Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
“You didn’t bring this to me,” Marzio said.
“I didn’t have anything to give you,” Alessandro admitted. “No evidence. Nothing concrete. Only a bad feeling about Ciro and that the Anwar family was up to something. I had no idea what. When Giacenta began coming on to Cristo, we talked it over and thought maybe he could get information out of her. She may have overheard her brothers and father talking, but then Cristo and his leopard were confused. We feared she was drugging him, but we didn’t know how.”
Marzio turned to Gorya. “What’s the plan?”
“We’re taking down the entire ring. All of it, from here to Panama. Shutting it down. To do that, we’re on a very close timeline. We’ve started already, and word can’t get out before we’re ready. That means we hit the Anwar family tonight. We free their cargo, take back your territory and kill their people. If you’re not prepared for that, we ask that you step aside and allow us to handle it.”
Marzio’s features darkened. “Bartolo betrayed our friendship and our agreement. He lied. He did share a very lucrative business with me when he knew my family was in a vulnerable position, but it was to set us up and at the same time make me always indebted to him. All along he was playing me. His family has tried to trap my son.” He stood up slowly, his fists on his desk. “No, we will be part of this. And part of the rest. I ask that you allow me to attend to Bartolo and his daughter.”
“If that is at all possible, just as long as both are dead in the end and it is impossible for them to communicate with anyone.”
“That will be guaranteed. You have my word. Tell me what you need to get this done on such short notice.”
“You and your sons know the docks and the surrounding area better than anyone else. We need detailed maps. One will do. We can memorize the map between all of us. If you have anywhere you suspect they would take prisoners to be held before being shipped out to other locations, those places should be raided. If you find prisoners, they need to be taken back, cared for and kept under wraps until we get this entire thing done.”
“You believe you can take them down tonight?” Marzio asked. “All of the Anwar family and their crew?”
“We’ve got them under surveillance. We’ve been trained for this, Marzio. This is our field of expertise, as much as it pains me to say it. We were raised on it. We can get in and out of their homes without raising an alarm. That isn’t all we want. We want everything they have as well as the key men in their crew. If anyone is left alive to report to someone higher up, we’re blown. We still have two stops to make in New Orleans tomorrow, then Russia and finally Panama. That’s a tight schedule and anything can go wrong.”
“I trust you’re already setting things up ahead of you.”
“This isn’t our first war. When we decide to act, we have all the pieces in place. That doesn’t mean something can’t go wrong.”
Marzio indicated for his sons to begin preparing the information needed for Gorya and his family to raid the docks. “We’ll handle all the possible places they might be keeping prisoners. We have the capability to take out the cameras and phones.”
Gorya didn’t tell him that was already being handled. His family wasn’t about to take any chances. There wasn’t going to be any blackmail. His family was too careful and saw to every detail. If Marzio hadn’t agreed to the deal, they had been prepared for that as well—in a couple of different ways.
Marzio indicated for his sons to begin mapping out the docks for Gorya and his family before he turned back to Gorya.
“You speak in front of your woman.”
Gorya didn’t change expression, but instantly Rogue went as still as he did. Coiled. Ready to strike. He chose his targets carefully. No doubt all the Carusos were armed. The old man had a panic button in his desk to call his security people. That wouldn’t matter. They had Gedeon. Maya could fight as well. Between the three of them, they would make it out of the building.
He didn’t answer, but he did turn his gaze on the old man, let him see the killer in him for the first time. The easygoing negotiator of the Amurov family was gone, leaving the deadly predator facing the old man. He had to see what was in that room with him. If he made a wrong move or said the wrong thing, that predator would be unleashed, and nothing could call it back.
“I was raised in a different time,” Marzio said, addressing Maya, not Gorya. “In my day, we didn’t believe women should ever know our business. Female shifters weren’t acknowledged to have any talent when it came to defending themselves. I’ve kept an eye on the Amurovs since they’ve taken over the territories of my fallen allies. All of them appear to treasure their women, but they also seem to include them in their business.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Am I behind the times? Is that why my sons have not found their rightful mates?”