Page 151 of The Best of Us

Izzy continued, “Like we guessed, she wanted to ensure her place as League leader in Italy when her father retired. Since Emilia kept giving up power, only to take it back, Aurora figured it’d really be up to Emilia, not Carmello. So, when she saw the chance to show off and get rid of her half brother in the process, she took it.”

Hudson took her hand in silent reassurance.

After that, she pressed forward. “After the original plan failed at the rave, she instructed Daniel and Jamie to stay put at a hotel while she figured out another way to get Colin from you. But when the Sicilians refused to get involved, fearing retaliation from our family, Aurora realized she’d taken things too far. She tried to backpedal, to get out of it.”

Constantine ran a hand down his face, following along, adding, “But she promised something to thosemafiosiin Naples to get them to call in that favor to Giuseppe in the first place. Even though the meeting fell through, they still wanted her to uphold whatever deal she made with them.”

“When Aurora tried to back out, they forced her to tell them about her original plan. By this time, she’d found out through Daniel that Colin was your son.” She met his eyes and swallowed hard.

I felt every muscle in Constantine’s body tense in preparation for what was coming next.

He pulled his hand from mine, his jaw clenching as he brought his palms to his hips, one elbow whacking the wall in the process. “Don’t say it.”

“I’m sorry.” A tear abandoned the pool of liquid gathering in Izzy’s eyes and slipped down her cheek. “I called Dad before we came here to tell you. He said, ‘Unfinished business always has a way of coming back.’ He blames himself for not finishing them off when he had the chance.”

My pulse stuttered. “What are you two talking about?”

Izzy and Constantine seemed to be reeling, so Hudson answered me. “There are multiple mafia families in Italy, just like in New York. And there are two rival syndicates operating out of Naples. Giuseppe lied to Constantine, making him think he owed that favor to one family when, in reality, it was theRizzoshe was indebted to.”

The Rizzos?Was I supposed to know that name?

“Giuseppe was probably too scared to tell Constantine the truth, knowing the Costas’ history with them,” Hudson said in a grim tone.

Izzy swiped away another tear. “Aurora admitted to Emilia that her original deal with the Rizzos was to give them protection from The League in exchange for their help.”

Constantine’s brows knitted as he lifted his dark, hooded eyes to mine. “The Rizzos are the ones who kidnapped my mother, and my father rescued her from them.”

I thought back to everything Constantine had shared with me in his office, and now it all clicked.

“The Rizzos figured out what Aurora was up to with the cyber wallet and The League.” Izzy sniffled. “They decided they’d rather get their hands on the device themselves.”

That closet full of baggage and skeletons had burst open, trying to bury us all. Everything pointed back to old grudges. To Constantine’s father saving the woman he loved. And now here we were with Salvatore’s son poised to save the love of his own son’s life.

Izzy’s voice hardened as she pushed through her explanation. “The Rizzos, not Aurora, hired the mercenaries to go after Colin. They tried to set Constantine up against Giuseppe as a diversion. Kill as many birds with one stone as they could. And those twisted assholes would do it with smiles on their faces.” She grimaced. “Their backup plan if they couldn’t get Colin was to useCarmello’sson to force a trade for the cyber wallet. They didn’t care about protection from The League anymore. They didn’t care about making sworn enemies of our family. All they wanted was access tobillionsin cryptocurrency.”

The door behind me abruptly swung open. I stumbled, nearly falling against Colin.

He must have been eavesdropping.

The jet was quieter than a commercial airliner, but I’d assumed the ambient noise would’ve provided enough cover for us to talk freely.

Colin’s face was pale. “Does that mean they don’t need Lennon now since they have Daniel?” His voice cracked. “Is my girlfriend already dead?”

Constantine’s chest lifted with a deep breath before he exhaled, issuing a command. “Tell the pilot to change course for Rome. We’ll drive to Naples from there. Less of a chance the Rizzos will realize we’re onto them that way.”

Colin sidestepped me to get to his father, grabbing his arm. “What if she’s still alive, and she’s in Ireland, and they reach out to make that deal, and we’re?—”

Constantine cut him off. “Lennon’s not in Ireland. Now that I know who we’re dealing with, the Rizzos will want this trade to take place in their own backyard.” He turned to Hudson, adding more orders. “Tell Sebastian and the others to meet us in Naples. Have him or Carter set up a safe house somewhere outside the city. Let Carmello and Aurora believe we’re still en route to Dublin in case she made a backdoor deal with those bastards and didn’t tell Sebastian or her father about it.”

Izzy nodded. “This explains why The League and all their resources couldn’t track a flight with Lennon on it to Ireland. They were looking in the wrong place.”

Without another word, she and Hudson disappeared to set everything in motion.

“Dad?”

Constantine’s jaw flexed. “I know.” Then his big arms swallowed our son into a strong embrace. “I’m going to get your girlfriend back or die trying.”

Chapter51

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