Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry, Boss,” he groaned when he tried to get to his feet. “They took me out with a clean shot through my thigh.” His head hung low, eyes filled with anguish.
“You did your job,” I assured him. I was upset, but they’d taken out the only protection to make their job easier. “I appreciate that.”
Brady cleared his throat and pointed to the projector screen on the wall. “I have the footage queued up.”
I nodded once and turned my gaze to the wall. I held my breath and waited, but watching it was worse than I expected.
Ren froze and looked around, clocking the danger first. I watched with my heart in my throat since I already knew how the video would end, as she dropped down to Matteo’s level. She spoke in a serious tone to him, and he nodded that he understood. Seconds later, she was ripped from my son, shouting for him to run, which he did.
She fought like hell even though she knew she couldn’t win. The exact moment she saw that Matteo was safe, the fight went out of her.
“She’s brave as fuck,” Luca muttered. “And smart.”
“And missing,” I said flatly.
Brady pulled up another feed. “I tracked the van with one of the surveillance drones I’m testing. They took a right at this T-intersection.”
“That’s a fucking business park,” Luca growled.
“It is,” Brady agreed, using a laser to point at the buildings. “But there are only two suitable buildings. This one used to be a porn studio, and this one is a hay storage facility. The only two with working electricity and water.”
I heard Luca on the phone in the corner, using his do as I say tone with whoever was on the other end of that call.
“The studio is my best guess because it has lots of room, still has furniture in it, and has working bathrooms. Plus, lots of places to hide.”
Looking at those images and listening to Brady lay it all out while Luca prepared for war, I couldn’t escape the truth I hadn’t wanted to believe for weeks now. I knew who this traitor was because he was my own fucking flesh and blood. This was the part of the job my own father hadn’t lived long enough to prepare me for: what to do when the enemy was one of your own.
I knew what the code said needed to be done in circumstances such as this. I knew what was expected, but knowing it didn’t make this shit any easier. “Thanks,” I grunted to Brady and pulled out my phone, exiting the conference room before I sought refuge in Ren’s office.
It smelled like her. It looked the same as it had last time I was here, except there was no Ren. I pulled out my phone and dialed the one person in the world who could guide me over this hurdle.
“Lorenzo.” Aunt Valentina’s voice was calm and full of warmth as it always was, still slightly accented as though she hadn’t lived in California for all but ten of her sixty-three years. “You have a traitor among your ranks.”
I froze. How did she know? “I do,” I answered slowly, hesitantly.
“Lena is here with me,” she said as if that answered everything. “I guess that means my son is the one who created this mess?”
I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “It seems so.”
Silence stretched between us, a lifetime of familial love, professional guidance, and traditions.
“You know what you have to do,” she said finally. “We cannot tolerate betrayal.”
I knew that. I didn’t need her to tell me that, yet the sense of relief I felt was palpable. “He is your son.”
“He stopped being my son when he chose to work against this family,” she replied. “I have given up much in my life for this organization, Lorenzo. I set aside my own hopes and dreams, I married a man my father chose, and I built a different life than I had imagined. I will not allow those sacrifices to be for nothing.”
I swallowed hard, unsure what to say in the face of such brutal honesty.
Valentina sighed heavily, the only sign this wasn’t as easy for her as it sounded. “Are you calling me for absolution, Lorenzo,” she asked, “or permission?”
I didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know,” I said at last. But that was a lie, or maybe the truth just scared me too much to admit. “He took someone who matters to me,” I answered instead. “She put herself between Matteo and danger.” The words hurt as they left my mouth.
Valentina was quiet for so long I thought maybe she’d ended the call. “The girl you gave up for your family?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “I have to get her back.”
“Then do what needs to be done, Lorenzo. You are the head of this family. Your word is the law.” The call ended abruptly, my aunt’s words echoing in my head on a loop.