Page 52 of The Almost One

Once we arrive in Long Island City, we drive the car into one of the secured garages, close, lock the electric door, and make our way into the side office. As run-down as it looks on the outside, inside, it’s comfortable. Far from luxurious, there’s no need for that, but it is practical.

A large space for… inciting our guests to divulge information, with an office space to the side that holds a secret bunker-type room in case we need to hide products from any suspicious police officers.

“Boss.” J bows her head as we enter the large hall, following Enzo as we make our way to the office. Our security guys are camped outside our doors, checking the cameras the whole time via apps installed on their phones.

“There’s been a change of plans.” I don’t play around, just sit behind the desk and steeple my hands at my lips.

J is immediately on high alert, ready to execute all of my commands. Much like my father did with Enzo, I picked J off the street when she was just seventeen and running drugs to feed her junkie boyfriend. At first, she was a soldier following me around when I was Capo so I could teach her the ropes, give her advice and help her to survive the streets without having to scrounge. Too young to be my sister’s security detail, I made sure she was safe under my wing.

Turns out, J has a fascinating mind. She’s able to analyze and solve problems with an accuracy I’ve never seen before. I tried to get her back to school, to cultivate her genius, but she turned me down. The system fucked her over once and she refuses to fall victim to them again.

“I’m declaring a hit on Ugo Ambrosio.” J doesn’t even flinch. One nod and her eyes glaze over, which means she’s calculating and putting a plan in place.

“Timeline?” It’s her only question, the rest is up to her and she knows it.

I look to Enzo, who’s been working with Stefano on the logistics.

“He won’t be in The City for long. We’re guessing within the next week, they’ll move in and try to either hurt River or take Marco down. Rumor has it, they want a hostile takeover of New York City and they’ve negotiated with some of the neighboring big shots.”

“The Irish?” With their influence in the police force, I figured Ambrosio would start there and J had the same thought.

“No, they’ve been loyal to us,” I answer instead of Enzo. “Let’s just say, the Newark police force is getting a hefty donation to keep their streets safe from the mob and gangs.” I grin at the irony, but J and Enzo are cut from the same humorless cloth.

“Kastellanos.” My lip curls at Enzo’s mention of the name I thought my father had buried long ago.

“I’ve heard rumors, but didn’t have any proof of anything happening.” J nods as she speaks, almost apologetic.

“Yeah, word on the streets is, Ambrosio traded some land in northern Greece for his support here in taking me down.” I almost scoff at the notion that even with the two of them working together, that they’d think they could touch me. “I guess my father underestimated his ambitions.”

“So, why not take Giuseppe? Why his son?” J may have spent the last five years here with us, but she still doesn’t know all the intricacies of the laws in our world.

“He’s a don. It throws off the balance of our system. Going after his son is fair game.”

“I mean, he’s going after you, isn’t he?” I know why she’s questioning, she needs to have all the information so she can do her job effectively.

“No, he’s going after River. They think she’s fair game, but going after River is worse than going after me.” The thought makes my veins throb with boiling blood running wild.

“Right. Blind you with anger so you make a mistake. Take away the one thing or person you love most and destroy you from the inside.” J repeats my words from years ago.

“Exactly. Except, you’re going to take out Ugo, then we’ll ship them back to Italy and if they’re unwilling… well, I’ll personally take out the entire fucking family.”

“This information is between us only. We need you to be the executor, not one of your Reapers. We can’t take the risk that anyone less qualified than you fuck this job up,capisci?” J nods at Enzo just as my phone rings loudly in the near-empty space.

“Mancini.”

“Boss, your wife has just pulled up and she’s walking up to the front entrance.” Fucking Hell. I’m going to kill Stefano for falling for River’s charms. Goddammit. “Shit.”

“What? What do you mean, shit?” I’m suddenly standing because this guy’s worried tone and River’s proximity does not reassure me in the least.

“She’s being followed by two goons, boss. They seem to—” I cut off the call and run to the front entrance with Enzo and J on my heel. As soon as I get there, the door flies open and my beautiful wife is taken by surprise that I’d be so close.

“We need to—” Grabbing her by the upper arm, I quickly pull her away, practically dragging her to safety. “What the fuck, Marco. Let me go!” I don’t answer because all Hell is about to break loose and I cannot have my wife in the middle of a fucking war, except she’s fighting me every step of the way as she pulls her arm from my grip and stops in her tracks.

“Will you just stop—” Again, I cut her off by picking her up into a fireman’s hold and hauling her off to the bunker. From there, no one will know where she is. She’ll be safe while I deal with this shit-show.

Placing her inside, I grab her by the back of the head and look her in the eye as the first shots are fired in the other room.

“I love you, Tesoro, and I need you to stay safe. Promise me.”

---