Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 129676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
“Touch her, and I’ll break your trachea and make her a sustainable coffee straw out of it.”
“Leave her be, Primo.” Achilles appeared at the entrance, wearing his usual smart combo of a black shirt and matching slacks. Shame about that face, because his style was impeccable. He motioned for us to come in. “The Callaghans are already here.”
We walked through a vast, open space to a side door that led to a basement. I grabbed Gia’s wrist and held it firmly. She laced her fingers through mine and started tapping her index finger over the back of my hand in a familiar pattern.
Two, six, two.
Two, six, two.
Two, six, two.
A jolt of panic rushed through my spine, followed by immediate orgasmic relief.
She knows.
She understands.
She cooperates.
She soothes.
My muscles loosened. And in that moment, I needed her more than I’d ever needed anything else in my entire fucking life.
At the end of the stairway was a dimly lit room with a long table, a built-in kitchenette, and an overhead lamp. At the table sat Vello, Luca, an older Irish man, Tiernan, and Tierney. I recognized the twins. They both had dark red hair, almost radioactive-green eyes, and sharp, cunning features.
Luca swiftly made the introductions. The older man was Tyrone, the twins’ father and the retired boss. It was my understanding Tiernan took the reins some time ago. We all sat down.
“I see you brought your sister along.” I lit a cigarette.
“For the same reason you brought your wife.” Tiernan’s cold gaze could frost over the sun.
“Because you want to wine, dine, and fuck her afterward?” I cocked an eyebrow.
Enzo barked out a corroded laugh.
“Hey, listen, no judgment here. I’m a man of decadent tastes. You do you, buddy.”
Tiernan’s glare told me we were off to a catastrophic start. Good. My strategy for today was to show them there’d be no negotiations. Each of their soldiers who killed my father deserved to die. And anyone in my way to them was destined to a similar fate.
“Tate,” Tiernan said easily.
“Tiernan,” I answered in earnest.
“How much do you like your Mediterranean yacht?”
My eyes tapered to slits. “No.”
Don’t tell me he touched Urania. I’d only had her for three years.
“Yes,” Tiernan tsked gravely. “You know, a lot of bystanders took pictures. It’s a very fine thing, watching a superyacht burning to ash inside a large body of water.” He flicked his phone, thumbing his screen alive and boomeranging the device across the table to me. “Here. I kept this picture as a souvenir.”
Bastard.
And a bastard who cost me fucking two hundred million dollars.
“Blackthorn,” Tyrone piped up. “You’ve killed five of our men.”
“Boo-fucking-hoo.” I sat back, folding my arms over my chest. “Couldn’t have done it without the help of the Ferrante family.”
Tiernan speared Luca and Achilles with a bloodcurdling glare.
Achilles shrugged. “Hey, business is business. For the right price, I’d make meatballs out of you. Eat them too, by the way.” He reached for his cigarette pack, pulling one out with his lips and lighting it. He pointed at Tierney with the hand that held the lit cigarette. “I always wanted to know, banshee. Does the carpet match the drapes?”
Gia choked on her saliva next to me.
Tierney, however, smiled serenely. “Seeing as you’ll never be invited to the house, I’m afraid you’ll have to take that mystery to your grave.”
Achilles beamed, elated with the challenge. “Never say never. And I’m not planning on dying just yet.”
“You sure?” Tierney raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m happy to lend a helping hand.”
“I have a good idea where I want that han—”
“Let me know when you’re done flirting.” I rolled my tongue along my upper teeth. “No pressure, though. I’ll wait.”
“Look, Blackthorn, we have no use for you as a rival.” Tyrone cleared his throat, sticking to the subject. “No territorial or financial disputes. At the same time, letting you walk away from this unharmed would send a terrible message to our enemies.”
Vello nodded in agreement.
“With that in mind, what have you got to offer us?” Tyrone asked.
After they burned down my yacht?
“I can offer a fuck off.” I lit up a cigarette Even that was generous. “See, the three men I set out to kill murdered my father in prison and deserved the slow, violent death I granted them. The second two were collateral for going after my wife, and I’m here to tell you, you’ll be out of soldiers if you keep sending people to harm her. You don’t want me to start striking back and going after your precious gem.” I cast my eyes on Tierney. To her credit, she didn’t budge.
Tiernan stood to his impressive height, smashed his tumbler of whiskey on the edge of the table while dripping nonchalance, and pointed a shard at my throat, looming over the table between us. Despite the violent act, he was calm and collected. “You best watch your fucking mouth when you speak about my sister. I’d hate to gut you like a fish in front of your wife.”