Page 85 of Wicked Rivals

This man viewed the pomp and circumstance of clandestine meetings arranged by secret envelopes as a show of strength.

I saw it as cowardice.

Don Lordi surrounded himself with bodyguards and enforcers and shrouded himself in the mystery of a ceremony because he didn’t truly have what it took to protect his empire.

From someone like me.

The invitation served as his demand for my immediate presence. He wanted to talk.

I didn't think it had anything to do with Enzo. That wasn't Lordi’s style. He had more wisdom than to hire someone as sloppy as the Con Amore shooter. And if he wanted to take out my son, he wouldn’t tell me about it.

Granted, killing the boy in front of me would have been cruel. But showing me that I had a son just to take him away would have made this whole thing very personal.

Lordi always separated business from personal.

Even when removing my father and brother from the equation, it wasn’t personal to him. The man’s motives had been straightforward. Take my father’s power and ensure my brother would never come after Lordi seeking revenge.

What was I to this man?

He had let me live as a show of good will, because I didn’t pose a threat to him. More than that, the Commission had left me in place to pick up the pieces of my family. They hadn’t allowed Lordi to absorb my men or undermine my authority as next in line to inherit my father’s empire.

It all worked out for Lordi. He’d eliminated his competition for the open seat and made me look weak, making my father’s connections believe the Vignali organization had become too inconsequential for anyone to worry about.

The last part of his plan didn’t work for long.

Lordi was aware of that now. He’d underestimated me.

I dropped the invitation on my desk and texted Tony to let him know we were leaving and to have him tell my driver to pull the car around. Then I went to the armoire to put on one of my black three-piece suits and a dark red shirt.

Once my father’s style, now mine.

No one could deny I was my father’s son.

Lordi would notice the strong resemblance, and I wanted him to see it. I wanted him to remark on it. I wanted to force him to face the product of his betrayal.

Me.

I doubted it would shake him up, but I wanted him to know he hadn’t completely defeated my family.

His men would search me upon arrival. Only a fool would allow a man with a vendetta to enter his establishment and his presence with a weapon.

Didn’t matter. I wouldn’t go unarmed.

I put a forty-five in my crossover holster, fitted a pistol at the small of my back, and put another in my ankle holster. All uncomfortable and not as practical as the movies made it seem. I hated that misconception.

Then I added two knives, one custom made to slide through my belt loops behind the belt and another in the sole of my shoe. Again, not comfortable. But being within spitting distance of that fucking rat, I would enjoy my discomfort.

Back downstairs, I found Val on her way out of the kitchen. I grabbed her and kissed her hard, showing her one of those things she needed to see, that she was mine.

“I need to go for a sit down,” I said, close to her lips.

She blinked up at me, her cheeks pink, little puffs of breath coming from her pretty mouth.

I had to step back to pull myself away.

“Before I leave, Val, I want to make a few things clear.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

---