Page 43 of Owned By the Mafia

I look at him sharply and then hurtle down the corridor, knowing the woman I love could be killed. My brother follows closely on my heels.

Chapter 24 - Dinara

Three rows of tables per family lead to the center, where the heads of the families sit. I’m seated at the Sorvino section with other family members. Carmine and Adrianna are near me. In the middle, I can see Alessandro, Katya, Ivan, Tori, Ronan, Daniel, and Natalia. Just as planned, we have sunshine and blue skies overlooking the massive garden of the venue. Everyone is content with their food and where they are, and I have to plaster on a smile until this is over.

Everyone was awkward when we first arrived, but now there’s low talking as people eat, and those who are finished are mingling. Thankfully, children weren’t allowed because that would have made things tense. Imagine telling your kid you can’t play with that man because he’s Irish or Italian. Just because the heads of the families say we’re all family now doesn’t mean there isn’t some tension among everyone. This is going to take some getting used to.

I feel a hollowness inside me, like something is off, but I’m not finding what causes it. It’s like when a house you use for a landmark changes color. Sometimes, you don‘t notice at first and keep telling everyone to turn right at the green house; only the green house is now blue. It has been in front of your eyes for a few days, and you just didn’t see it.

I feel like I’m missing something, making me too anxious to eat. Maybe it’s because I miss Robbie so much. I want to see him. I want to kiss and touch and be held in his arms. I’ve already planned how I’m going to ask Katya, as my friend, to release me from the family so that Robbie and I can move to Europe and be together. The only problem is I don’t know if Robbie would do that. He is so loyal to Ronan and his family. It’s a lot to ask of him.

As the guards rotate every fifteen minutes, I scan the perimeter. So far, I haven’t noticed anything off except the one guard toward the back exit. He’s Italian, but I don’t recognize him. I assume he’s new or someone I haven’t worked with before.

My eyes scan the next guard that rotates. We decided that the guards would rotate one at a time with small intervals to ensure a smooth transition. I raise an eyebrow as I see another guy step out that I don’t recognize. I scan the perimeter again. There’s another.

Fuck. Our guards are being swapped out by other men. They are going to attack the families when they least expect it. I need to warn Katya, but I can’t make a scene. Startling the other guards might cause a shootout to break out, and people could get hurt. I take my phone out calmly to text her, but my phone beeps. It has no cell signal. I try switching it to airplane mode and back, but they’ve jammed the signal somehow. I need to get out of here and get reinforcements. I look at the side gate, where I see Aiden has just stepped inside, talking to a short Italian man who is definitely not a guard.

It is him. He is the second traitor. Dickhead! Being injured was just his way to make us think that he isn’t in on it, that he is safe. It was fucking smart I won’t lie, I didn’t suspect him at all.

I calmly get up and excuse myself to go to the bathroom. Four guards still have to rotate, and enough people are mingling that I don’t think Aiden will pay attention to me. I manage to get inside the main venue office, and instead of walking to the right where the bathrooms are, I walk toward the front.

I reach for the door, but they’re chained shut from the inside. That’s why they aren’t worried if people come in here. I’ll have to find a way out quickly or find a place to hide.

I jump as the window to the right slides open. Jarryd sticks his head in and smiles. “Hey, Dina, we okay to come in?”

“Yes, get in here quick. We need help.”

Jarryd climbs in and is quickly followed by a gun case, then Robbie. Robbie gets up quickly and puts his hands on my shoulders, drawing me to him and kissing me.

I feel Jarryd smack Robbie’s head. “So not the time, dude.”

“Sorry,” he breathes. He reaches behind him, pulls out a handgun, and holds it out to me. “I’ll take out whoever is in charge.”

“The guards are all gone,” I whisper the words, looking around. The party outside has gone quiet.

“Please, like the heads of these families don’t have secret backup plans.” Robbie leads the three of us to the kitchen and opens the window slowly and quietly.

I listen as the Italian man starts making a rather condescending speech about how it’s time for new blood, how it’s time for a new era, and how he is going to rule over everything.

I look up as Robbie takes aim, and I smirk.

“Time for new blood indeed,” I murmur as he takes the shot.

Chapter 25 - Robbie

“Here! Here! Park here,” I say, pointing to a parking space. “There’ll be no parking near the venue. We’ll have to jog the four blocks.”

“There isn’t time,” Jarryd snaps, pulling into the parking.

We both get out and go to the trunk to get our guns, and before we can look twice, we’re jogging toward the venue. Luckily, we don’t encounter anyone the way we’re going, though we are approaching from a different side of the main garden.

I stop Jarryd. “We’ll go through the office building and get a feel for what’s happening before we do anything.”

Jarryd nods and leads the way. He sets his guns down and slides the window open, poking his head inside.

I hear him talking to someone and realize it’s Dina. I nudge him to move faster, and as soon as I’m through the window, I take her by the shoulders and kiss her deeply, grateful that she’s okay.

I take the gun out of the waistband of my jeans and give it to her.

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