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She’s too close to him.

I can’t risk her getting caught in a firefight.

I give him a cocky smile. “Can’t blame a guy for wanting a nice piece of ass, but Gabriella is a Daddy’s girl all the way. Loyal to her father.”

I hate how Gabriella looks at me with confusion and then disgust.

But I can’t give anything away. “But you, Frank? You’re a fucking traitor. I don’t know how you think sabotaging Antonio’s business is somehow helping him. Tell me the truth, are you hoping to take over?”

“You’re delusional.”

“What's Blackwood offering you? Money? Protection? Your own territory when we're gone?"

Frank's eyes narrow, his grip on the gun tightening.

"Don’t try to gaslight me. I know you’re planning to take Antonio's territory while pretending to help him."

"Is that what you told her?"

I nod toward Gabriella, careful not to look directly at her. "That I was the villain in this story? And she believed you. Did you have a taste of her too?”

She gasps, and yes, I hate myself for the vulgarity, but the end justifies the means, right?

As long as she gets out safely, I don’t care if she never speaks to me again.

“Fucking pervert. I’m like a father to her.”

I frown. “You just called her a whore. Which is it, Frank?” I wave a hand at him. “Look, I don’t give a shit about any of you. I just want to know your end game. What’s your plan? Kill us both? Frame me for her murder?"

I inch closer, calculating angles, distances. "Because if you think Antonio will let you live after hurting his daughter, you're even dumber than I thought."

“Antonio will never know. And if he does, he’ll forget.”

“What’s your take in all this?” I nod toward Gabriella to encourage her to move a little to the left. “Why talk to the Feds if you’re helping Antonio?”

“With you gone, I can help Antonio take your business. After all, you’re impotent and have no heirs.”

“My dick works fine, just ask Gabriella.”

Gabriella’s eyes look at me in horror, like she’s afraid I’ll reveal her secret.

“But you forget, I have Roman. He’s a bigger, badder ass than you. He’ll be the Don, and there won’t be a hole or crevice you can hide in where he won’t find you.”

I edge another step closer, positioning myself between him and Gabriella as much as possible without being obvious.

Every nerve in my body is attuned to his trigger finger, the slight tremor in his hands, the sweat beading on his forehead.

"Antonio treated you like family," I say. "For decades. And this is how you repay him?"

“He owes me. You’ll be gone. He’ll be gone. And La Corona will be in ashes, leaving me ready to take over.”

I snort. “I think Salvatore said the same thing to Roman just before Roman broke his neck. Is that the bullshit Blackwood is serving his informants?”

I look at Gabriella, again nodding to get her to move left. “Is that what he promised you? A woman finally running a Mafia family?”

“You don’t know shit,” Frank spits at me. “I was already stepping in, running the business while he forgot his own fucking name! But then you had to insert yourself, playing the concerned friend. That’s when the attacks started. Don’t deny it, Calabresi. You’re behind it.”

I shake my head. “Sorry to disappoint you. You’re not saving Antonio from me.”