Page 81 of Hush 3: Hidden Family

“They have more pieces on the board than ever, and you are allowing them to get your family. One of the largest pieces of them all. Do you understand the weight of this?” he snarls at me.

This is humiliating. As if I’m not already humiliated enough now that I know I’ve been chasing after the wrong man. None of this is my fault.

If they weren’t such cowards when it comes to the Locatelli family and Uri Donati, this never would have happened. But no, they wanted me to throw the stones while they all get to hide their hands—serves them right. My gut tells me my head was always up to be placed on a platter.

Once I got Alessio out of the way, they were going to erase me and take all that’s ours to divide among themselves. I know how this all works. I took the risks I thought would position me for a better opportunity.

Now everything looks like it’s turning to shit. I’ve played most of my cards. My brother is still alive. He plans to promote that piece-of-shit Donati, who wouldn’t have even been in line to become Don in his own family.

The third son. The insult. Alessio knows I deserve more respect than this.

“Women and Blacks involved in business. It’s a shit show, thisalleanza.We want it shut down.

“Your brother will not make fools of us. We know he will only give the family to Donati in name. He intends for that girl to be the head behind the scenes,” Don Romano bites out.

“Why have you been so sure of this?” I ask, not bothering to care about formalities.

The writing is on the wall. They have already written me off. I plan to do what I want when I leave here.

If I leave here. Which I will. Even if I have to take them all down to do so.

“Because he has been promising this would be since she was born. Do you think he found the Donati boy and took him under his wing by chance? This has always been his plan.

“He wanted to marry off the girl’s mother, but the Donatis and Locatellis declined. Oh, but Alessio didn’t give up there. The girl was born, and he began his plotting again.

“However, he learned something was wrong with the child and her mother took her back to the States. He never wanted you to have the family. That was never going to be an option,” Don Romano explains.

Some friend this one is. He and Alessio grew up together as boys. He knew my brother long before I was ever born. There was a time when you would have thought they were brothers. Now, here he sits, plotting along with my brother’s enemies for his demise.

“You have all brought me here for what?”

“One more opportunity to prove yourself,” Don Accetta says.

“You fail us this time and we will wash our hands of you,” Don Romano adds.

“The girl and the brother. There isn’t to be a Trovati—by name, birthright, or marriage—connected to this alliance,” Don Marino wheezes.

CHAPTER 40

The Business

Uri

“If I give you my credit card, will you make sure your mama doesn’t spend all of my money?” I coo to Vita as I hold her up in the air as I walk to the kitchen.

She giggles excitedly like she understands exactly what I’m talking about. Showing off her tiny teeth while kicking her chubby legs and clapping her little hands. In her excitement, she drools right into my mouth. I close my mouth and pull a face.

“Why on earth is it always so bloody cold?” I grumble. “I’m starting to think your mum tells you to do this.”

I move her onto my hip as she continues to talk gibberish. My phone pulls me from my conversation with my daughter. I frown and pull it from my pocket.

“Hello,” I say into the phone as I put it between my ear and shoulder while I brush at the drool that missed my mouth and landed on my shirt.

“Donati, this is Brooklyn. We’re going to need to meet about all the transplants on the roster. We should know who belongs to us and who doesn’t. Things are going to move fast once Logan gets home.”

“You don’t have Michael’s number? This is something the two of you should address.”

“Aye, you would think that. Dealing with the McGowans isn’t going to work that way. LaSalle wants them in. They will send Ronan if they agree to this.

---