Page 125 of Vow

“Kev called a meeting with the Capos last night,” she said, “and it looks like the streets are going to get very tense again.”

Andino’s jaw ticked, but Haven’s hand coming up to stroke his cheek calmed him instantly. The tension was still there, and so was his irritation about the fucking Calabrese, but it wasn’t nearly as bad.

He just needed her to help.

That was all.

“How tense?” Andino asked.

“They’re planning on starting to remove any Marcello presence in their territory, to begin with. They’ll go from there, and see how the Marcellos answer back.”

Andino would have to give his Brooklyn Capo a heads up on that, then.

“So, basically they’re going to provoke us into violence,” Haven murmured.

Andino couldn’t help but look over at his girl, and smile. Even if what she said was nothing to smile about, he couldn’t fucking help it.

“What?” she asked.

“You said us.”

Because she was.

His.

One of them.

It still stunned him sometimes. Oh, sure, he knew he still had a lot to make up for yet. But fuck him, because he was willing to do all that for her. He was going to put in all the work. Whatever she needed from him, he was there to do.

He was hers.

Haven rolled her pretty blue eyes like he was being silly. “Was I wrong, though? That’s what they’re doing, right?”

“No, you were right. That’s exactly what they’re going to do.”

Siena made a noise in the backseat. “Because they think whatever happens then will be justified to other families.”

“Yes,” Andino agreed.

“Have you told John, yet?”

Andino looked in the rearview mirror again. “Told him what?”

“Your plans for him—to take over the Calabrese side of things. Have you told him that?”

He tensed in the seat, but Haven’s hand was quick to find his thigh, and squeeze. Life was about to change in a lot of ways for all of them. All because he had decided to start the ball rolling on something, and the damn thing wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

That was fine.

He was ready.

A boss had to be.

“I haven’t told him, and no one is going to mention it to him until the time is right,” Andino said pointedly.

Siena nodded. “Something like that could really upset his—”

“I can’t hold his hand and watch his back forever, Siena. That’s not my job now. Remember?”