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Instead, the name on my screen makes me stop dead in the foyer.
“What the hell?” I say softly.
Marco’s calling. My former best friend. The guy that saved my life back when the Santoro Famiglia fell apart. The guy that betrayed me and our little group of allies for a girl. The guy I despise most of all in this world.
Slowly, I raise the phone to my ear. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Hey, Val,” he says, sounding so much like himself, and it breaks my freaking heart. Even though I hate him, I also miss his friendship so much. “I know I’m the last person in the world you want to hear from right now, but this is important.”
“What could you possibly have to say to me?”
Marco clears his throat.
“I’ve been doing some freelance work recently, and part of that has been to keep an eye on Gregory and the Faithful Servants.”
“Great. Good for you. How about you fuck off and?—”
“Val, hold on. Just listen. Five minutes ago, I caught some of their communications. They’re launching an attack right now.”
“An attack?” My feet go cold. I look around like I might be able to find a weapon.
“They’re going after Ronan. You’ve been with him, right? You two are close now? Please, if you can, go warn him. They’re on the warpath to his bar, that boxing place. They’re on the way right now, Val, and they’re going to kill him.”
Chapter 34
Ronan
The morning training session goes well after the drama with Seamus is squashed. Even the other cousins seem a little less hostile, which is a nice change for once, and I appreciate Seamus saying whatever he’s saying. I doubt I fully changed his mind, but I hope he can see that I have the family’s best interest at heart.
Once the boxing’s done for the day, we split off into groups and go over some important business. I end up in a booth with the uncles talking numbers and discussing potential new revenue streams. It’s all routine and almost boring, but this is what it means to be the boss, and I take all their concerns and suggestion as seriously as I can.
But half my mind is home with Valentina. I told her she couldn’t leave, but that girl is as stubborn as they come. I wouldn’t be surprised to find she ran off somewhere stupid and I have to hunt her down and drag her back, even if she’s kicking and screaming.
I’m sick of the back and forth, the half measure, pretending like we’re something less than we are. I’m happier when I’m withher, and not just because the sex is fantastic and she’s absolutely fucking stunning. She makes me smile, she challenges me, she makes me stronger, and that’s what I need in a partner.
She’s an equal. Valentina’s more woman than I ever dreamed of wanting, but now that I have her, I can’t imagine settling for less. I need her—and I’m not going to let her walk off just because she’s afraid that something bad might happen all over again.
Her father’s murder fucked her up. But the loss of her Famiglia might’ve been worse. I need to make her see that no matter what, I won’t abandon her, and I won’t let my family fall to pieces. I’ll hold it together—and I’ll bring her with me.
Uncle Joseph is in the middle of a diatribe about some fishy-looking figures coming out of a strip club we own, basically pretty standard skimming-off-the-top stuff we’ll deal with eventually, when the door to Bloody Strike bangs open. I’m on my feet as Valentina rushes into the room.
“Ronan,” she says, breathless, ignoring all the stares. Some of them are hostile, but I glance back at Seamus, and he only nods to me.
“What’s going on?” I slip out of the booth and hurry to her. She grabs onto my arms and stares at me, and the fear in her eyes makes my whole body go numb.
“I got a call.” She’s out of breath and trying to get herself together. “I rushed over as fast as I could.”
“Take it easy. Go slow and tell me what’s going down.” I glance at Niall and his expression is serious as he moves closer to listen.
“Marco reached out. He’s been watching the Faithful Servants for a while, and he heard that they’re coming here, right now.Gregory and his guys are on the way and they’re going to try to kill you.”
I knew this was a possibility. Fucking with the Bullethole Boys was like fucking with Gregory himself, and that old biker gang dickhead can’t let any challenge slide. But this is an escalation.
“How close are they?” I ask her and gesture at Niall to start getting prepared.
“I don’t know. Minutes, maybe. Marco said they were on their way?—”
“Why did Marco call you?”
