Page 5 of The Last Ones Standing, Part Two

Me:DON’T ALLOW HER TO LEAVE.

Me:Keep her from getting into her car. It’s been compromised.

“Where’s Essence?” I bite out.

“On the main floor the last time I saw her,” Jace replies.

“Holly, get Ny’s fur from my office. Here, take her ring. Make sure Essence has it all on when she leaves this building. She’s the only one to touch that car.”

“Got it,” Holly takes the ring and nods.

“I’ll buy you as much time as I can. Just make sure she gets in that car.”

With a nod, she turns and takes off. I turn to Jace and hand him the tablet. He growls as he watches the same thing I just witnessed. Franky, Riccardo’s oldest grandson, arrived to place a bomb under Nyla’s car.

“I’ll kill them all,” Jace seethes.

“We will, but not like this.” He snaps his head up at me. “You trust me, don’t you?”

He nods.

“What do we know about Franky?”

“Riccardo keeps him the closest. He’s a bomb specialist. He was dishonorably discharged for selling arms he stole from the base. However, he beat the jail time.”

“Exactly. I always knew this could be an option. I planned around it. Ny is right where I want her. She’s safe.”

Jace nods. Dad clears his throat, pulling my attention. I turn to look at him.

“This changes nothing. Riccardo still has to die at the right time.”

“What makes you think I’ve changed my mind?”

“You’remyson.”

I smile. “Then you know I’m not going to allow years of planning to go out the window. As long as she’s safe, I’m going to finish what I started.”

“Good, we still need to make that trip.”

“About that, give me a minute to finish things here. I have a fireworks show to watch and a performance to deliver.”

* * *

Riccardo

“Well done, Franky. Well done, my boy,” I croon as I slap my grandson on the back from the passenger seat of his car.

I smile with pride and joy as I watch that littlemulignon’scar burn. I lucked up coming across her tonight. I had to strike. Once Lucas revealed he knew Don Barbierihad passed, I knew I had to make my move.

“Look at them. Twofinooks. Let them weep over the little bitch. Too bad. She looked like she was a fine piece of ass, like her mother. Another missed opportunity.” I shrug. “Oh well.”

“What now?”

“Drop me home. We can relax for now. I need Giuseppe to make that promotion happen for Dario. So we wait.”

“You don’t think they’re going to come for us?”

“What, us? They know nothing about you and your brothers or how you’re helping me. I’m controlling things. Always have been.”

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