Page 138 of Deception

“Fu—heck no. There’s no such thing in my book. We’re biding our time until we can strike back.”

“He’s right. We have to beat Dom at his own game, outsmart him.”

“We’re always smart, except for Ciro,” Ero mutters.

“I’m not the one who blows up sports cars.”

“You just burn down nightclubs.”

“Says the guy who torched the team mascot costume our senior year…”

“I found it that way. Just added some vodka to help it along”

Aless watches his brothers, a faint smile gracing his full lips. I could stare at him for hours.

“So, where does that leave us?” Alessandro finally gets the conversation back on track.

“For now, we’re stuck. I got a call from Domenico yesterday.”

Aless tenses, everyone at the table sitting straighter.

“What did he want?” Tomas leans forward.

“He wanted to know when I, when we, are coming home.” Adriano looks at Ciro, Ero, Tomas.

“You’ve got to be kidding…” Angie protests, glancing at Tomas, her face worried.

“Makes sense. You three are his most valuable assets. I’ve got the staff and security in my corner. If we fall in line, he’s as good as accepted by the entire organization. At least in the underworld’s public eye.” Tomas folds his hands in front of his face, clearly unnerved. “What did you tell him?”

“I told him that I needed a day to think about it. That we were still in mourning.” Adriano grinds his teeth. “I wanted to tell him to get fucked.”

“What happens if you don’t go back?” I ask the question on everyone’s mind, knowing the answer already. Alessandro and I have been around and around about this.

“Manhunt.” All four brothers and Tomas say on top of one another immediately.

“Well, then,” I laugh humorlessly.

“If you aren’t with him, if you try to disappear, he’ll know something is up,” Alessandro summarizes. “You should go back. Swear your loyalty to him.”

“Are you joking?” Adri looks aghast. “It’s one thing to show up, keep up appearances, but swear fealty to that bastard? No way.”

“It’s the only way.” Ero sits up straighter, looking like he’s realizing something. “And you have to do it, Adriano.”

“He’s right,” Ciro adds, sobering some. “You’re the head of the family now, like it or not. And for the record, I don’t.”

“You stay close to the center of the operation. Ciro and Ero will act as your eyes, ears, and hands, undermining Vipera.” Aless shrugs. “It’s the long game.”

Adriano looks like he might be sick.

“What says he doesn’tkillall of you on sight?” Angelica whispers, handing Gigi to Carla. She’s glaring at Tomas. He’s going to get an earful later…

“It's a risk.” Adriano is processing, tallying the data. “But I think he values our blood too much. And more than that, he will want the satisfaction of turning his rival’s brothers. Using us to his ends.”

“Great. Don Dom is going to have us cleaning toilets in no time,” Ciro huffs.

“Better than feeding worms,” Ero muses.

“And it’s the only way to beat Dom at his own game. Enemies closest. That’s what screwed us this time. We had no idea he was a threat until he was already in.”

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