Page 124 of Reckless Royalty

“We won’t let it come to that,” Connor snaps, his knife clicking shut as he leans forward, his green eyes blazing. “We’ll find them. We’ll bring them back.”

I nod, my own anger simmering just beneath the surface. “Where’s Vito?”

“Unavailable,” Dmitri growls, his tone dripping with disdain. “His last known position was Brooklyn. Giannini territory.”

Of course. “Convenient,” I mutter, pacing the room. “The girls get taken, and Vito disappears.”

Nikolai slams a fist into the fireplace mantel, his voice low and dangerous. “He knows something. He has to. If Vito’s involved… If he’s taken my?—”

“Your what, Niko?” Connor growls. “Go on, say it. Say what you were about to claim.”

Nikolai’s knuckles are white where he grips the mantle. “I wasn’t going to claim anything,” he bites out, though there’s an edge of hesitation in his tone.

“The hell you weren’t,” Connor snaps, stepping into Nikolai’s space now, his voice low but vibrating with barely-contained rage. “You don’t get to fuckin’—”

“Enough!” my father says sharply, cutting them both off. His tone leaves no room for argument. “This isn’t the time. We’ll deal with Vito, but first, we get the girls back.”

A heavy silence falls over the room until Giovanni speaks, his voice calm. “I have an idea.”

All eyes turn to him, the tension thick as we wait for him to explain.

“What is it?” Dmitri asks, his tone sharp.

Giovanni straightens, his dark eyes scanning the room. “We lure my father out. There’s one thing that will make him show his face.”

“And what’s that?” Declan asks, his skepticism evident.

“A wedding,” Giovanni says simply. “Mine and Chiara’s.”

The room falls dead silent. I blink, trying to process what he just said. A wedding? Now?

“You’re serious?” I ask, my voice laced with disbelief.

Giovanni nods. “It’s an opportunity. In front of everyone—every player who shows up—I’ll rip the crown from his head by force and claim my place as Capo dei Capi.”

Dmitri steps forward, his expression hard. “You’re talking about orchestrating a coup at your own wedding.”

“It’s not ideal,” Giovanni admits, his voice steady. “But it’s the best chance we have. He won’t be able to resist showing up.”

“And Chiara’s on board with this?” I ask, trying to hide my skepticism.

“She’s the one who suggested it,” Giovanni says with a proud grin, his voice softening just slightly. “It’s risky, but she knows what’s at stake.”

Declan lets out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Bloody hell, that’s a woman to keep. You’re either brave or mad, lad.”

“Maybe a bit of both,” Giovanni says with a faint smirk.

Dmitri places a heavy hand on Giovanni’s shoulder, his voice lowering. “You understand what this means, don’t you? You’ll be taking over sooner than you expected. The weight of that crown isn’t just heavy—it’s crushing.”

Giovanni meets his gaze without flinching. “I know. But it’s time, wouldn’t you say?”

The room falls silent again, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Finally, my father speaks, his voice steady and commanding.

“Then we plan. But first, Konstantin, we get your grandfather here, then we bring Marina and Cat home.”

Everyone nods, the fire in their eyes matching the burning rage in my chest. We’re not just planning a rescue. We’re starting a fucking war.

“Let’s get to work.”

---