AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The silence that fell between them was peaceful. From her position, she could hear his heartbeat.
Her eyes felt heavy with whatever pain medication they’d given her. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t ache, but she’d suffered through worse. In the past, whenever she was hurt, she’d always been left alone.
She wasn’t alone now.
“There’s one more thing I want.”
“Anything,” Montrell murmured against her, his thumb stroking her stomach.
“Let’s kill my father.” She needed to rest first. They all did. But he was a threat against them, and she couldn’t have that.
“I’ve been waiting for those words.”
“Sorry it took me so long.” She laced her fingers through his top hand. “And don’t even think about suggesting I stay behind.”
His thumb stroked over hers. “We do this together.” His cheek brushed against her hair. “Now, sleep. The rest will come.”
She fell asleep in her new favorite location—safe in her husband’s arms.
Laying waste to the Lucchese estate was a simple matter. Part of what made it easier was sheer numbers. The Di Salvos joined them in the hit, led by Antonio. The Coronellas would owe them yet another favor.
Montrell told Beatrice he didn’t mind, which didn’t surprise her at all. Her husband lived in the moment and didn’t seem to worry much about the future. The past was another matter. He kept bringing up his regrets, like trusting his mother when he’d known better and not helping the assassin when he had had the chance. The fact that Luka had been instrumental in saving her made him a good man in Montrell’s book.
The jury was still out on Antonio Di Salvo, but Beatrice had already noticed the man got things done. He’d sent the doctor to treat her and Vespa. Besides, Antonio had been the one to gather intel about her situation with the Albanians, and that had spurred Montrell to do what he’d wanted to all along. Every time she thought about Montrell coming to Vegas for her, there was a floating feeling that she wished annoyed her. It didn’t, at all.
The only person who seemed annoyed was Vespa. Antonio seemed intent on pushing her buttons even during the hit, and Beatrice kept an eye on them as they killed their way through the Lucchese soldiers. Montrell just seemed to find it amusing.
Even with one arm in a sling, Vespa took out more than her fair share of soldiers. Like Beatrice, there was no way she would have been convinced to stay behind.
Beatrice grew more and more tense as the body count grew. She stared down at the Lucchese guard she’d just shot herself. She gave no emotion away, but inside she was seething. Maybe she should have made a different choice. If she had told them about her father betraying the family, would they have turned on the man and lived?
Montrell waited, standing behind her as a shield. His boys were spread throughout the house, especially at the end of the hallway. They were as pissed as Montrell and fully onboard with additional blood. Montrell had made a good family, one she was beginning to trust. When they’d gathered to discuss the hit, the capos and soldiers had been angry on her behalf, not just Montrell’s.
Beatrice leaned back against Montrell’s chest, and his hands came up to hover over her. “Getting tired?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “He once was my bodyguard.” Her lips thinned as she stared at the dead Lucchese. “He watched me have my first kiss, laughed at my teenage antics.” Her fingers still held the gun she’d shot him with. “And when the Albanian came for me, when he pushed me down and kicked me in the ribs and broke my wrist in front of all of them, my former bodyguard watched that as well. He would have watched my father shoot me had the Irish managed to pass us all off like they planned.”
Vespa moved up to Beatrice’s side and spat on the dead Lucchese soldier. “Fuck him.” She bumped Beatrice’s uninjured arm with hers in the sling and winced.
“Bet that hurt,” Antonio said from behind her.
Humor flashed in Vespa’s eyes, not ire like Beatrice expected, before she whirled. Then she lunged for the Di Salvo, knocking him to the side as her gun came up. She shot the Lucchese who’d lifted his own weapon from the floor behind them. “Dammit, we need to follow up with more headshots to be sure. I can’t stand these bastards.”
“But you like me. Admit it.” Antonio smiled at her from against the wall.
Vespa’s mouth fell open as she stared at him.
“You just saved me from a bullet, Ves,” he said, his smile widening.
“Shit, I did,” Vespa said with a nod, her lips curling. “Bet you feel pretty stupid now, trying to get me left behind.”
Beatrice watched the Di Salvo’s face tighten as something moved in his hard, blue eyes.
Vespa was still rambling. “I told you I’d hold my own. You on the other hand…” Her gaze slid up and down the man’s body.
“I never doubted your skill.” Antonio pushed off the wall. “And stop checking me out. It’s not the time for that.”
Vespa snorted.
