Page 106 of Scarred Hearts

“The guys you see taking him are hired.” He held his hand out. “May I?”

I handed him his phone back, and he tapped and scrolled a few more times before a recording started. Incoherent Russian could be heard before Ivan spoke English.

I’ve told you the plan. I’m not telling you again after this. Call in a threat to the stadium. Get the show cancelled, and we’ll get their father to the club. We have a guy who can do the accents and get a perfect mimic.

You framing Vito?

Of course we are, Ivan replied. Giovanna is my sister’s prize, and she left us for the club in Boston so we’re taking her back one way or another and we’re starting with eliminating her father. Who exactly are the Irish at war with again?

The Mussolini family.

Right. We can frame them all and have Ian take out her father. If it all goes according to plan, they’ll never know what hit them, and they’ll start fighting each other. That’s when we come in and strike, ruining all their families at once.

Got it. I’ll send over more info in the morning.

The line went dead.

“Shit,” Ian and I murmured together. “Who’s the other guy, and how’d you get this recording?” I asked.

“We thought they might be trying to frame us when they were watching us, so I had some guys following them too. One of them bugged Ivan’s phone and car while he was getting gas. The car was a rental, so that did us no good after he returned it but while he was inside getting food, we were able to tag his phone.”

“Do you have more recordings?” I replied.

“I do and can send them over.”

“Angelo?” I called out over my shoulder, and he appeared at my side.

“Yeah, boss?”

“Do we have any kind of microchips in our possession?”

“Not currently, but I can get some.”

“Hmm,” I stroked my short beard, “put a microchip inside every one of them. I want tabs on them at all times.”

The three Italian men in front of me lifted their brows in surprise.

“Do you want to protest?” I asked, though I didn’t give a shit if they did or not.

Gino shook his head. “N-no, but it might take a m-minute to get all the men gathered.

“Angelo?” I said again.

“Yeah, boss?”

“I want them all microchipped by Thursday night, or I want them all killed.”

“On it, boss.” He slipped his phone from his pocket, typing on it as he strode back over to Frankie. “Oh, and Luca?” I called over my shoulder.

“What’s up?”

“Get those bodies sent out as soon as possible,” I said, narrowing my gaze on Gino, “we might need more room if he doesn’t comply.”

He chuckled.

Gino gasped. “I’m literally on your side, man. I came to you in hopes of a truce.”

“A truce is earned,” I retorted.

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