Page 26 of Power & Punishment

“What if he retaliates?”

“You wound me, Emilia,” I say with a scoff. “Do you really think Russo number two isn’t scared of me? Sure, he has more balls than Vince, but he’s not stupid.”

“And if it doesn’t work?”

I straighten, smoothing my hands down my jacket. “First, I’ll go after your partner and then I dig up your past. And just when things couldn’t get worse, I’ll expose your little stunt, ruining your career and any semblance of the normal life you’ve been chasing since your dad died.”

Her face drains of color, but she doesn’t bow her chin. That’s my girl.

“I’ll get you your meeting, but after that, we’re done.”

“That’s cute,” I smile slow and lethal, reaching out my hand and gripping that confident chin of hers. “After that I’ll decide when I’m done playing, and unfortunately for you, I just found my new favorite toy.”

Mia slaps my hand away, and I let her push me out of the booth. As soon as she’s free, she storms toward the door without looking back.

I grin from ear to ear before throwing down a hundred-dollar bill and stopping beside the booth Michael is currently tucked in.

“Do you think she can do it?” he asks, eyes locked on whatever is on his computer screen.

“She’ll do it,” I respond. “She doesn’t have a choice.”

“This isn’t part of my job description,” Michael mumbles as I push him toward a large wooden door sprawling with ornate trim.

“My mom insisted, and you know I can’t say no to her,” I explain, pressing the doorbell. I love dragging Michael to these family dinners with me.

In my spare time when I’m not terrorizing mouthy detectives, I’m terrorizing one of the only men I trust who hates all things that involve being in a normal family setting.

Mainly, I brought him to take the attention off me and my mom and to stop asking when I’m going to bring a woman around—to which I politely explain that she takes up enough of my time as it is.

The door whooshes open, and my little sister appears with a bright smile on her face. When I see her, I can’t help but envy the way she can find joy from normal things that don’t involve making people uncomfortable or crushing her enemies.

“Leo!” Maribella yells, practically jumping into my arms. There are only two women on this planet that I let hug me, and one of them is currently latched on with no intention of letting go. “I haven’t seen you in weeks,” she mumbles into my jacket.

“And whose fault is that, Bells?”

She unwraps herself from my body and takes a step back, thrusting her hands onto her waist for the infamous DeLuca power pose.

“My dissertation isn’t going to write itself.” She beams. “Unlike some people, I don’t con others into doing my work for me.”

“Work smarter, not harder,” I reply, recalling my college days when I’d trick some pretty little thing into writing a paper for me. It was almost too easy and I liked a challenge.

“Whatever,” she scoffs, rolling her eyes until her gaze lands on Michael, who’s trying to inch away from our sibling reunion.

“Oh, you brought him,” she says coldly, her shoulders tensing up. “Hello, Michael.”

Michael doesn’t respond; he just gives her a silent nod. She rolls her eyes at that before turning around to stalk inside.

As soon as we walk into the foyer, I can hear the clattering of pots and pans in the kitchen and smell the aroma of garlic and tomatoes.

My parents’ townhouse in Brooklyn is the complete opposite of me. It’s open, warm, and loud in a way that should make me uncomfortable. But it’s the one place that makes me forget about the hard exterior I’ve worked so hard to maintain.

“Hey, dickhead,” Gio calls out as he rounds the corner. He slaps me playfully on the shoulder but thankfully doesn’t pull me in for a hug. “You have some explaining to do.”

I shrug off my coat and hang it on the coat rack before turning to him. “When are you going to learn that I don’t have to do anything you tell me to do?” I counter, tilting my head.

“When you stop getting yourself into terrible situations,” he sighs, scratching the back of his neck. His shiny new Rolex catches the light, nearly blinding me. “My friend that works in the DA’s office said you were caught up in some homicide investigation. You should really be more like Michael and learn to fly under the radar,” he says, turning to him before saying, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Michael says, acknowledging him with something other than a nod. Thankfully, Maribella isn’t nearby to take it personally.