Page 72 of Forgotten Deeds

“I don’t know. It really depends on Luca’s progress,” Nicky says.

Valentina narrows her eyes at her future sister-in-law. “You don’t get to use your husband’s bodyguard as a freakin’ human shield against me.”

“Isn’t that the purpose of a bodyguard?” Nicky retorts.

I giggle, the second glass of wine having gone to my head.

“I call Father Ferrera over tonight, and Romeo and Nicky married. Ecco. Problem solved,” Nonna interjects.

“Don’t you dare,” Valentina says, pointing to her grandmother.

“Why not?” Nonna demands. “Then they get to work faster on my pronipote.”

Nicky mutters something under her breath before knocking back her wine.

“Great grandchild,” Valentina translates for me.

* * *

Darius

I follow the men to the billiard room. Romeo breaks open a box of cigars, but I decline.

“Nobody likes a fucking health nut,” Sammy chides, grabbing a cigar.

He goes to set his whiskey glass down, and I fling at him the knife he “gifted” me all those years ago. It slices off half of the cigar in his hand, the knife landing with a reverberating thunk in the center of the dart board behind him.

“Thanks, man. No need to cut my cigar now,” he says, lighting the now-short stogie and taking a puff.

Romeo chuckles, lighting his cigar. “Darius let you off too easily,” he informs Sammy. “Put your lips on any part of my woman, and I’d fucking slice them off your face.”

Damn, now that really makes me regret not slicing off Amethyst’s lips.

“Nobody around here can take a fucking joke,” Sammy mutters.

“Maybe it’s just you’re not funny,” I inform him.

He smirks. “Your mom disagrees.”

“Does she laugh at that limp dick of yours?” I mock. “I bet that is funny.”

“No, but she is really ticklish, especially when I do that one thing with my—”

“Give me an update on the security feed from the boxing club,” Romeo says, cutting the bullshit and getting to business.

“Fabio’s crew is watching the surveillance videos from Ace’s Wild round the clock. There’s months’ worth of footage, so it’s going to take some time to wade through it,” Sammy reports. “Darius, Fabio is to let you know ASAP if his crew finds something helpful with your job.” My job being to put a bullet between John Davis’ eyes.

“Good,” I say, sipping on my sparkling water as I take a seat on a leather couch. “Boss, I noticed you added extra security.”

Romeo takes a puff of his cigar, making a smoke O ring. “Thanks to John Davis and his confetti bomb ‘gifts.’ Fucker sent one the morning of Antonio’s wake while you were in Greece. Everything and everyone now stepping foot on this property gets additional screening.”

“Guy must have a death wish,” I comment.

“He does, so let’s help him out,” Romeo tells me in an ice-cold tone. “I want you camped out in AC until this problem is dealt with.”

“Boss, my stepdaughter’s dad passed away.” I fill them in on everything.

Romeo takes another puff, considering. “I’ll give you forty-eight hours to get your house in order. But after that, I expect results.”

---