Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115291 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115291 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
None of them were sad my father was gone, except for Bardoni, and that was only because he’d lost his position as Consigliere. Every pair of eyes rested on me and Matteo, considering us, looking for a flicker of weakness. We were both young, and many would try to weaken us. I doubted they’d wait until the first official meeting of the Famiglia with me as Capo to do so. My uncles had probably already started behind my back.
I peered down to Aria when I felt her eyes on me. She regarded me with a hint of worry as she’d often done these last few days. I resisted the urge to grab her hand or kiss her and kept my expression cold and hard. She dropped her gaze back down to the casket that was lowered into the ground by six Made Men. Aria thought that, deep down, part of me felt saddened by my father’s death. She didn’t know I’d planned on killing him myself to protect her, and she never would. He was dead now. That was all that mattered.
My uncles kept giving me fake empathetic smiles as if any of us would miss him.
Afterwards, everyone came to Matteo, me and Nina to offer their condolences and congratulate me on becoming Capo. Nina had perfected her fake tears as she clung to Aunt Criminella. I tried to keep an eye on the area despite the many guards surrounding the perimeter. I had a feeling the Bratva would try to eliminate Matteo and me again soon. Today was the perfect opportunity to get rid of many important members of the Italian mafia.
I pulled Romero aside during the wake. “Take Aria and her siblings to the Hamptons. I don’t want them in New York for the meeting tonight.”
Romero nodded. “I assume Umberto will be coming with us.”
“Yes, and Cesare as well,” I said. Scuderi wanted his own bodyguards around when his children were in my mansion, and I didn’t mind the additional protection.
Several hours later, the Cavallaros as well as Scuderi had gathered around the meeting table in the Sphere with Matteo and me to discuss the rising Russian threat but, as usual, they weren’t very forthcoming with information about the Bratva in their territory. From the start of our cooperation, we’d always only exchanged the bare minimum of information. After a tense dinner together, Matteo and I were on our way to my car to head home when Cesare called.
A feeling of dread settled in my stomach. “Cesare?”
Gunfire sounded in the background. “We’re under attack. The Bratva’s trying to enter the premises.”
“Take Aria to the panic room. Don’t let the Russians get her! We’ll take the helicopter!” I shouted, already running toward the car.
“What’s the matter?” Matteo asked as he flung himself into the seat beside me.
“The Bratva attacks the mansion,” I got out past my tight throat then called our pilot to get the helicopter ready. Matteo was on the phone with our Captains to organize reinforcement.
The second we were in the helicopter, I called Aria’s cell. It took almost a minute before she finally picked up, moments that felt like eternity. “Aria? Are you safe?”
“They killed Umberto,” Aria whispered.
I didn’t give a fuck who died as long as Aria was safe. I’d kill them all with my own hands if that meant she’d return to me. “Where are you?”
Aria’s breathing was quick. “Searching for Gianna.”
My stomach hollowed out. “Aria, where’s Romero? Why isn’t he taking you to the panic room?”
“I have to find Gianna.”
“Aria, the Bratva wants you. Get into the panic room. I’m taking the helicopter. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I’m already on the way.” There could be only one reason why the Bratva attacked the mansion when every member of the mob was in New York. They wanted Aria because they’d figured out she was the only way to get to me.
“I can’t talk anymore,” Aria said.
“Aria—” I didn’t get further before the call was cut off. For a second, I could do nothing but stare at my phone.
“Luca? What did she say? Is Gianna with her?” Matteo asked, but I ignored him. If we’d been alone, maybe I would have talked to him, but as it was there were three more men in the helicopter and I didn’t want them to realize how worried I was about my wife. I’d never felt this helpless. I reached for my gun and began checking it to make sure everything was working. I couldn’t allow myself to consider what might happen in case the Bratva got their hands on Aria. I’d be there in time.
Our pilot brought down the helicopter on the lawn behind the mansion. The second we jumped out of it, bullets soared through the air toward us. We ducked behind one of the Italian marble statues decorating the garden and began firing.