Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“Only a dozen or so. More inbound. But it’s not just the Larones.”
“I know.” I saw more SUVs pull up than the Larones could ever fill. It’s the Frangiones. They’ve come for Bianca, though I know she’s not here. Butcher took her somewhere else, hopefully somewhere safe.
My phone vibrates. I pull it from my pocket and see a message from Angelica’s father.
Constantine: Come outside and talk before this gets really ugly.
I turn the phone around and show it to Gilly.
“Does he think we’re stupid?” Gilly raises a brow and stows a couple of grenades on his belt.
I hit the call button. Constantine picks up in two rings.
“Come out.”
“No.” I select my load out and make sure my favorite pistols are ready to fire.
“I know you have her.” His voice is laced with rage. “You took her!”
“I married Angelica fair and square. You–”
“You know who I’m talking about!” he bellows.
“Constantine, calm the fuck down.” I post up near the front door with several of my men. Glass litters the floor, but there are no more shots for the moment.
“I will not calm down. Where is my daughter?” He lowers his voice. “If you don’t deliver Bianca into my hands in the next five minutes, Geno Frangione is going to level this place, and I’m going to help him.”
“You’d sell your daughter to that piece of shit?” I smirk. “You’re a shit father. Though I think you already know that. Why do you need the money? You took my dowry and ran, and now you’re going to sell Bianca to the Frangiones. For what? What have you done? Because I know you’re the cause of it. You’re sacrificing your daughters to save your own ass. You nearly killed Angelica,” I seethe. “Sent killers after her on her wedding day. What the fuck is so important that you’d do that to her?”
He’s silent for a long while.
I peek out the window. About a dozen of my men are lined up at the front of the house, taking cover behind cars and the fountain. Beyond them, down the driveway is a blockade of SUVs. I don’t have a head count, but there are at least 20 men, maybe more. We’re outnumbered, but I’ve never run from a fight, and I won’t start now. Not when I have my family counting on me.
“I …” Constantine clears his throat. “I didn’t intend for Angelica to get hurt.”
“You’re full of shit. Tell Geno I said to take his best fucking shot. We’ll fight until–”
“Wait! Just, just fucking wait.” He sighs. “I have–had–a mistress. I loved her. She got close to me, learned about where I keep my money and how I hide it offshore. Six months ago, she cleaned me out. Every last dime.” He sighs. “But that doesn’t matter. Not now. I’ve already made the deal with Geno for Bianca. He’s brought an army with him. If you don’t turn her over, you’re all dead. Even … even Angelica if she’s in there.”
“You’ve forfeited the right to even say her fucking name, old man. She’s mine to protect. Mine. And neither you nor the Frangiones will ever lay a finger on her.” I end the call.
Gilly gives me a wry grin. “I take it there’s no truce?”
“Get ready.” I press my back to the wall beside the window. “They’re comin–” Gunfire rips through the night, shattering more windows and peppering the entire first floor with slugs.
Gilly hits the floor and wrenches the front door open. I dart out, keeping to cover and edging around one of the cars out front.
Frangione’s men are marching up the driveway, their strides confident.
“Light them up!” I yell to Gilly and the rest of my soldiers.
All hell breaks loose, and when I see Gilly lob two live grenades like he’s pitching a no-hitter, I move my attention to the men farther back. The ones in front turn into a pink mist when Gilly’s grenades hit and explode. I take shots, dropping man after man as they return fire.
A bullet whizzes past my ear, and I duck as a slug embeds in the wall behind me. Propping my gun on the hood, I keep firing until I have to reload. Some of my men have fallen, but I keep firing, keep fighting. I won’t let them invade, not when Angelica and Carina are sheltering inside.
I empty the rest of my magazines, defending my home while more boots hit the ground ahead of me. More enemies swarming toward the house.
“You out?” Gilly yells.
“Yeah!” I dash past the car I was stationed behind and scoop up a gun from a fallen soldier. Pain tears through my leg, and I fall behind another car as Gilly scrambles over to me.
“You all right?”
“Yeah, just winged me.” I check the action on the pistol and start firing again. “Go inside. Get the girls to safety.”