Page 51 of Convenient Mafia Vows

“I agree that Cash and Bash are risky.” Terry raises his steepled fingers to his lips. “She had her sights on you, Caleb, because you’re not quite so … volatile.”

Cash laughs. “He’s too soft, you mean.”

“I’ll do it.” Kyle’s voice breaks through the jesting and brings me down to earth with a jolt.

“No.” I think of all the therapy Kyle has been through since the accident. He’ll never be able to handle Olivia Dragonetti, and I don’t want to see him dragged back down into the black spiral he fought so hard to climb out of. “She’ll never buy it.”

“Why?” Kyle narrows his eyes. “Because I’m not you?”

“No, because you’re the sensible one.” I mean it as a compliment even if it sounds derogatory once the word is hanging in the air.

“He’s most like you,” Terry says.

“You can’t possibly think this is a good idea.”

Terry shrugs. “Why not? If anyone can pull this off it’s Kyle. No offence lads,” he addresses the twins.

“She’ll do it to make you jealous,” Kyle says.

“Can you handle that?”

Kyle grins. “Sure, I can. This is only temporary, right?”

I have to smile. “Only until the wedding reception. We catch her out on the night and let her father take over. Agreed?”

Everyone around the table murmurs their agreement. My gut doesn’t like it, but we need to take Olivia out of the equation somehow if the alliance is to succeed, and I’ve already wasted too much time trying to think of a better option.

“Any sign of Callahan?” I ask Terry.

He sucks in a deep breath. “Not a whisper.”

“Someone else has flown off the radar.” I tell him about Brailand Voth. “Can you see what you can find out for me?”

I can tell by the distant look in his eyes that he’s already mentally searching for the connection.

“Where is Dragonetti now?” I ask as an afterthought as we all stand to leave.

“Where do you think?” Terry smiles. “He’s holed up in my best guest room.”

My heart skips erratically when I think of Victoria and Abigail. I left them at Moira and Terry’s mansion to keep them safe, not so they could play Monopoly with the head of the Italian mafia.

“Why? Why didn’t his men relocate him to his own safe house?” What am I missing here?

“He had his reasons.” Terry’s expression is neutral. He knows what they are, but he isn’t letting on. “His men treated his injury in our safe house. It was my idea to move him into the mansion.”

My brothers and I have never questioned Terry’s decisions, and I’m not about to start now, but mentally I’m en route to Staten Island to collect Victoria and Abigail and take them out of the equation.

“Where better to hide a mafia boss than in plain sight at a rival family’s home?” Terry is gauging my reaction.

“You said he suspects Cash.”

Terry shakes his head. “I said he’d be looking to direct the blame Cash’s way. Look…” He inhales, puffing up his chest. “I know he’ll try to find out if we played a part in last night’s shenanigans, but it doesn’t mean that he won’t be looking elsewhere.”

Mateo Dragonetti suspects an inside job; it’s the only reason I can think of that would keep him at Terry’s mansion instead of his own safe house.

But where does that leave Victoria and Abigail?

15

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