“I’ve been seeing Lucia.”
“Is this the right time to tell me?” I respond, rolling my eyes.
“Well, if things go left, I don’t want to leave anything unsaid. You don’t seem surprised, you already know, don’t you?” He cocks his eyebrow at me.
“Of course, I know. You were both acting like love-struck teenagers whenever you came within a foot of each other,” I say irritably. “I thought it was one of Lucia’s phases, clearly not.”
“Is that approval, Don?” He asks hesitantly.
“My consigliere and my sister together is not exactly something I want, but if you’re happy, I won’t stand in the way. However, if you do anything to Lucia…” I say warningly.
“I won’t,” he says somberly.
“I know you won’t, Franco, because you’re a better man than I am,” I say, feeling uncomfortable.
“You’re not a bad guy, Rocco. A little reckless and impulsive but your heart is in the right place.”
“How far is it from the airport to the warehouse?”
“Fifteen minutes if we gun it. Did you speak to Paolo?”
“Yep, aside from threatening to rip my throat out if his daughter dies, he has managed to strike a peace treaty with the Russians. Alisher Romanov, Artem’s nephew, is the new leader. He’s agreed to give us Andriy without any further bloodshed.”
“I thought the Romanov’s were a tight-knit family?” he says, staring at me in surprise.
“Heroin and cocaine are clearly better substitutes for Alisher than his cousin Andriy. I just need to get to her. I’ve fucked up, Franco. If she dies, it’s on my hands.”
“Sophia is a fighter. Hopefully, she can hang on long enough for us to get there.”
“My heart only ever had one thought, one want. One need. Despite all, in spite of all…All my heart has ever wanted is you.”
—Stephanie Laurens
IWALK OUT OF THE BATHROOM SILENTLY, THE GUN IN MY HAND CLASPED WITHIN MY SWEATY PALM.
My breath hitches as I look back at Vasily’s dead body, my own bodyshuddering in revulsion and shock.
A cold draft comes from one of the warehouse vents causing an involuntary shiver to run down my spine, my legs trembling with every step I take.
“You’re cleverer than I thought.” Andriy’s voice says from behind me.
“Drop the gun,” I say, pointing my weapon at him.
“Ladies first.”
“Let me go, and I’ll drop the gun.”
“Where is Vasily?” he says, his eyes wide with anger.
“Why don’t you go and check for yourself,” I say, smiling at him.
“Murdering bitch, you will pay for this,” he says, inching toward me, but I shoot just next to where his head is making him jump.
“What do you want from me, Andriy? Why did you do all of this? I don’t understand.”
“I need to prove to my father that I am worthy to take over from him and to do that I will kill you just like your father killed my brother. I guess that is where Bratva traditions differentiate from your own piss poor Mafia. We need to earn the right to lead, we take pride in our kills. I won’t let you get away this time. You shamed me once, you won’t do it again.”
“What do you really want?” I say, trying to buy time.