot of trouble.

And the Santoro kid, too. They were loose ends, all of them, and entirely expendable. But Nico was weak. And now I’m left to clean up his mess.

Russo was a mess too, in the end. Too unpredictable, too unhinged. He thought he could play us all.

He found out how wrong he was and what happens when you cross Luca Barone.

I took care of him myself, five months ago. Took care of him the way the old school guys took care of Jimmy Hoffa. One more loose end, tied up neat and tidy.

And the best part? Nico and the others are still tearing apart the world looking for him.

The Sokolovs, the Brennans, the Santoros—they’re all so desperate to find the man who hurt their precious Katerina and Seraphina.

They don’t know that he’s already fish food. It brings me a twisted sort of joy, knowing that they’re still looking over their shoulders while I’m the one who pulled the trigger. The one who ended the great Marco Russo.

I glance at the file again as I merge onto the highway, the photo of Sienna Cross staring up at me.

She’s pretty enough, in a girl-next-door sort of way. But it’s her eyes that catch me.

There’s a defiance there, a strength that seems out of place on such a soft, innocent face.

I wonder if that’s what appealed to her partner. The file says he’s dead now, some kind of accident. How convenient.

Ah well. One less complication to deal with. I would have had to kill him anyway in order to get to Sienna, so at least that was taken care of for me.

I drum my fingers on the steering wheel as the miles fly by, the city giving way to suburbs, then to open countryside. The safe house is in Montana, of all places. The middle of nowhere, no one around for miles.

The perfect place to stash a valuable asset. Or to make someone disappear.

Not that it matters. By morning, Sienna Cross will be my captive and I’ll have the secrets, the leverage, that the Camorra is so desperate for.

They’re paying handsomely for the privilege. If I pull this off, I’ll finally step out of Nico’s shadow and take my rightful place at the top of the food chain.

No more playing second fiddle to the golden boy. No more gritting my teeth and bowing to his every whim. It’s my turn now. My chance to show them all what I’m really made of.

And I won’t let it slip through my fingers. Not for anything, or anyone.

I park the car at the private airstrip, grabbing my bag from the trunk. There’s a light breeze that plays with some of the hair around my ears as I glance up.

The plane is waiting for me. The pilot nods to me as I board, the door sealing shut behind me with a hiss.

I settle into my seat, pouring myself a generous glass of scotch from the bar. The engines roar to life, the ground falling away as we lift off into the night sky.

I pull out the file again, studying Sienna’s picture in the dim cabin light. Nine months pregnant. Alone and unprotected. It almost feels too easy.

But I know better than to underestimate a target. I know better than to let my guard down, even for a second.

This is business, plain and simple.

The job comes first, no matter what, even if it’s personal too. Taking down Sienna Cross isn’t just about the money or the power. It’s about proving that I’m better than Nico. Stronger, smarter, more ruthless.

It’s about taking what’s mine and burning the rest to the ground.

I toss back my drink, relishing the burn of the alcohol down my throat. Just a few more hours, and it will all be over. A few more hours, and Sienna Cross will be mine.

I trace my finger over her photographed face, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. Pretty little Sienna. You have no idea what’s coming for you.

But you will. Soon enough, you will.

I lean back in my seat, closing my eyes as the plane carries me toward my destiny.

Toward the future I’ve always known was mine.

All I have to do is reach out and take it.

TO BE CONTINUED.