Page 105 of Vicious Little Princess

Not for our family.

If I told Nico that right now, though, the real reason behind my intensity where this was concerned, he’d be sidetracked from doing what else needed to be done. He would likely stand in the way of whatIneeded to do as well.

No, I couldn’t risk it until things were already in place.

Not to mention, everything I’d just outlined about the issues involved in it were cold, hard facts.

“You make a fair point,” Carlo spoke. “However, in order to wipe the Leone Family off the map, we’re talking about some high-level destruction, a massacre in essence too. Then it risks being us who are put in the crosshairs of the Feds.”

“Mass murder isn’t the only option. There’s also exile for the members wherein we monitor them in an ongoing manner to ensure they settle and don’t pose a threat. If they do, we take them out then, when they’re scattered far beyond the city in remote areas. As for the influence that the Leone Family holds over politicians, city officials, and those in the high echelons of the financial world, webreakthat influence. Pay off some and push them into retirement, and threaten others with amassed evidence of their illicit activities, forcing them to step down from their positions of power that assist the Leones.”

“I assume thatamassed evidencealready exists in the wealth of data you’ve collected on their operations?” Carlo asked.

“It does. I can deploy it at a moment’s notice. The same with the payoffs.”

“Leone Realty is infected by corruption too, isn’t that so?” Remo spoke.

“A large portion of it, yes.”

“Then we don’t attempt to save it either,” Carlo said. “It falls along with the rest.”

“You’re on board with this approach, then?” I asked.

“It certainly presents additional complications, but I do agree with the issues you’ve raised. While the effort it will take to actually eradicate the Leone organization entirely doesn’t fill me with joy, the outcome will be worth it. A world without the Leone Family will make things a great deal easier and much more manageable.” He eyed Nico. “Where do you stand?”

Nico’s gaze went to me. “Deploy what you have now. Break the hold that Santino has over those who give him undue influence. We’ll start there.”

“And then?” I pushed.

“Then we’ll bring it all crashing down,principessa.”

I smiled out at him. “Thank you.”

He came to me and slid his hand into my hair. “You’ve gone long enough being the victim of other people’s twisted decisions. Let this mark the end of that.”

I stroked his arm, his beautiful vow to me rolling through me.

“Ah, young love, it is the sweetest,” Carlo commented, grinning at us.

Surprising the both of us, Remo went to him and wrapped his arm around him. “Excuse me, not justyounglove.”

Nico started and eyed Carlo in confusion. “I thought you were—”

“A man whore?” Remo finished for him. “Went through women in the droves? No, that was just the image projected to outsiders.” He gazed at Carlo. “To protect me.”

“To protect what we share,” Carlo corrected him. He looked between Nico and me. “Those snakes of the Marchettis and Leones would never hesitate to use what we love against us. Best not to give them ammunition.”

“It’s too late for that,” Nico muttered, referencing our situation.

“Yes, what Angelo did has already outed a great deal where that’s concerned. It’s virtually made it public fodder who you love, Nico. The four of you.”

“That’s why extreme measures are called for now,” I said. “To counter that, to counter all of it. No more living in fear, or having so much of ourselves closeted in so many ways.”

We all took a heady moment to absorb that.

And then Carlo eased from Remo, likely so he could focus, as he told us, “With this alteration, shifting to eradicating the Leones entirely, in mind, this is how I believe we should proceed. Nico, ensure your assault on Shawn Price and his joint disgusting business venture that Marco and Santino have a stake in happens the night before their planned attacks against me. It will undercut them and shake them. The night of their proposed attacks, I will have my men intercept two of the scheduled incoming deliveries to the Flower Market to draw Gio’s attention there, wherein my men will ambush him and his soldiers. They won’t get near the businesses under my protection. They turn or they die.”

“Agreed,” Nico said. “What of your meth lab?”

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