Page 109 of The Gangster King

“Without a doubt,” Connor says.

“We can go to Italy. I have an uncle—”

“First place they’ll look.” Mack shakes his head. “Go somewhere no one will think to find you. New Zealand. Iceland. Fuck, even Scotland.”

New Zealand? I wonder if Adelina would want to live so far away. I wonder about many things. Like if she is thinking about me. Missing me. I wonder if we were born in a different world if she would have loved me.

If she does love me...now.

“Fuck. You’re right. Give me a few more days. This is a big fucking decision.” I push back.

I know the government wants the information from me as quickly as possible, but given they don’t have anything on me right now, I need to ensure I do this right, carefully, and when I am ready.

No way I’m having this conversation on the phone with my mother.

And I still want to speak to Adelina.

Whether I end up telling her what I’m doing or we say goodbye will be up to her.

Mostly.

Then I also need to consider Nick.

He’s never given me any indication that he wants another life. But will his life be at risk, or will he be able to join another family?

This might sound stupid, but he’s one hell of a gangster.

“I can help with the selling of your properties and businesses. Take them on temporarily and get some managers in there to run them,” Connor says. “If you choose.”

I lift my soda and take a slow sip.

Getting help like this is new. It’s in my DNA not to trust people outside our world. In a strange way, these men bridge the world of law and crime after what they’ve spent years doing.

So perhaps I do trust them.

“You really think you can use what I know to bring down all the families?” I ask.

Connor smirks darkly. “Yes. Because you’re going to consult to me. So don’t choose New Zealand. The time difference sucks.”

I snort.

“You’re a confident bastard, Barrett.”

If he thought I was going to work for him, he was wrong, but we would come to some kind of deal, eventually.

“Maybe. But without me, without the Dark Kings, you probably won’t survive the first step of your plan,” he replies, and I feel the weight of that heavy on my shoulders.

He’s offering me the full support of his team.

My eyes drift to Braxton.

“Consider my debt paid,” he says, his voice thick.

Jesus.

A lightbulb goes off. They’re doing this for him.

Semper fi.

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