Page 136 of Fall Before Her Throne

I pulled her into a quick hug. “I’m sorry we weren’t there sooner.”

She squeezed me back tightly before we both heard the gravel crunch with multiple feet. I turned to see my men stalking forward, guns in hand. Obi reached me first. His hand threaded through my hair at my ear, and he tilted my head up to press a rough kiss to my lips.

“You should have waited for us,” he said sternly.

I shook my head. “We didn’t have time.”

He released a shaky breath before he turned to Chiara. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chiara Tommaso. My name is Obi.”

Her eyes were wide. “Hi.”

After each of my guys gave me a hug or kiss to say hello, they introduced themselves. Cas gave Chiara a big hug. Chiara’s silly grin was wide when all my guys were done. She had at least stopped shaking and looked like she was coming back into her skin.

“Seriously? All of them?” she fake-whispered at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, it’s a lot.”

“You love it,” Ryuji called over his shoulder while my guys figured out what to do about all these dead bodies.

“Unfortunately, I do,” I sighed. “What now?”

The house loomed behind us. Greco wasn’t here. Just ten of his men, whom we had slaughtered.

“Let’s burn it.” Max crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the house. His house. Where we’d grown up. Where his father and mother had lived. Where Cas and I had played. Where my father and his had run our empire.

“What?” I breathed. “It’s your home.”

He gave me a small smile. “It’s not. Not anymore.”

Unspoken words floated between us. A thousand feelings choked my throat.

“Okay,” I said. “Obi?”

Obi immediately gave more orders. “Take the bodies inside first. Ryu, see if you can find some fuel and a lighter or matches. Check the garage. We need to make sure it all burns.”

They made quick work of the entire scene, moving the bodies inside. Max asked Cas to help him carry out boxes of my father’s paperwork that he’d had—the same boxes that he’d previously shown us when we worked together against the Albanians. Then, Cas helped me and Max grab a couple of photo albums of our mothers, things neither of us wanted to leave behind, before Ryu and Wynn doused the rest of the house in lighter fluid. They gave a lighter to Max. Together, we stood outside the front door.

“Ready?” I asked.

He flicked on the flame and tossed it inside the door. The flames immediately caught, spreading through the house with a viciousness that had heat licking my cheeks.

“Let’s go.” Max folded his hand into mine and turned around. “Oh, by the way, we need to make a quick stop at your house.”

“My house?”

Obi raised an eyebrow. “What for?”

Max smiled. “We need more of the boxes Luciano left behind.”

42

LEONA

Luca woke up on the drive home and started freaking out in the back of the SUV. Since he was originally one of Max’s men, my father’s men, the guys took him to stay with Giulio for now. Luca knew those guys, and they knew him, and they’d take care of him while we got Chiara settled. We had to get back to facing off with the Camorra.

As soon as we got home, I helped Chiara inside and got her some water. The guys unpacked all the weapons and got changed. Obi gave me a quick kiss and said they’d give Chiara and me some privacy.

I sat her at the island. “How are you doing?”