Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Whether it was intentional or not, Greco led us to an industrial part of town, which was mostly shut down on a Friday night. Adriano finally got ahead of him in a large parking lot and whipped the limo around to cut him off.
Greco screeched to a halt, stopping just inches from our rear fender, and then he tumbled out of the car and took off running. For some reason, Adriano grabbed one of Pete’s hot pink stilettos from the floor before flinging the door open and sprinting after his quarry.
Exiting through the driver’s side door was my most direct route, but I had to scramble over the center console before joining the chase. That put me a few seconds behind.
As I ran to catch up, several SUVs started pulling into the lot. I sincerely hoped they were Dante’s team, and that Greco hadn’t called his people for backup.
When he was within maybe twenty feet of Greco, Adriano hurled the shoe in a side-armed pitch. It was a perfect throw, landing at Greco’s feet and causing him to trip and fall. That gave Adriano the time he needed to close the gap.
Greco was back up in an instant. He whirled around, anger flashing in his eyes as he drew back a fist. Before he could strike, Adriano punched him in the jaw and knocked him back. “That’s for smashing up my mom’s bar,” he growled. When Greco lunged at him, Adriano punched him again. Greco landed on his ass, and Adriano yelled, “And that’s because one of your dirtbags shot my boyfriend!”
Greco was like a wild animal. He got up and growled as he tried to come at Adriano yet again. But before he could get punched a third time, someone tasered him right in the chest, and he fell to the ground.
We all turned to look at Nana and her taser, and I said, “Nice shot.”
She scowled and muttered, “No it wasn’t. I was aiming for his nuts.”
It took a few moments, but Greco staggered to his feet, pulled the wires from his chest, and threw them to the ground. I thought he might try to come at Adriano once more, because he seemed absolutely feral. But then he looked around, and I did, too.
Dante and Vincent were flanking Adriano and me, and the rest of the family had gathered around us, like the first layer of a shell.
The second layer consisted of about thirty badass men and women dressed in black. Every one of them had a firearm pointed at Greco, and he yelled, “Who the fuck are all these people?”
“This is my family, that’s our army, and here’s your one warning.” Adriano’s voice rang with authority, and he took my hand and straightened his posture. I stared at his profile in awe. He was ice and steel, and the sexiest thing I’d ever seen in my life. “If you come for me or any of my loved ones, we’ll hunt you down, and we’ll show no mercy. You don’t cross the Dombrusos. If you were too ignorant to know our name before today, then you just got educated, you fucking prick.”
With that, he and I turned and walked away. Our family fell into step with us, including Pete, who’d picked up his pink stiletto and was grinning from ear-to-ear. “Best customers ever,” he whispered.
Vincent took a moment to pluck the keys from the Smart car, apparently just for shits and giggles, and we all piled back into the limo as Pete slid behind the wheel. Meanwhile, Dante’s army was standing down, but just barely. They all glared at Greco as he turned and went limping off into the night.
Dante told Pete to take us back to the hotel, and Ollie popped a bottle of champagne. Meanwhile, I straddled Adriano’s lap and kissed him passionately before saying, “Marry me.”
He grinned and repeated something I’d said earlier. “Ask me again when you’re not hopped up on adrenaline.”
I nodded and told him, “I will.”
23
Adriano
Jack kissed me again while I ran my hands up his back. Then he curled up with his head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around him.
Meanwhile, Charlie snuggled up with his husband and asked, “Do you really think it’s over?”
“I think we sent a pretty clear message tonight,” Dante said. “Unless Greco has a death wish, he’ll back off. Just to be on the safe side, I’ll leave my team here for the next few weeks. And of course, Vincent and I can be back on short notice, any time we’re needed.”
“I really don’t think he’ll keep coming for me,” I said. “He thought he had me hopelessly outnumbered and could push me around. Tonight, he found out I’m not alone.” I looked around at my family and added, “Thank you, each and every one of you, for having my back. That meant a lot to me.”