Page 22 of Sinner's Vows

Me:I’ve asked someone on my team to arrange some DNA tests for us. They should deliver them in the morning. Results take two days.

Matteo:That’s a start. I’ll come with you to see what she says.

I get it. Ariana Morelli will have to talk. She parachuted into anIl Consigliowar zone what with Stephano beating Franco to death and us taking down two of his henchmen. Now, we need to manage the situation. With Randazzo’s seal tattooed on her lower belly, Matteo will have questions.

Another message pops up before I can respond.

Matteo:By the way, two men were apprehended this morning at Steph’s gym. They were asking after him, or his lookalike for that matter. They weren’t playing nice.

What the fuck?

Me:Who?

Matteo:Sounds like more of the Ukrainians Franco hired. Bait and switch works every time, but this was too close a call.

Shit. Some new crime ring was poking around in our salad while we took out Franco Fiore. This is more than smoke—this is a full-on wildfire shaping to blaze out of control.

Me:Where are they now?

Matteo:They’re at your place, Nicky. A gift from me to you.

I drop my head back with a grunt. Fuck it. This day can be done already. I don’t want to deal with this right now. Vincenzo Trapani is still hanging by a thin thread in that special room next to Matteo’s apartment, so I get why he sent these new ones my way. There will be five bodies to deal with once we’re done on that side: Vincenzo plus the four Ukrainians we picked up en route with this Gigi Trapani fuckup. Now, there’re two more at the old Don’s house.

It all started when Matteo went and took out Randazzo.

Fuck my life. There I thought we were cooling things down. Taking a calmer approach to this whole Mafia business.

I drag in a slow breath and type back a closing message:It’s not my fucking place, Matty. I’ll see you in the morning.

When we arrive at the Don’s compound half an hour later, I spot Bruno waiting for me as usual. All I want to do is sink my fingers into his thick fur and find some equilibrium in my mind and body. Instead, I give him a quick rub and make my way down to the basement of the house with Gus in tow. I acknowledge the other guards as we head deeper into the dungeon. Gus doesn’t speak much, and that suits me just fine.

The place is a maze, mostly because the house’s square footage is so massive and the Don liked his prisoners confused with the several twists and turns. Before the cells come into view, I open a linen cupboard and pull out medical masks and sterile gloves from a container and hand Gus some, too.

They weren’t playing nice.

I know what that means. Our side wasn’t playing nice either. No wonder Matteo is still up. He’s had a rough start to his career as Don, and now, we have wannabe Bratva trespassing on our territory. The least I can do is prove to my brother that I’m his right hand and he can rely on me.

Masked and gloved, we walk into the dimly lit space where cages separate and hold our subjects. Two men are tied to shackles hanging from the beams overhead. They’re still clothed, but they’re pretty banged up. Swollen eyes, dried blood trails down their chins, heads bobbing as they realize someone’s arrived. Gagged.

Good. By the look of them, they’ll last another day or two. I don’t need to take care of this now. I’m not in the fucking mood.

“I’ll deal with this tomorrow. Keep them alive, will you?” I tell Gus.

“Yes, boss,” he says with a nod.

My command will find its way down the chain.

As I retrace my steps and ascend the stairs to the main house, I roll my shoulders and stretch my fingers and curl them into fists, an age-old method I use to release tension. All my fingers obey the movement, except my left hand pinkie.

Let’s get one thing straight: I’veneverbeen in the fucking mood for any of this shit.

12

DOMINIC

First thing the next morning, I arrive at the clinic with the DNA tests and my head in a better place—for now.

It is a late summer’s day, the crisp promise of fall a soft whisper in the cold dew sparkling on the shrubs lining the street. On a day like this, it’s hard to imagine yesterday was such a clusterfuck and I need to deal with that shit later.

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