We park across the street from the dingy-looking Italian restaurant that is Rico’s—Marco’s family restaurant. The ‘I’ in the sign just about hangs on. The grass green canopy over the window is now a faded brown.
Keller kills the engine, and Enzo is watching a live feed of Rico’s CCTV. My fingers are just itching to wrap around his neck. In fact, I’m getting a little impatient.
“I can’t wait to kill that fucker,” Luca grits out, his eyes not moving from the restaurant door.
“You and me both. But remember, we need to find out where Maddie is before he dies. Okay?”
Luca is pretty close to losing his head. If it came down to it, I’d even pass up killing both of them to go and get her. I’m holding on to this last shred of hope.
Luca’s phone lights up on his lap. “Frankie’s just entered the back exit. It’s fucking go time.” He flashes me a grin. As he gets out of the car, slamming the door behind him, I let out a breath. This is it. I need to keep my head calm to get what I need.
Keller spins around to face me from the driver’s seat, still gripping onto the wheel. “Keep him safe, Grayson. He’s on the fucking edge right now. I’ll be watching from Enzo’s feed. We’ve got our guys surrounding the building, waiting on my instruction.”
In just a few short weeks, the numbers in Luca’s organization have doubled, and we’re fighting back hard.
“I’ll do what I can.” I nod and catch up with Luca, who’s already storming across the road toward Rico’s. For fuck’s sake, the last thing I need is him going in there and shooting them both before we get a chance for answers.
“Luca, fucking wait,” I hiss, quickening my steps behind him.
I reach him and grab him by the shoulder before he can open the door.
“Do not fuck this up, Luca. This is for Maddie, remember that.”
“I’ll go in first.”
I grab the metal door handle on the battered red door. It squeaks as I push it open. I aim my gun straight ahead and take a step in.
Marco and Frankie are sitting in the center of the room. I point my gun straight at a relaxed-looking Frankie, who simply smiles at me, with both hands flat on the table in front of him.
“Welcome, come, take a seat.” He gestures at the two free seats opposite him. Marco scowls at me, but doesn’t move. His hands are tied behind the chair. He shoots Frankie a look, but keeps quiet.
“I don’t fucking think so, Frankie. How about I just shoot you instead,” Luca announces as he breezes past me straight in his direction and presses his gun to the side of his head.
Frankie laughs and looks at me. Fucking Luca.
“I wouldn’t do that if you want to see your precious Maddie again.”
My heart rate spikes, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to shoot this prick between the eyes.
“Where the fuck is she?” I shout.
“Where would be the fun in simply telling you? Come and sit.” He gestures to the perfectly laid out table.
I raise my eyebrows at Luca and nod toward the chair, making my way over and pulling it out and sitting in front of him. He’s so calm, considering he’s in a room with two rival mob bosses and a raging monster whose girlfriend he’s kidnapped.
“Frankie, just shoot the asshole,” Marco grits out, and Frankie shoots him a look.
Luca whips his gun from the side of Frankie’s head and aims it straight at Marco.
“If anyone’s killing my brother, it’s me.”
Luca’s mouth falls open. Frankie pulls out a handgun from inside his navy suit, presses it between Marco’s eyes and pulls the trigger without so much as flinching.
Fuck.
Marco’s head falls forward, blood splattering all over the white table cloth. The gun is still smoking in Frankie’s hands. Luca attacks him. “You motherfucker!” he shouts at Frankie, before punching him straight in the jaw.
A fucking good punch, if I do say so myself.
Frankie rubs his jaw and looks at Luca in amusement. “I’ll accept that one. Good shot,” he says, looking at me and nodding. “I might need to get some sessions in with you.”
“I don’t fucking think so.”
Frankie says, “Please, just sit. I will explain everything first.”
Luca reluctantly pulls out the chair next to me with a huff and sits, lighting up a cigarette. His gun’s still in the other hand. “Spit it out then,” Luca says, letting out a puff of smoke.
“Maybe I’ll start by formally introducing myself.” He places his hand to his chest. “I’m Frankie Falcone. And this, next to me”—he nods to Marco’s slumped dead body next to me—”is my older brother.”
We knew he was working with the Falcones, but his fucking brother. My grip tightens around my gun. If it wasn’t for Maddie, they’d both be dead by now. The beast inside me is raging to come out.
“You fucking lying prick.” Luca abruptly stands up next to me, but I grab his arm and pull him back, so his ass is back on that seat.
“Is that really any way to speak to the new head of the Falcone family?” Frankie cocks a brow, like he’s fucking proud of himself.
My blood is boiling at this stage.
“I do have a peace offering.” Frankie grins and opens up his suit jacket, sliding out his phone.
“How about a fresh start for both of our organizations. Luca, I believe we can work together and we can rule over this city.”
“What makes you think I need you? I can’t fucking trust you,” Luca snaps back.
“Day by day, you are losing control. Half of your men are snakes, trust me. How do you think I managed to pull all of this off and stay off both of your radars. Now, my plan was to take control of my family and then obliterate your organization. But, over the past few months, I’ve come to like you two.”
“Enough to kidnap Maddie,” I grit out.
“I did that to protect you both. You might not understand it now, but you will. I’ve made sure she’s been looked after and is out of harm’s way. I’m sorry, I had to use you to get what I wanted. I needed you, Grayson, to be angry enough to take out most of the Falcones for me. I couldn’t risk Maddie getting in the way, not after seeing the state she was in at the hospital.”
He looks me straight in the eyes, dropping his gun onto the table.
“I swear, I would never do anything to harm her. No matter how feisty she may have been, she did not make this easy on me. That’s for fucking sure.”
“Where the fuck is she!” I roar, standing up from my seat and slamming my fists on the table.
“Somewhere safe. We need to come to a deal before she gets released, so now sit.”
I resist the urge to kill him with my bare hands, clenching my fists.
He leans back in his chair, lacing his fingers together.
He turns his attention to Luca. “I want our organizations tied up, Luca. I want to make this city our empire. And expand to Europe.”
“Release Maddie and then we can talk,” Luca deadpans.
Frankie rolls his eyes. “I’m not releasing her until we reach a deal. I’m not stupid. As soon as she’s free, one of you will more than likely try to kill me. Maddie has already warned me of my impending death.”
Hell, he’s not wrong there.
Luca flicks his eyes to me. If Frankie is telling the truth, those two could rule the city. They have the brains and the power to do so. If anything, these past few months, Frankie has proven himself to be useful. Can we trust him? Absolutely fucking not. He just blew his own brother’s brains out.
“We will discuss the deal in private. Grayson needs to get to Maddie. It will just be me and you once she’s released. I’m interested in what you have to say. But don’t forget, I hold the upper hand here. So I suggest you start making amends for your errors if we ever consider trusting you again,” Luca says, pinning him with a stare, and Frankie nods, chuckling.
“Grayson, take both of our guns,” Luca orders, so I stride over as they both slide their guns toward me on the table.
Holstering one of the guns in my waistband, I aim the other toward Frankie. He immediately raises his hands in surrender.
“Fucking let her go.”
He nods to his phone on the table. “May I?”
He slowly inches forward to pick his phone and bring it to his ear.
“Loudspeaker.”
The phone connects after two rings.
An Italian voice rumbles through the speaker. “Boss.”
“She can go, Theo,” Frankie orders and cuts the call.
My heart pounds in my chest. Maddie is free. I let out a ragged breath, doing everything I can to keep my emotions in check.
“Grayson. Go and get your woman. I’ve got this from here,” Luca says with a tight smile.
I lower my shaking arm, letting out a ragged breath. I’m so fucking close to getting her back now.
