Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
I chuckled. “Yes, Kaz. Twice.”
He grunted. “Perhaps, three times.”
“I don’t even know what you think I will do, but I can bet it will only be twice.”
“Hmmm.” His tone brightened. “If not for Misha, I would have gone crazy.”
“He kept you up-to-date?”
“He sent footage to my phone. I saw everything.”
“Oh.”
“It was terrifying to be so far from you and watching—”
“I’m fine.”
“I am proud of you for not letting anyone go.”
I swallowed.
“How far are you from the hotel now, mysh?”
The helicopter sped us away.
I looked out the window.
The hotel was now far off in the distance.
Paradiso Hotel had been our residence for a while. Kaz had rented out the entire building. The beautiful structure stood on a cliff above a white sandy beach. An enchanting garden surrounded the place and it was full of jasmine, citrus trees, and heaps of magenta bougainvillea.
Now hundreds of Mancuso, Gallo, and Romani people crowded the place.
I frowned. “They were coming for us, Kaz. And it’s so many. Misha may be right. We should head out of Italy—”
“Are you scared, mysh?”
Dread hit me. “Yes.”
The hotel became smaller and smaller as we flew away.
“Did you know that a lion’s roar is a territorial display that can be heard from at least three miles away?”
“Kaz, don’t you think this is a time to do more than talk about lion facts?”
“But, did you know that?”
“No, I had no idea that a lion’s roar could be heard three miles away.”
“The roar is so loud because the lion must let all enemies know what they will face, if they continue to fuck with his pride.”
“Okay.”
“How loud do you think my roar is?”
I smirked. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” I sighed. “How loud, baby?”
“This loud.”
Suddenly, the hotel exploded. In seconds, fire spread out and split the structure in half, telling me that the bombs must have been placed on the center floors.
Oh my God.
Clouds of black smoke fought their way up the sides of Paridiso Hotel and painted the sky. Bright orange flames bulged out and decorated the hotel in scattered spots, blanketing the space in destruction. Then, the building began to crumble into itself. Windows burst from the foundation and rained down a waterfall of shattering glass and jagged shards. Thousands of bricks fell away and twisted in the air.
Soon the beautiful hotel would be reduced to a mountainous pile of burning rubble and ashes.
Everyone on the helicopter gazed out of the window, even Paolo.
In Baba’s lap, Paolo pointed at the hotel and whispered, “Boom.”
“Yes, pumpkin.” Baba turned away from the window and watched me with a neutral expression. “The building went boom.”
Those two of spades flashed in my head.
Death, but death of our enemies. Is this it? Are we out of the clear?
Kaz spoke on the line, “When it is a question of who will die, us or them. . .”
My bottom lip quivered.
“The answer will always be them, mysh. Never doubt the power of us. You walk with lions.”
I trembled. “I never will again.”
“However, I hope you like our new suite. I had something special put there.”
“What?”
“You will see.”
“And you will be there?”
“Soon, mysh. I still have a few more Italians to kill.”
“The Don?”
“And the guards surrounding him.”
I turned away from the explosion. “Be safe. Please. Stay close to Max, Jean-Pierre—”
He groaned in annoyance.
“Please, Baba said so.”
“I promise.”
“I need you, Kaz.” I placed my hand over my stomach. “And the baby needs you too.”
“Killing the Don will be a simple task. Do not worry. I am a lion after all."
Now it was my turn to groan in annoyance.
"I will see you tonight, mysh. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He hung up.
I put the phone away and gazed back at the destruction.
More fire and smoke rose.
Baba spoke, “When we get to our next location, I will do a reading for you.”
“Good.” I twisted my fingers in my lap. “Blue, do you know where the rest of Harlem Crew is? Do you think they left the building before the bomb?”
“My understanding was that David gave them the location after the meeting and they quickly headed that way.”
“Okay.” I leaned back in the chair. “What about Paolo’s two guards? Did we ever figure out why they just skirted their duties? We needed them today?”
"Umm. . ." Blue looked out of the window. “I will talk to Boris about it?”
I watched her. “Blue.”
She turned to me.
“But, do you have an idea of what happened to them?”
She bit her lip.
I twisted my face in confusion. “What?”
Baba watched us.
Blue leaned forward. “I. . .I don’t know if you already know about. . .ummm. . .last night, but I think that they were a part of the others. . .”
“What are you talking about?”
“So. . .Boris told me that when everything happened last night, Maxwell called Harlem Crew into the room with the Mancuso's. . .dead bodies. . .he wanted them to see everything and then he gave them a choice.”