Finally, I hear a sharp inhale and a smile plays at my lips.
Enjoy it, dick. It’ll be the last thing you ever fucking taste.
I blink fast, the cloud of smoke approaching. I twist out from behind the wall, catching him off-guard as I drive my elbow into his massive gut. I narrow my eyes in the darkness as he falls to the ground at my feet. Petey Longo, one of Salvatore’s trusted advisors.
I slap a hand over his mouth and press the barrel of my gun into his forehead. “Petey,” I mutter. “You really need to quit this shit. It’s gonna kill you.” I shrug, a smirk lifting my lips. His eyes widen as he tries to bite my hand. But it’ll take a hell of a lot more than a few nips for me to stop my manhunt.
Via screwed me over by sending me into a full house.
And I’m not leaving until all the guests are dead.
I lean down really close to Petey. His breaths are ragged, his chest heaving. My hand is still pressed firmly to his mouth, but he’s crying like a little bitch.
He knows.
That makes him very fucking smart at this moment.
“You remember my dad, Petey? Remember that he was the first one to give your sorry ass a job when you fucked up so badly that Salvatore was about to have you iced? How quickly you turned your back on him when Sally boy told you he wanted you back.” I shake my head. “Where was your loyalty, Petey? How can anyone really trust you anymore, knowing how fast you sold out my dad? For some pussy and a few extra bucks?”
Petey’s eyes pool with tears and he tries to tear my hand from his mouth. He kicks, he moans, he scratches.
I chuckle. “Don’t you realize how much pain I’ve already had to deal with? Do you really think anything else will ever come close?”
I bring my elbow down onto his chest. Hard. He sputters and my smile widens.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time, Petey. You know what else I’ve wanted to do?”
He shakes his head, still whimpering.
“This,” I whisper, dropping his head to the ground, my foot replacing my hand’s position against his mouth. I point the gun at his heart and fire off two muted shots, blood spurting from his chest. I remove my foot, take aim, and plug the bastard right between the eyes.
I let out a breath.
Death.
It feels good when you’re the one pulling the trigger.
Feels even better when you finally get your revenge.
I squint, edging closer to the still-open door. But there are no voices drifting into the hallway. Just soft whimpers.
I point the gun, following its lead into the room. A table lamp casts a dim glow on the scene that awaits me. There’s an unmade bed in the middle of the floor, sheets rumpled with a naked woman laying on top of them, her wrists bound with heavy rope. Her eye makeup is streaked, her lipstick smeared. She writhes around, her eyes glassy and unfocused.
She’s completely strung-out, and that asshole Petey must have just fucked her, a fact confirmed when my eyes hit the empty condom wrappers scattered on the floor.
My gut twists. Is this the kind of party Salvatore is hosting tonight?
And Via?
She knew. She fucking knew!
Carrying out my objective tonight has just become a little more challenging.
The woman looks at me but doesn’t see me, which is good because I need to keep her quiet right now. Whatever Petey gave her has her on a different planet right now. I pull the door closed and scrub a hand down the front of my face.
I’ve been hunting for these guys for too fucking long. And this is the end of the line.
Salvatore has to be here. I need to find him and kill him. Then I can leave and finally get back to my life, knowing that this vendetta I’ve been clinging to can finally be buried.
Along with all of the bastards who thought they’d actually win against the Marcone family.
That’s always been the plan. If I happen to take out any of his guys at the same time, that’s just more cannoli cream shoveled into the horn.
Chapter Two
Serena
I let out a deep breath, resting my head in my hand. I take a long look around the massive dining room. So gaudy. So unnecessary. I mean, why are we paying hundreds of dollars a plate tonight? Why the hell are we paying anything to be here tonight, all decked out in designer gowns with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry hanging from our necks, wrists, and ears?
How the hell is this helping anyone who needs it?
Seems to me that these charity events are for the benefit of the organizers and the attendees, to get them all in front of the cameras, rubbing elbows with each other, the rich and famous elite of Europe.
And when you peel away the money it costs to host these shindigs, how much actually gets to the charities themselves?
“This is such a bunch of bullshit,” I mutter to my mother as she sinks into a chair next to me. “Why are we even here, Mama?”
“You know why, Serena,” she says, waving a hand around. “We have to be here to support your father.”
“He’s not exactly the kind of guy who needs support, you know.” I lift an eyebrow. “Everyone in this room is terrified of him. He doesn’t really need an entourage to prove anything to anyone.”
“Mi amore, what’s wrong? Something’s bothering you. Tell me, maybe I can help.”
I let out a deep sigh. “I’m just tired of parading around at these things. Nobody takes me seriously. I have a college degree, Mama. But does anyone care? No. They only care about my clothes, my hair, my vacations, and my shoes. They see the glitz and the glamour and they think that’s what defines me.” I raise my head and look at my mother. “But it’s not. And I’m tired of playing the part of the princess. I want more. I need more!”
“You’ve always had such a streak of independence.” Mama smiles, rubbing her hand on my bare arm. “And I admire that, Serena. But right now, it’s important for you to stay in your place. There are a lot of things happening right now between the families that are cause for concern. Your father needs us by his side not only for support, but also so that we can be protected.”
“Protected from what? Who would ever try—?”
“Plenty of people would,” she says in a quiet voice. “Plenty of people have tried, too. But your father makes sure we’re safe at all times, even at events like this. You can’t see that protection, but you have to trust that it’s there.”
“I don’t want to be known as the princess anymore, Mama,” I say. “I want a purpose. I’m not just Franco Vitale’s daughter. I’m my own person, and I don’t want my life to be dictated by his actions.”
“You have to be patient, Serena. There will come a time when you will be able to spread your wings, but now is not the time. There is so much you don’t know, so much you need to learn.”
“I know plenty, Mama. I’m not stupid.” I wave my hand around the room. “All of these other daughters. They’re so vapid. They don’t care about anything except Gucci, Fendi, and Versace. But that’s not me. I have always played my part, but I’m ready for more. Please tell me you understand.” I sweep a hand through my long hair. “I want to go to Milan. I want to use my degree! I don’t want to live under this microscope anymore.”