Page 67 of Family Secrets

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“You’re full of shit,” Sully tossed defiantly. “You’ve got nothing to pin me to your old man’s death.”

Gino shifted his eyes to Lisa, “Maybe not. But I bet Lisa does, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lisa huffed, wrapping her arm around Sully.

“And I bet you don’t know about the arrangement he made with Felicia. The one where he pins Jonathan’s death on you, leaving the two of them to live happily ever after.”

“That’s a lie.” Lisa cried.

“Is it?” Gino returned his brow cocked. “Ask him about the phone call she made to him the night she found me having dinner with Elizabeth, the one you tipped her off about.”

“He was going to choose you!” Sully roared, spit flying from his lips, his face nearly blue with rage. “After everything I went through, all the ass-kissing I did, he was going to choose you.”

As Sully raised his gun, the sound of shattering glass filled the room. Dozens of men filled the center of the room, guns raised.

“You were told to come alone.”

“No,” Gino argued, raising his gun to match Sully. “You said not to bring my goons. Elizabeth is a Vittorio, and a motherfucking untouchable, these,” Gino waved his hands around the room, “are her men.”

Twisting to the side, Gino slammed his body into the side of Elizabeth. “Hold on, babe,” he yelled as he began pulling the trigger in Sully’s direction. The momentum of his body pushed her chair on its side and skidded several feet. He’d worry about any injuries she suffered if they managed to survive this.

Elizabeth felt as if she was experiencing déjá vu. Her adrenaline pumped through her body, making everything appear to happen in slow motion. With her nose plugged, and the taste of gun powder in the air, she tried turning her head, but was trapped between the hard floor and Gino’s heavy body. Shell casings danced around her, as the popping sound of gunfire echoed off the walls. Closing her eyes, she began to pray.

“Hold your fire!”Niko shouted as he watched Sully’s body slump to the ground, a trail of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth and down his chin. Clearing the distance, keeping his gun ready, he approached Lisa’s lifeless body.

Kneeling beside her, Niko placed his fingers to her carotid, finding no pulse, he reached up and lowered her eyelids. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I warned you not to play with fire.”

Gino raised himself off Elizabeth’s body, her now dark hair littered with dust and debris. “Talk to me, Elizabeth. Where are you hurt?” Pulling a knife from his pocket, he sliced through the rope binding her hands and feet, before carefully palming her face between his hands.

“My head is killing me, and my nose…”

Gino laid his thumbs alongside her swollen nose. “It’s bruised as hell, but I don’t think it’s broken.”

Running his fingers through her dark tresses, he connects with something sharp, solving the mystery of why Sully’s car window was shattered.

“We’ll get you checked out, but I don’t see any cuts.” Sitting back on his heels, “You scared me, not many people can claim that. When I found you gone and read your note, my world shattered.”

“I’m sorry—"

“Gino,” Sully’s raspy voice interrupted Elizabeth's attempt at an apology.

The couple shared a look before Elizabeth silently nodded for him to go. Placing a kiss to the corner of her lips, “I love you.”

Standing to his full height, Gino stepped over Mario’s body, slightly pissed one of Vittorio men capped him before he got the chance.

“Brother,” Sully coughed. “Help me, brother.”

Gino stood before the man he’d believed was his brother, now no more than a stranger who’d committed a crime against his Family.

“Can’t do it, Sully.” Gino shook his head, the emotion in his chest surprising him. “You killed my father.”

“But you hated him, I did you a favor.”

“You’re right, I did hate him. But I don’t owe you any favors.”

Grabbing his chest, “Please, Gino, help me.”

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