Page 76 of Fatal Scheme

“Fucking hell, Principessina. Can you do it on your own?”

“I’ve managed to pull one or two over on you, haven’t I?” I snark, calling back to the days when I tricked him while he stalked me, or how I sliced his hand open.

I’ve let these boys take care of me, and allowed them to feel like I’m in the palm of their hands, but I’m still the same girl who’s never needed help, and is more than capable of handling her own business.

“Okay, but be careful. I’ll keep them distracted.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips, disappearing around the corner while I take a deep breath, searching for my target.

There’s not much time, but saving us – saving the boys who were once expendable – is the only thing I care about.

Cassini’s, Corazza’s, Masseria’s, and any-fucking-one else be damned.

THIRTY-FOUR

TYSON

So far, this is going better than we could’ve expected.

Not only are the Corazza’s on board to take down the Ricci’s, they’re interested in wiping out our family, too.

Of course, destroying two dominant crime families in the same area bodes well for the one who prevails victorious, and Rocco Corazza is trying to make a name for himself, proving to the world that he’s got what it takes to run with the big dogs.

He’s our age, and hungry as hell to take some serious power, which makes this deal beneficial for us all.

After we shake on it, Rocco and his wife order bottles of champagne, deeming this a celebratory dinner.

“I’m going to check on Carter, she missed the whole meeting,” Massi whispers to me, and I nod, keeping my poker face intact, but my heart drops into my stomach at his realization.

We haven’t seen her in at least ten minutes, but for the sake of this deal we quite literally just made, I need to keep my shit together, and trust Massi to find our girl.

My mind is racing with possibilities, my brain blocking out everything happening around me, and it feels like Massi’s been gone for hours, not minutes.

“Tyson, you alright?” Rocco asks, breaking my trance, and I quickly take a sip of water, attempting to recenter myself.

Carter is my kryptonite, the one thing that could bring me to my knees or paralyze my body in pure shock if something were to happen to her. I know from experience, the night she was almost taken from us standing out front and center in my mind.

“Yes, sorry. His girlfriend tends to run off, and I’m just worried she got into trouble, her first time in the city and all,” I smile sheepishly, knowing that if I were on the opposite side of the table, I wouldn’t believe my lies for a second.

“His girlfriend? Interesting,” he laughs, and Allie does too, the two of them exchanging a glance.

“How so?”

“I’ve seen throuples before, Tyson. You three are very much in love, but do you and Masseria … cross swords?” His wife jokes, and I can’t help the smile on my face, releasing a sigh of relief as for once, we don’t have to hide our relationship out of fear of judgment.

“Absolutely not,” I say sternly, ending that ridiculous narrative before it even begins, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Massi walking toward the table, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“She’ll be right out,” he says, keeping it short and sweet, but I know him well enough that he’s not telling the whole story, and I’m on high alert.

Judging by his face, there’s something deeper going on here, especially since he came back from the restroom alone.

“Where is she?” I ask, my resolve shattering by the second, the panic sweeping over me at record speed.

“Don’t worry, Ty, she’s fine. She’s … found a side project,” he says, and I notice how blown out his pupils are, that devilish persona he carries only showing when he’s on the verge of a kill.

Whatever they’re up to cannot be good, and I’ll be damned if we came all this way for Carter and Massi to ruin our plans because they can’t resist their mutual thirst for blood.

“I swear to God, you better not be fucking this up,” I mutter through gritted teeth, my blood pressure rising with each word that leaves my lips.

“Exactly the opposite. Relax, brother, have a drink before the show begins,” he laughs under his breath, delivering an ominous warning that doesn’t make me feel calm in the slightest.