Page 42 of Assassin's Obsession

Freddy blanches. "Fuck me."

"He ordered you to kill me. I think you're in the clear." Do I sound bitter?

I'm not. Would it have been good to have a dad who cared about me? Sure, but despite everything, I'm fine now.

It doesn't make any difference to me if everyone in the Genovese Family knows Stefano Bianchi donated sperm to my existence.

That fact doesn't change the truth he has never been my father.

Chapter 13

ANGELO

My smart watch buzzes with a notification from the secure text app designed by Dominic's crew. His hackers are better than anyone the FEDs have ontheirpayroll. That means we can communicate freely on it.

Doesn't mean we do. But we could.

The buzz pattern tells me it's Mario or Derian. Both are on Candi's detail tonight and now's the time she heads home from the club. I'd be there to watch over her…hell, I wouldn't have left in the first place, but Severu is meeting with the Godfather of the Night, head of the Greek mafia on the East Coast.

Having two such powerful men in the criminal underworld meeting means next level security. That means I'm here, protecting my godfather's back.

When the Council of Nine meet next year, it's going to be Defcon One level security measures.

Tonight's top secret meeting is more Defcon 3. But as the godfather's top enforcer, there's no way I'm not here. I don't just make sure Severu's orders are carried out; I guarantee his safety.

And still, I surreptitiously flip my wrist over and tap the screen's central biometrics scanner so I can read the message that just came in. Because it's about Candi.

Mario:Ran into a river.

When I read those words, I maintain my security vigilance, but tune out the voices of the two men talking.

Riveris our codeword for moderate trouble.Floodmeans rescue is needed, but even astream'sworth of trouble when Mario's texting while on my woman's security detail is too much.

A second text comes in shortly after the first. Part of the app's security is that texts are permanently deleted threeseconds after being read or received in the already opened app. So, we keep them short.

Mario:La Barbarina has bad timing.

This, I know. Her decision to make a move on me tonight sucked timing wise, no matter how delicious it was. Even if it was safe to let the world see who and what she is to me, there was no way I could skip this meeting.

And once I get my sweet dancer under me, I'm not leaving her until I've slaked us both. That's not going to happen in the backroom of Pitiful Princess in the few hours I had before I needed to be here.

But that dance? Was fire.

She is every bit as skilled as the 18thcentury Italian ballerinaLa Barbarinaand hell of a lot sexier. Which is why it's my codename with my men for her.

Mario:There's a guy on the course that didn't pay fees to play.

Mario:He got caught in a sand trap.

Some schmuck didn't pay his debt to a Family business and Candi witnessed him getting a beating? Not good.

Mario:La Barbarina tried to get out of their way so they could play the 18thhole.

Fuck me. Take not good and give it a shot of steroids. My girl witnessed the start of a hit and tried to run? Why the hell were Capo Bianchi's men planning to execute someone in the alley behind the club though?

You take someone to a black site for shit like that.

If you don't have your own, you take them to The Box. Every Genovese capo has access to the subterranean rooms of the Oscuro building used for interrogations and executions.

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