Page 2 of The Forever One

Marco is here with me and from the eerie quiet in the early morning light, I’m afraid to even voice it in my head.

His chest seems still. His breaths aren’t wheezing. His life doesn’t feel present.

Fuck.

The last thought that crosses my mind is that I’d rather die than explain to Madelina and River that I couldn’t do my job.

Save Marco.

CHAPTERTWO

RIVER

Everything is numb. My surroundings are inconsequential. But I know I can’t allow myself the time to wallow in my own pity. It might be the sensible thing to do, giving myself the space to think logically and work through some of my emotions, but I can’t.

My emotions are my fuel.

I’m working on pure instinct. Which is why I’m trusting this J woman who was at the warehouse… with all the bodies… the blood… Bruce…

A shudder runs down my spine at the thought of the warehouse. No one should ever have to witness that monstrosity.

Parking Marco’s Earth-killer—the car he and Enzo took to the meeting—in front of our home, I turn off the engine and take a deep breath. I now need to break the news to Gabriella and Lina. None of this makes any sense. Even in my head it sounds so unbelievable. Like, what the actual fuck?

Marco and Enzo have been kidnapped by a rival mafia family and Bruce was shot in the head.

Yeah, that sounds like normal news to give a person.

Stefano startles me and I nearly throat-punch him the way Lina taught me before I realize it’s him opening the car door.

“Signora Mancini, come on inside. Signorina J has called and I have informed your sister and mother-in-law. I will take care of the car and there is a strong coffee waiting for you in the living area, along with the other ladies of the house.” He ushers me out and I remain silent, nodding my thanks and hoping he knows how grateful I am for him.

What I expected as I walked into the living room wasn’t Gabriella pacing across the floor on the phone, her tone harsh as she speaks Italian to whoever is on the line. Without pausing, she approaches me, her free arm held out wide to grab me and pull me in. She holds me tightly, squeezing all her love and reassurance into the hug before I kiss her cheek and move away so I’m not disturbing her call. It seems important.

I sit on the sofa next to Lina, who is obsessively watching her mom with wide, blotchy eyes, her elbows resting on her knees as she leans forward. She puts an arm around my shoulders and brings me in closer, just holding me. I return the half-hug, kissing her on the head and reveling in the comfort of the moment, but it’s not enough.

My mind is whirring with options, outcomes, and obstacles—none of them are things even remotely in my usual wheelhouse.

Lina’s body shakes next to me as her mom’s voice gets louder to whoever she’s speaking to and I squeeze her tightly. “We’ll find them, Lina. I promise, we’ll get our revenge on these motherfuckers.”

She sniffs and wipes at her eyes, nodding slowly. “We… we should make a list.”

A list? That actually sounds like a great idea. My focus immediately clings to this task as I pull my cell from my pocket and open the notes app. “Let’s do it then.”

Lina looks up at me, a slight twinkle in her watery gray eyes. “Fuck, yes. Ambrosios need to be at the top of that list.”

“Yup, the woman at the warehouse, J, said this was on them.” I give the note a title—People Who Need to be Unalived—before typing the Ambrosios as number one.

“J will be beating herself up about this, I know it.”

“You know her?”

“Of course I do. She’s like an adopted cousin, and definitely the crazy one no one messes with. We’re lucky she’s on our side.”

Crazy is an assessment I’d have to agree with, but in a good way. In the kind of way that is totally going to play in our favor for whatever fucked up shit we’re going to have to do to get our men back. J’s heavy breathing and blood-covered body were frightening when I first saw her, but her eyes showed me such kindness, it was difficult to doubt her intentions toward me.

“Okay, girls, I have news. Are we ready?” Gabriella has finished on the phone and now all her attention is on us, her hands on her hips and her chin high, like the regal mafia wife she has always been.

“Si, Mamma.”

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