Page 107 of Sinner's Vows

“Exactly. All the good people gone in one operation that goes disastrously wrong.”

She studies me, the color draining from her face. “Impossible. No. I won’t believe it.”

I take in a deep breath as memories of Alex’s death wash over me. Nobody would believe my conspiracy theory either.

“Get used to the idea, sweetheart. There’ll be ways to prove it.” I pull my laptop closer. “Tell me your team member’s names? Any information to identify them on the DIA’s internal records? We have time, but not a lot. Benedict and Luca can help us dig to see where they’re at.”

“I can try to log in on the DIA internal website?—”

“No. You’re presumed dead. Whoever is watching, waiting for you to reappear as there’s been no body, would be notified if you log on. We’re going to keep you dead, sweetheart, because right now, dead is safe.” And I’d do anything to keep her safe. I log back into my laptop, knowing we’re on borrowed time.“Benedict and Luca can hack their way into the system, or would know who can, not leaving a trace.”

My mind is racing, because if she was part of a covert undercover plot to end her, which doesn’t seem far-fetched from where I’m sitting, just getting off this plane could endanger her.

“Pietro Garlini. He is ourdirettore operativo, leading the operation. Then I have three men on my team. Lorenzo Ricci, Manolo Diconti, and Alesso Romano, but I can give you their agent numbers, as well.”

“Okay, give me a second.”

When I’m ready, she gives me the names again, with the numbers of her brothers in arms which they all memorize as part of some strategic plan. I send off an urgent email to Benedict and follow it up with a message on my phone. I wait for it to deliver and watch as it confirms he’s read it. Trust Benedict to be up at any goddamn hour, and thank God he is. When he shoots me a reply that he’s on it, I sigh in relief.

“This should be quick,” I say, placing my phone back on the table. “And good to know because wasn’t your goal to join your team again, should you manage to escape Franco, and then escape Boston?”

Ariana is starting to show me what she’s made of, and the respect I had for her has multiplied exponentially. She’s been brutally hurt, but that didn’t stop her for going for Randazzo in her own way to avenge her mom. To avenge Elena. She plays a long game.

“Yes. The only thing that kept me from going insane in that dungeon was the fact there’s always work to do. My team waits for me. Just because Randazzo’s dead doesn’t mean the trafficking stops.”

“No, it doesn’t. Let’s see how many of your team are still standing.” I’m not sure how she’ll cope with the betrayal if they’re all dead.

She rolls her eyes at me, and I want to lean over the table, take hold of that perfect chin, reprimand her for it, because how dare she roll her eyes at me. It makes my fucking dick twitch, and now is not the time, because after reprimanding her, I want to kiss her. Hard.

The air hostess walks over to us, and I curse under my breath. Now is definitely not the time.

“Sir, we are landing in twenty minutes.”

“Good, thank you.” I stand. “Come, let’s go strap in.”

It’s quiet between us as we prepare for landing, lost in our own thoughts. If her team is wiped out, it will prove I’m right and the police, the DIA, is in bed with organized crime, with Franco. I bet they have no clue where he’s at, and they’re all in a fucking tizzy.

One thing that eats at me is the passport Franco used to get her out of Italy and into the States. Without a doubt, it’s fake, but if it’s linked to her personal file in any way, using it now to enter Italy could alert whoever is waiting for Ariana Morelli’s body to float up. Shit. We’re going to have to disguise ourselves however possible before we walk off this plane.

“Best you give me your home address,” I say, using the last minutes before landing to get instructions out to my team on the ground. “It could be that your apartment is under surveillance.”

“Really? You think?”

“I’m certain.”

She gives me an address in Rome, and I save it on my maps, then send the coordinates to my team lead to park someone in the vicinity and keep an eye on the traffic going to her place.

Ariana Morelli is only presumed dead. Until there’s a body, death isn’t certain. If her team has been eliminated, and Franco’s job was to end her and he failed, she’s a rogue unit. A threat to whoever is in bed with Franco. She’ll be hunted for the rest of her life.

All she’d have left in the world is us.Il Consiglio.Her new family.

And me. I’m one of the few people who has the resources and skill set to protect her against police corruption. I’m the one man who stands between Matteo and the destiny he’ll decide for her as Don.

Fuck if I let Matteo pawn her off to anybody else.

Tasha and Gigi are already part of the clan, and I might have been fighting this with every fiber in my being, but I’m the one man who can really protect her. I don’t know when this has happened, or how, but you touch this sweet woman, you’re fucking dead.

I might still have to convince her, but she’s mine.Until death do us part.

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