Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
I shrug, feeling miserable. “I’m just feeling powerless. Like all these decisions are being made and I know they’re wrong, but I can’t do anything about it.”
“Welcome to life with mafia idiots.” She sighs and closes her eyes.
“Renzo doesn’t listen to you?”
“No, he does, but I understand that’s not the norm.” She adjusts until she’s sitting on her feet. “Gian’s okay?”
“About the same. Frustrated, I think.” I chew on my lip, considering. “He wouldn’t let me leave, would he?”
“I mean, I don’t think you’re a prisoner.” Her eyebrows raise. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m thinking I might go talk to someone. Is there a car I can use? Just for like an hour tops.”
“I don’t know. Gian probably doesn’t want you driving around alone.”
“Not a prisoner, remember?”
She squirms a little. “Okay, look. Promise you’ll tell him where you’re going, okay? And if you happen to go into the garage at the side of the house, find the keys hanging on the peg, and take the little blue sedan, well, that’d be fine, since it’s my car and all.”
“Thank you!” I hop to my feet, grinning. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
She grimaces. “You better be. Gian will literally kill me if you’re not.”
“I know we barely know each other and all, but you’re a cool person and I’m happy you’re my sister-in-law.”
“Oh. Wow. I mean, thank you, I feel the same way.”
“Cool. See you later.” I hurry out of the room, stop upstairs to grab my phone and my wallet, then hurry out to the garage. It’s easy to find the keys and the car, and I only text Gian once I’m clear the perimeter.
His response comes immediately.
Gian: This is not the time for that. Come back.
Allegra: Sorry, dude. I’m a free bird.
Gian: This isn’t a game. This is about your safety.
Allegra: I’ll be home in an hour. I just can’t sit around and do nothing. You know me. I’m heading out to knock down a wall, but I’ll be safe. I promise!
I toss the phone on the passenger seat and ignore when it buzzes about fifty times in a row.
This is probably a bad idea. I mean, there’s a whole ton of ways this little meeting can go wrong. But as I lurk on the sidewalk outside of a high-end gym, I can’t help but feel like there’s no other path for me but this one. I wish I didn’t look like a lunatic waiting to pickpocket the rich ladies as they get out of Zumba class, even that’s all part of the plan.
I get lucky. I don’t have to wait long. As angry as I am at her, I’m grateful that Sophia’s obsessed with her schedule. My cousin bustles out of the gym wearing yoga pants and a coat, big headphones on, staring down at her phone as she walks fast toward the parking lot.
I call her name, but she doesn’t hear. I hurry, catch up, and grab her shoulder from behind.
She shrieks, drops her phone, and spins around. “Throat punch!” she screams and her hand lashes out at my face.
“Sophia!” I shove her back before her manicured nails can take a layer of skin off my face.
She’s pale and breathing hard, her hand clutched to her chest as she yanks the headphones off her ears. “Allegra? What the hell are you doing? You scared the crap out of me.”
“I’m sorry. I called your name but you didn’t hear me. Jesus Christ, were you trying to kill me?”
She groans and leans up against a street sign. “I thought you were one of the Irish. Oh my god. I had to beg Dad to let me come to the gym today. Everyone is on edge. You can’t just sneak up on me right now.”
“I’m sorry,” I say again as adrenaline pumps into my veins. “I just wanted to talk.”
“You were waiting on the sidewalk for me like a creep? You have my number.”
“You made it clear you didn’t want to speak the last time I saw you. I thought you might not answer.”
Shame settles into her expression. She looks down, cheeks turning red. “Yeah, about that.”
“I’m not here to get into it, okay? I just want to know what’s going on with the family. That’s all.”
Her laugh sounds exasperated. “Really? After everything, you still want to know what’s going on back home?”
“Yeah, Soph. I really do. Is everyone okay?”
She studies me for a second, then shakes her head. “Couple guys got killed. You didn’t know them, but it has everyone arguing. Your dad’s freaked out and really pissed. He’s got everyone looking for the two Irishmen who did it. We know their names and stuff, but allegedly they’re lying low. Your dad says he wants to take them out quietly so it doesn’t pull us deeper into the conflict, but I don’t know how he’s going to manage that. My dad’s already upgrading security, which is why I had to beg him to let me come here today. Everyone’s preparing to either fight or settle in for a while, and nobody knows what your dad’s going to choose. All I know is, they’re tearing the city up quietly as they can.”