Page 22 of Promise Maker

The men look around at each other.

All seem perplexed except one—Leonardo. He’sterrible at faking it, starting to sweat and twitch in his seat.

“It cannot be,” Giuseppe doubts, voice croaky fromyears of smoking. “None would be that stupid. We respect you, Emanuele.”

They all nod in agreement.

Leonardo snorts awkwardly. “That’s true.”

“Hm.” Father straightens from the table and turnsto me. That’s his signal.

Something clicks in my head.

I pull the gun out and shoot Leonardo in hisshoulder. His bodyguards rush forward, but our men and I are faster, shootingthem between the eyes.

Nervous rumbles erupt at the table amid Leonardo’spainful groans.

“Gentlemen,rilassare,”Father orders. “The matter is now settled.” He motions to the security to cleanup the bodies. Then our men grab Leonardo.

“No, perfavore!Emanuele, have mercy. I made a mistake.”

“You became greedy,” my father retorts.“Nessuna pietà per il disonorevole.”

No mercy for the dishonorable.

It is a renowned statement in Agrigento that stirsfear in the hearts of our enemies.

One of our men gags Leonardo, muffling his pleasas they drag him out the exit.

“Carry on,” Father tells the others at the tablebefore leaving.

I put my gun away and walk out the door.

Father pats my arm, then gets into the car.

Leonardo doesn’t stop squirming when they toss himinto the trunk. He knows what awaits him in the Martelli dungeon.

Should Solari witness that side of my family orthe killer I became in the gambling room, she’d probably be repulsed and resentme more.

Perhaps Bishop was right to turn me away two yearsago. He knew what the Martelli men were like and that I would follow in my father’sfootsteps.

Swearing to stay away from her is the one promiseI’ve regretted more than anything, which is why the moment I return to thehouse, I head straight for her room and quietly enter.

I stay in the shadows, watching the fragilecreature sleep, struggling to hold off the beast that yearns to break free andmake her mine at last.

Maybe Bishop’s spirit would understand. After all,why would he leave his most precious gem in the care of the same dangerous manhe’d once chased from her?

7

Overwhelming heat on my face drags me from a baddream. Teary-eyed, I lift my head from the pillow and scan the room.

Strange.

My senses are on alert.

It’s as if someone has been in here.

The armchair is at an angle.

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