Page 29 of Diamond Fortress

A few small, entertained smiles.

A huge, proud smile on Alfredo’s lips.

And finally, Marco shaking his head at me with a smile before tipping his head to the ceiling, praying for patience as always.

TEN

-Lilah-

“Do you think I should call him?” I ask, watching the streets turn familiar again, away from the Russo business and back to the center of the city. Not toward home—toward Jerzy Girls.

My eyes move back to my phone where Dante’s last text is still on the screen.

Covered in you.

God, I love that man.

“No need. He knows we’re headed back.”

“How?” I ask, looking at him.

“Turned my location back on. He’s watching us. You should too.” I nod, knowing he’s right and doing as he suggested. Before I can even get to the right screen, Marco’s phone rings in the center console.

This is not the first time.

I’m actually not sure if he ever stopped calling Marco while we were in the Russo compound.

“Why are you ignoring his calls? Let him know we’re headed to him now.”

“Because I would much rather not waste even a moment getting there. If I don’t hand deliver you to your husband as soon as humanly possible, it’s only going to hurt more.” I cringe a bit, knowing he’s probably not wrong.

“Marco, once he—”

“He’s gonna be pissed, Lilah. All good, I expect it. Had to do it this way. But he’s gonna fuckin’ rage at me.”

“Why didn’t you just tell him?”

There’s silence before he speaks, like he’s trying to explain something without hurting my feelings. He gave me his reason quickly on the way, but I was too wrapped up in the potential of what was happening to ask much more.

But Marco is loyal to Dante.

He loves him.

And still, he didn’t want him to come.

“I wanted you to have what you had: meeting Alfredo alone, meeting the men, asserting your crazy brand of dominance—nice touch, spitting in Sal’s face, by the way. I’ve been dying to do that myself.” I smile a bit before furrowing my brow again.

“And if Dante came . . .”

“If Dante came, it would’ve gone a few ways, none that you would have wanted. People would be nervous of Dante, wondering what his motive was.”

“Dante doesn’t have a—” I interject, trying to defend my husband.

“That man’s only motive is to give you the world and keep his family from going too dark. I know that. You know that. The rest of the world? They see Junior Carluccio, the man no one knows much about except that he’s a hard ass and his father is a piece of shit who sold his own son out to save his ass.”

Fair enough.

“If he were there, there would have been too many questions. You needed to shine, Lilah. You won over an entire family in a single fuckin’ morning.”

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