Page 18 of The Secrets We Keep

Sienna jerked. “How the hell do you know I’m working at Gallo Industries?”

“Because after you died, I became very good at finding the information I wanted to know so I was never helpless again.”

Her heart beat painfully in her chest, and she was glad he was too far away to touch. If she did, she might not be able to stop. Shoving that thought away, she focused on his question.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “That’s why I got a job there. In the IT department. Although you probably already knew that.” She blew out a breath when he nodded. “My uncle is paranoid. He’s always heavily armed and flanked by bodyguards. Except at the office. It was the only way I could think of to get close enough to him.”

She shifted, trying and failing to read his expression. “He maintains tight security on the executive floor. I need access to credentials with enough clearance to get up there. Once I have that, I can take him out.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“Excuse me?” Of all the things she thought he might say, that one didn’t even make the list. “I’m not asking your permission, Luca. I’ve been planning this for over two years. It’s happening.”

“I need you to wait.”

Shoving off the couch with an irritated huff, she paced between the coffee table and the TV. “I can’t believe you’re seriously saying this to me right now. I don’t deserve justice for my family? My uncle shouldn’t pay for what he did?”

“That’s not what I’m saying at all. But we have something in the works here, and if you take him out, it’ll fall apart.”

Her steps faltered, and she turned to face him. “You’re making a move on my uncle? For what? How?” He hesitated, and she scowled. If he was going to demand answers, he was sure as hell going to give her some in return. “Fair is fair, Luca. Tell me.”

“We’ve set in motion a plan to claim Gallo Industries under the Bianchi banner.”

“You want me to hold off on avenging my entire family for a corporate fucking takeover?” she shrieked. “I can’t take down the man who took everything from me because you want to make some fucking money?”

“Sienna—”

“Get out.” She pointed at the door, but his eyes never left her face. “Out of everyone who might have tried to stop me, I never thought it would be you.”

“This thing is bigger than me and you,” he said, not budging from his spot on the couch. “Matteo—”

“Matteo’s back?”

“Yes. He showed up for my father’s funeral. We’re taking over Sicily. We’ve already taken out Romano and Varda. Your uncle is next. I just…I need you to trust me.”

“No.” She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “You need me to get out of your way.”

“That’s bullshit,” he snapped, surging off the couch and stalking toward her. “You think I don’t want him to pay for what he did to you? For taking you from me? I can promise you, there’s nothing I want more. But I’d prefer not to get fucked in the process. I’d prefer not to lose our growing control on the island. I’d like for us to both get what we want. We can help each other.”

“I want their blood on my hands. I deserve it,” she spat.

He advanced until her back brushed the wall, his arms coming up to cage her in again. “And you’ll have it. My word on that. We don’t plan on leaving him alive anyway.”

“Alexei can’t have him. Nero is mine.”

Luca sighed, pressing forward until the length of his body pinned hers to the wall. “I’ll do everything I can to ensure you’re the one who gets to take him out when the time is right.”

Her eyes dropped to his lips and lingered there before darting back up to meet his gaze. “That’s not good enough. How do I know you won’t screw me out of what’s mine?”

He dropped his head and whispered against her ear, “Baby girl, I’ll load the gun for you.”

She chewed her bottom lip, thinking. There were a million different ways this could go wrong. Her plan had been solid from the beginning. Get in and shoot her uncle so her family could finally have some peace. She’d hoped to watch the life drain from her uncle’s eyes within weeks, not months, or potentially more.

But if her uncle was going to end up dead either way, it might be fun to watch him lose everything first. It was no less than what the bastard deserved. Gallo Industries was her uncle’s baby. He loved it more than he loved his own sons. Taking it from him would be the icing on the cake of what she had in store for him.

Chapter Ten

“Fine,” Sienna conceded. “I’ll wait. But you better not make me wait long because I’ll have the access card I need next week.”

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