Page 7 of The Forever One

“Ooh, Tyler. Tyler is a rich bastard. I bet he has a private plane.” Lina’s excitement is contagious, and it just might work. If he’s willing to lend us his plane without asking too many questions. Which I doubt. He’s almost as much of a control freak as Marco, he’ll want to know all the details. But we need it, we needhim. I’m not above begging if it means I get my husband back safe and sound. Fuck my pride.

“Okay, ask him. See what he says. We really need it available within the next few hours if that’s possible.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lina salutes me with a playful wink, walking off to make her call. I shake my head at her antics. She’s trying so hard to be okay, to act as though nothing is phasing her about this whole situation, but I can see it. I know she’s struggling just as much as I am. It would seem that using a mask to hide real emotions isn’t as uncommon as I’d once thought.

These Mancini women are warriors and I can’t let them, or my husband, down.

“Okay then, Ray, you’re the underboss, have I remembered that right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nods his head respectfully, a small smirk playing on his lips.

“Great, well, I need you to arrange eyes on Elizabeth as she travels to Naples. And figure out where the fuck Eleanor is. I don’t know why, but I don’t trust her, and she’s got some odd connection to the Ambrosios. We also need eyes on the Greeks, and as soon as we get people over to Naples, we need the Ambrosios watched.”

“On it, Boss. Elizabeth is already on a flight, my guy sent me word about half an hour ago. So far, the information she gave us checks out. I’ll make sure everything else is done.” With that, he picks up his cell and leaves the room, tapping furiously at the keys before bringing the phone to his ear.

The other people left in the room are silent, waiting for their next instruction. Much different from half an hour ago when we were all arguing about the best course of action. In the end, I put my metaphorical foot down and demanded they actually listen to my ideas. J was the first to follow suit. I mean, I get it, they’re all actually quite sweet with how they’re trying to protect me and the other two Mancini women in the room, but they also need to understand that we’re every bit as capable as they are.

Okay, so I’m not exactly experienced in all things mafia, but I don’t need to be. I read people, I read situations, I can foresee outcomes that others blinded by a fighting instinct may not. I’m a bad ass bitch.

“J, I know most of our people are heading to Naples, but are there any that you would trust with your life…?” I pause, taking another deep breath before finishing. “I need eyes on my family in Staten Island. I don’t know how much the Ambrosios know about me, and I need them safe. My sister-in-law is pregnant and she and my brother are just the kindest souls…” A tear falls down my face at the thought of my family.

I know they wouldn’t condone what I’m doing, but they’d be damn proud of me for my strength. I’ll keep my promises to them about no more lies and I’ll tell them a very watered-down version of what’s happening when it’s all over, but until then, they need protecting.

“Of course. I’ll call Harris. I trust him and his partner, Sam, with my life.” She nods, and immediately begins calling whoever Harris is.

The heavy weight somewhat lifts from my shoulders knowing they will be safe amid all this bullshit and non-fun fuckery.

“Okay, I think that’s everything. I guess I better go get changed and pack my bag.”

Gabri smiles warmly at me, opening her arms for a final hug before I leave the room. I wrap myself around her, reveling in all her motherly glory before pulling back to kiss her cheek.

“Cara, there is one more thing you should know before you go.”

“Oh?” I’m not sure I can take much more. I’m about to travel on a private plane, alone, to Naples, to face an insane family of people who think kidnapping and murder is a perfectly okay way to live. I’m also aware of how that thought refers to my own husband and his men too, but I can only see them as the good guys. I know how much good they do for the city.

“The Ambrosios’ soldiers… there may be a few still loyal to the Volpe name. The Volpe were in power in Naples before the Ambrosio’s took over. You might be able to use that. I know you’ve been a Fox your whole life, and you weren’t brought up in this world…” Gasps sound all around me with that revelation and when I turn to look at their faces, all I see is a shock swimming in their eyes. I suppose there’s going to be some explaining to do at one point, but now is definitely not the time. My attention swings back to Gabri when her last words fill me with pride. “But, my darling girl, you were always destined for it.”

CHAPTERFIVE

MARCO

The hard slap of cold water jolts me awake. Coughing as I practically choke on the drops that I’ve inhaled down the wrong pipe, I realize that the water is the least of my problems. By contrast, the searing pain in my shoulder pushes a growl from deep inside my chest. My teeth are locked, grinding hard enough that I’m afraid I’ll break a few along the way.

Where the fuck am I? What the Hell is going on?

Panic rises up my throat as bits and pieces of my memory come running through my brain like an eight millimeter film reel.

Shoving River into the bunker.

Running out to help Enzo and J.

Shooting my way through the increasing number of enemy bodies.

The bullet to the shoulder.Well, that explains the white-hot pain.

Then nothing.

Again, I’m choking on my panic as I wonder where River is. Where Enzo is.

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