Page 77 of Shackled By the Mafia Boss

He’s at least sixty, with gray hair, a gray mustache and brown eyes. His teeth are discolored as he flashes an ugly smile at me. “Detective Jane Sullivan, we finally meet.”

It takes a considerable amount of self-control for me not to roll my eyes. “Don’t talk to me like our meeting is pleasurable one.

He moves his arms behind his back and maintains the wicked smile on his face. “Oh, but it is. You look so much like your father. Your dark hair, green eyes and that scowl on your face, I still remember it from the first time I met him.”

I grit my teeth, trying to fight back the tears at the mention of my father and hold back the anger flaming my insides. “Why did you kill him?”

He smacks his lip and exhales. “Believe me, it was nothing personal. We take care of rats for obvious reasons.”

“My father was not a rat.”

“He was obstructing my business, trying to play the hero. He should have taken the bribe when I offered it to him.”

“You killed him for that? Because he wasobstructingyour business?” My voice shakes with rage and sadness.

“Now that you’re here, I’ll give you a chance to make your own choice.” He nods to one of the bodyguards behind him and the steps forward with a bag.

“There’s enough money to last you a lifetime in this bag,” he says. “You can leave New York and live lavishly on it, or you can die here tonight. The choice is yours.”

I rasp out a humorless laugh and run a hand over my hair. “You’re a pig, has anyone ever told you that?”

He chuckles darkly. “I see what Marcus likes about you. You’re fierce spirited and I like that. Maybe we can put that to good use?”

“Maybe not.” I let him see the disgust I feel for him through my scowl. “One of us will die here today, and it won’t be me.”

I snatch my gun from my where I tucked it in my front pocket, aim at Victor and shoot.

Victor ducks and one of his bodyguards runs in front of the bullet, taking the hit for him.

I pull the trigger again and another bodyguard drops to the ground, his blood splattering on the faded gray walls.

Before I can pull the trigger a third time, I feel a sharp pain in my neck.

My muscles immediately begin to go limp and my vision becomes blurry.

Holding my neck with my hand, I whirl around as quickly as I can.

I don’t get enough time to feel the sting of his betrayal or enough time to even process what is happening.

Taylor’s face is the last thing I see before darkness grips me and my body hits hard against the ground.

Chapter Eighteen

Marcus

“Can I know why you asked me to come here?” Vincent asks with an annoyed expression. “I have things to do and I’ve told you several times I want nothing to do with your shitty mafia life.”

Dominic glowers at him. “You’re a Romano. You’re part of the Cosa Nostra whether you like it or not. You can’t escape it.”

“Sure looks like I can,” Vincent retorts. “Why do you both look like you’re fucked or something. Is something the matter with you?”

“Can you shut the fuck up and let me think?” Dominic growls. We’re all in Dominic’s living room.

Dominic is pacing the living room, his hands curled into fists. Dante and Vincent are sitting on the sofa across from mine and Antonio is leaning against the French door which leads to the living room. Elena and the kids are upstairs with a few bodyguards. Dominic has instructed her not to come down until he returns and to call him if something goes wrong while he’s gone. It’s an hour before our meeting with Victor and he is on edge about leaving his family to someone else for protection.

“We’re having a meeting with Vincent Valentes tonight,” I say, hoping my answer will lessen the tension in the air. “You’re to stay here while we’re gone, keep Elena and the kids safe.”

“I thought the Valentes were our allies.”

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