Page 100 of Depraved
“What the fuck,” I roar. I take a step back, reaching for my piece, and pull it on him.
Luca and Dom both hold their guns at Carlo and Lou, jaws tensed and ready to follow my lead.
“No, Dante. Lui è con noi. Per favore. Per favore.”No, Dante. He’s with us. Please. Please.Carlo and Lou yell over each other, holding up their hands.
My Glock points at Connor’s forehead as I take an angry step toward him. “Why the fuck are you here? You get one answer. Make it count.”
Connor is calm, adorned with a wide smile as my gun hovers inches from him.
“We have a mutual enemy, and I’m here to offer my help. Lou was gracious enough to call me and let me come. My father was always friendly with the Italians, and in that spirit, I’d like to help Luca and Dominic with the council meeting tonight.”
“How’d you know about our meeting with the Irish council? Lou and Carlo didn’t know,” Luca pushes.
“I’m not the only one who wants things in our family to return back to the old ways. This crew was named after my family, and Declan isn’t one of us. He’s a low-life who gunned his way to the top, killing good men like my father to run a family he should’ve never been accepted into. An O’Bannion has always run this crew, and I intend to see that happen again…with your help of course.”
I stare at him, looking into his eyes. He’s angry, and I believe him. Dropping my gun to my side, my brothers do the same.
“You want Declan dead?” I question.
“I do,” Connor answers. “I can’t touch him, but you can.”
“Are you prepared to make sure your council is on board? Because we’re not really asking. You need to understand that.”
He gives a curt nod and looks back at me. “So, do we have a deal here? May I tag along?”
“You have a few hours tops to get a consensus before news gets out that Declan’s dead. My brothers will be with you; they can let me know you did the job. Because, Connor, if you can’t run your crew, they will.”
I look at Carlo and Lou, jerking my head for them to follow as I leave Luca and Dominic to handle the diplomatic negotiations.
We approach the cars, and I see Nico, Antonio, and Vincenzo approaching with our bags.
“How many men do I have?” I bark, taking my duffle from Nico.
“As many as you want, Capo. Whatever we need to do, we’re at your disposal,” Carlo answers, pointing to the cars for the guys to take.
Lou pulls my door open, and I duck inside, throwing my bag next to me. “I’ll make it worth your while. You can rest assured after today that the Sovranos will take care of the Scorelones.”
They exchange an appreciative look and nod. “We’ll take you to a spot about a mile outside Declan’s place, and you a can give everyone direction, then we can go in,” Lou offers.
“Let’s roll,” I agree, before he shuts my door, the two of them climbing in the front of the car and bringing it to life.
The cars pull out in succession, one right after the other, each ready for what’s ahead.
There’s a calm that happens in moments of extreme violence. It’s almost as if your mind needs to slow down so that it can detach from the adrenaline and emotion that’s clouding your judgment and causing a person to make an irreversible choice.
But that doesn’t happen for me. I’m present, void of the filter that stops normal people from killing. Because these deaths are just. Necessary. And a goddamn forgone conclusion.
“How do you want us to enter, Dante? His gate is guarded, and I fear it’s too heavy to take the car through,” Carlo offers as he pulls on his black leather gloves.
“I’ve got the guard. I’ll handle the door, boss,” Antonio says coolly, checking his gun.
“Then we’re ready. Whatever happens, she gets pulled from that fucking house. I don’t care if I’m lying dead on the ground. You get her out of that house and take care of her like she’s my fucking widow. Am I understood?”
“Understood” is answered back to me from around the room.
Antonio, Vincenzo, and Nico walk past me, each giving my shoulder a pat as they do. I take a deep breath and follow them, heading outside to the cars. Antonio jumps into the lead car, pulling out first. The rest of us check our guns again before climbing into our cars to roll out in darkness.
It’s a ten-minute drive, tops, but it feels like a damn hour. The car is silent, only the whispers of death spoken into our ears, preparing us for what we’re about to do.
