Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Feeling guilty because I don’t come around more often, I press a kiss to her hair. “Hey, Mom.”
Just as quickly as she hugged me, she pulls away and rushes to the doorway. “I’ll make your favorite for dinner. You’re staying, and I don’t want to hear anything about work!”
When she disappears into the hallway, Dad says, “She misses you a lot. Spend the evening with us. It will do you some good, and I won’t have to worry about you for a few hours.”
Not wanting to hurt Mom, I nod. I walk out of the office and go to the kitchen where I find her rushing around, taking ingredients from the fridge and pantry.
I sit down by the island, and when she passes me, her fingers brush over my neck, near the wound. “What happened?”
And so the questions begin.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” I reply.
“And the bruises on your face?”
I let out a sigh. “Just sparring with the guys.”
She begins prepping all the ingredients for beef goulash and asks, “Did you speak with Enzo and Gianna?”
“Of course. They’re both fine.” I rest my elbows on the counter. “Gianna will be home soon. Try not to worry.”
“I’ll always worry,” she murmurs. “Especially about you and how reckless you are.”
“I thought you didn’t want to talk about work,” I say, which earns me a scowl from her. Getting up, I walk to her and wrap my arms around her from behind. “Sorry, Mom.”
When I let go, she turns and looks me up and down. “When did you last have a home-cooked meal?”
“The other day,” I lie as I lean back against the island, crossing my arms over my chest.
I watch as she chops mushrooms, and just like when I was a kid, I find her movements calming.
Once we’re married, Sienna will probably arrange dinners with Mom, and we’ll get to spend more time together.
Once we’re married.
The corner of my mouth lifts.
She has one month.
Chapter 9
Christiano
Hugo walks ahead with two of his best men to clear the area, and only when he nods at me do I move.
With Nico by my side, I stalk toward the pier where Constantin Dragomir is standing, sticking out like a sore thumb.
Just like me, he’s dressed in black. I easily pick his men out of the crowd of people, and knowing my team will have my back, I focus my attention on the head of the Romanian mafia.
He’s my height, with black hair and intelligent eyes.
Unlike the Irish and Albanians, I actually respect Dragomir. He’s a danger to me, which is a nice change of pace.
When I stop beside him, he keeps looking at the view of the Hudson River and the city. “The air smells like oil,” he mentions.
I don’t bother commenting as I push my hands into my pockets. My body may seem relaxed, but I’m on fucking high alert. Dragomir is one of the few men on the planet who actually stands a chance of killing me.
He lets out a sigh, then turning his head, he meets my eyes. “What are we going to do, Falco?”
I take a deep breath and shrug. “A war between us will wipe out both sides, and I’m not in the mood to attend funerals.”
He nods as he turns his attention back to the river. “I hear you’re having trouble with the Yakuza.”
“Just a minor altercation.”
“And you’re almost done wiping out the Irish.”
I shrug. “It’s been fun, but I’ve grown tired of them.”
“And the Albanians?” he asks.
“Nothing more than an annoyance.” He’s showing that he’s been keeping tabs on me. “How was Amsterdam?” I ask to return the favor.
Dragomir’s lips curve up, and he chuckles. “Good. I’ve made a deal with the Italians.” His vigilant gaze flicks to mine. “Now I just have to come to some kind of agreement with the Sicilians.”
A solid minute passes before I say, “I get fifty percent of whatever you sell in the States, and you get fifty percent of whatever the Cosa Nostra sells in Europe.”
My offer grabs his attention, and he turns his body to face me. “Asia, Africa, and South America?”
“Fifty-fifty. We form an alliance for the sake of our organizations. No poaching each other’s contacts.”
Dragomir stares long and hard at me before he lifts his hand. When we shake, he says, “Don’t fuck me over. I’d hate to come back.”
The corner of my mouth curves into a smile as I pat his shoulder. “Join me for lunch at my restaurant.”
His features relax a fraction, and while we walk to where all the cars are parked, he says, “I hear you have a good hacker.”
Having him bring up Rosie makes my guard go up. When I don’t reply, he continues, “Unfortunately, mine was killed. How would you feel about giving me access to La Rosa? I’d make it worth your while.”