Chapter 159

“Dad,” Christian says, his voice tense and a little angry as he crosses his arms across his chest and looks around the room, his eyes coming to rest on his brothers. “Interesting to see that you kept this in the family so completely.”

“It is a family affair,” Romano snaps back, glaring hard at my husband before turning his head to Bonetti. “Do you want them frisked?”

“Yes,” Bonetti replies instantly, though his voice is calm and contemplative. “I find that I very much do. And I’d appreciate the return of my cousin,” he says, holding out a hand towards Calvin. “Who I think is proof enough of your son’s nefarious intentions. How else would he have gotten his hands on one of my top men?”

“Not my fault you send your top men to spy,” Christian snaps in reply. “You can have him back at the end of the meeting, not the start. He’s our key to safety now, anyway.”

Calvin raises his eyes slightly to meet his cousin’s, his anger evident in them, and I remember again that Bonetti essentially signed his death warrant. I look between them, wondering where the hell Calvin’s loyalties lie. Not with Christian, surely, but back with the family member who was so ready to see him dead?

My stomach turns at the anxiety and I swallow hard, wondering if I’m going to throw up.

Bonetti shrugs as if Calvin’s return now or later couldn’t possibly matter to him and one of his men comes over to us, quickly frisking Christian, Frankie, and Nico. He pauses in front of me, clearly no sure what he should do.

“The girl as well,” Bonetti calls. The man sighs, sending me an apologetic look, and then briefly runs his hands over my body, checking for weapons. I don’t stop him, instead again meeting Lucy’s eyes. She glances anxiously at Tony but doesn’t give me any more than that.

I frown at this, kind of surprised. Lucy and I – we’re friends…shouldn’t she be giving me some sort of hint about where this is going? But maybe…maybe she’s just smarter than me, and knows it’s too dangerous to give any hint at all that we even know each other. I drop my eyes away from her and back to Christian as Bonetti’s man moves back to his side, confirming that we don’t have any weapons.

I refrain from glancing at Frankie, wondering if he’s got something quite literally up his sleeve as he always seems to. But how could he hide it from a frisking?

God, there’s so much I don’t know.

Words start to fly across the room between the three groups and I have to admit that I miss most of the details – I’m too anxious, trying to follow it all, trying to think through the thousand meanings and implications behind everyone’s words. But it’s too much – too fast – and I wasn’t born to this, wasn’t trained for it. Soon my head is spinning and I let my eyes flutter shut, forcing myself to take deep breaths.

Still, Romano’s voice booms out into the room, and this time he doesn’t prevaricate or mess with his words. “What it comes down to, son,” he says, low and slow, “is that you betrayed me. And I can’t have that.” Slowly, I open my eyes to see Romano grinning wickedly at Christian, almost like he’s happy about it.

“I did no such thing,” Christian says, his arms still folded, his shoulders set proudly back. “And I think it’s ridiculous that you’d believe your sworn enemy over me.” He casts a hand out towards Bonetti, who likewise grins. “Of course he’d make up this story to throw you off your plans! Of course he’d throw me under the bus when he even got a whiff of the idea that you were coming for his head!”

“And what,” Romano says, completely ignoring Christian’s well-spun lies, “of the fact that you had my youngest son swear an oath to you? And his fiancé?”

I go rigid when I hear this, my eyes immediately snapping to Lucy. But she’s looking down at her hands, which are folded neatly before her. I work very, very hard to control my expression, my features. But when I glance over at Bonetti and find his eyes immediately on me, victory on his face?

I know that I’ve failed.

“What are you talking about?” Christian asks, slow and angry. But he’s just buying time, because it’s very, very clear that Tony betrayed us. That he told Romano what happened at the beach house – about Christian wanting more, seeking to take Tony from him. I glance at Nico and inwardly curse him – curse him for ever bringing Tony to the house, for thinking he could handle it. And by the look of dread on Nico’s face, I think he feels the same way.

“No more games and lies, Christian,” Romano says, straightening up, smug. “It’s all done. You made your silly little move, tried to set yourself and your silly little wife on my throne. But it’s done. Now come and take your medicine – you are finished in this world. Kneel before me, give me your apology, and I’ll see if I’m feeling merciful.”

I’m shocked, completely shocked, as Christian takes a step forward. “You’re right, dad,” he says, glaring hard at his father, his voice full of rage. “I did make my play. But unfortunately for you, it’s not over.”

“On your knees, boy,” Romano growls, leaning forward towards his son, pointing down at the floor ahead of him. “If you don’t, I’ll have your head for it – and I’ll do whatever the fuck I want with your widow.”

I go rigid as Christian takes another step towards his father, my breath stopping in my chest. Because what – is he seriously going to do it? Christian, actually kneel before his father, and admit his wrongs? I mean, he’d save all of our lives at this point, but –

Christian takes another step and I see Tony’s eyes go wide. Lorenzo likewise goes rigid, turning his head to the side, staring at his brother – realizing that this is perhaps…perhaps not the easy win they expected to have today.

“Give it up, Cristian,” Bonetti snaps from across the room, but I see the anxiety in his eyes before I snap my attention back to Christian as he picks up his pace, storming towards his father.

My breath all comes back to me in a gasp as everyone seems to move at once – as I realize that this is not at all a meeting for talking – that this is –

My eyes flare wide as something drops from Christian’s sleeve and into his hand – a knife – no, a razor.

A cry breaks from my mouth as everyone moves at once – Christian closing the last few steps between himself and his father –

Lorenzo shouting, reaching for Christian’s arm.

Tony cowering back, grabbing Lucy, pushing her away –

Bonetti shouts in fear and horror, his men’s hands immediately going to their hips to pull their guns –

But they’re a millisecond too late, because even as they raise them Christian’s hand is already high in the air, the flash of the razor flaring as he whips it hard towards his father.

At the same moment, Frankie takes a simple step in front of me and then throws his weight backwards, crushing me against the wall even as he dips his hand into his suitcoat behind his neck – a place that was certainly not frisked – and pulls out a silver gun.

Frankie calmly begins to pull the trigger as Nico charges for the closest of Bonetti’s men.

As Christian’s razor falls fast, leaving a dark line of red across his father’s throat.