Page 3 of Bianchi

“We’ve stayed up all night, Rome. Every possibility has been considered and I’m telling you, this is the only way to draw him out.” Massimo’s words are meant to soothe, but all they do is add to the unease.

“So why not just kidnap her?”

In my sixteen years as head of the family, I’ve never had to give an order to kill a woman, and the thought of doing so doesn’t sit right with me.

“An eye for an eye. He’s killed our men; we need to hit him where it hurts.”

Resting my chin on my fist, I reply, “What if we kill her and he still carries on?”

“Then we think of a new plan.”

“Massimo, we need to think with our heads, not our hearts. If we kill her and he carries on, then it was for nothing.”

Drumming his fingers on the desk, he leans back, regarding me. “It would never be for nothing. We kill her and we lure him out. She is the key to finding him and if that makes her collateral damage, that’s on him, not us.”

I regard him for the longest time. My family—the mafia—will always come first and if killing Aurora Costa is the only way to protect them, then it must be done.

Reluctantly, I reply, “Okay.” Picking up her photo, I allow myself one last look before dropping it face down on top of the others. “The gravity of this decision can’t be lost on us. If he cares for her as deeply as we suspect, then we need to be prepared for the consequences of taking her life. Because Francesco will come out on the attack.”

One by one, I make eye contact with the men I trust the most. They nod in agreement, and when my eyes meet Massimo’s, I say, “I don’t expect any of your men to break the oath they made. As the head of the family, it’s my burden to carry.”

Women and children have been off-limits for as long as the mafia has been around. We do not touch them. They have always been considered innocent, unsullied by the heinous acts we carry out. In making the decision I have today, I’m effectively saying that a rule we have abided by for centuries is null and void, opening us up to repercussions we might not want.

Chapter 3

Aurora

There’s a faint lingering of death and destruction permeating the air as I hold my apartment door open. The light in the hallway flickers as I stand with one foot in the entryway of my apartment and the other still in the hallway, considering my options. Whoever he is, I knew he was here before I unlocked the door. Yet, I didn’t do what any sane person would. I should turn around and run. It’s not too late.

I knew this day would come. The world my father occupies was always going to find me, no matter how far I tried to distance myself from it.

It would be easy to blame my lack of self-preservation on working sixteen-hour shifts as an emergency dispatcher, but deep down, I know I can’t. Something much darker that’s been festering inside of me for years is in control of me now. It twists and turns in my gut, propelling me forward with a bravado and acceptance of whatever my future holds. Crossing the threshold, I brace myself, ready to come face-to-face with the devil who’s waiting for me.

Just like I’ve been waiting for him.

An awareness ripples through me, my body warming as I kick the door closed behind me. From my position by the front door, I have a view of my living room and kitchen. There’s no sign of him. He must be hidden in the shadows, because I know he’s here. I can feel him, like the ground beneath me.

Adrenaline courses through my body, and although I don’t know why he’s here or what he might be after, I’m ready for the confrontation. For the excitement.

Hanging my keys on the hook by the door, I go through the motions of taking off my jacket and putting it in the cupboard by the door with my bag. It’s been raining pretty much nonstop for the last four days, and although my feet are soaked and cold in my sneakers, I keep them on. Hopefully, they’ll give me an advantage should I need to fight him.

Moving in the direction of my bedroom, the squeak of my shoes punctuates the air. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I can feel his eyes on me, slowly hunting his prey.

My breathing is steady, portraying none of the panic that’s now bubbling beneath the surface. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I don’t bother with the lights, allowing the darkness to envelop me as I navigate the familiarity of my apartment, praying to God that he doesn’t make himself known before I’m ready.

My mind goes to my bedside table and the 9mm gun I have taped to the inside of the top drawer. I’ve never had a reason to use it, but after the couple who live in the apartment above me were robbed, I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. I’m not sure what use it will be to me now but it might buy me some time.

I clench my jaw, annoyed at the invasion of my home. Who does he think he is? Breaking into my apartment, waiting to… to do who knows what. Pressing my lips together, I slip into my bedroom at the end of the hallway.

Moonlight floods the space, a beam guiding my path to the bedside table. I don’t bother to close the door behind me. It creaks from where I haven’t had time to grease the hinges and I don’t want to give him a reason to come and find me just yet.

An urgency overtakes me as I open the drawer, my hand diving in and coming up empty, before my movements turn desperate as I search for the unused object. My mouth goes dry, and I shake my head in denial. Realization makes my shoulders slump, and I exhale heavily, staring at my empty hands like the weapon may appear if I wish for it hard enough. The reality is, he’s found it. Of course he has.

I’m going to die.

A sick, yearning smile pulls at the corners of my mouth before falling away when the hard nozzle of a gun is jabbed into the back of my head. I feel his heat at my back, warming my body, and curse myself for not leaving when I had the chance.

“Looking for something, Aurora?” His slightly accented voice sends a flutter of need to the pit of my stomach. There’s a dark and dangerous edge to his tone.

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