Page 44 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

Matteo Villani is feared. Yes. But Declan thinks I want what he has.

Respect.

I should fucking kill him now and be done with it.

I won’t. That’s the reckless, wild Matteo talking. Instead, I let him think that, just like I’ve set it up.

“Tell you what, Declan, I’ll do you a favor, buy some time.” I raise my voice a little. “Roman.”

My brother comes in, face expressionless, and I say to him in Italian, “The Marco Cruz situation we’ve been sitting on? It’s time to move. We’re going a different route. Pulling the trigger, but a different gun.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Have Luis A. taken out, now. Pin it on Marco and make sure it sticks.”

“You want what?”

“Do it. There are instructions with Gio. Call him now. Report back to me.”

“Will do.”

Declan’s trying to follow, but our Italian is too fast, and it’s clear he doesn’t understand a word. I nod, and my brother leaves. I settle my gaze back on the old man.

Declan doesn’t realize that the “Marco Cruz situation” is me killing two birds with one bullet. He needs me to give him a show of faith, proof that I can deliver the protection I claim I can. He needs to be convinced that I’m the guy who can save his family. Besides, Luis A. has been a thorn in my side and deserves the end he’s about to get. Marco “killing” Luis A., one of Dominguez’s soldiers, will take the heat off Conor for a little while. Not forever, but long enough for me to put the rest of my plan in place.

Win, win.

“In ten minutes, you’ll get an alert. I’ll wait.” I tap my fingers against the arm of the chair.

He wants to argue, I can see that, but he doesn’t. The anger grows, and it’s a beautiful thing because it’ll cloud his mind.

The phone on his desk pings in seven minutes and shock hits his face. “What the fuck, Matteo? You took out Luis A.?”

I smile slowly. “A wedding gift. He’s a small player in Dominguez’s cartel, one who’s been causing issues with other families. He was on my hit list, a fix for the Rodriguez family, only they hadn’t agreed to my price yet. Now they won’t have to. I just bought you some time by killing Luis. Now Dominguez will have his sights set on the Rodriguez family in Jersey. Another problem I’ve solved for all of you.”

His mind is working overtime and his eyes widen. “That prick Marco Cruz? He’s been gouging us for fucking years, but his family is big.”

“Marco runs guns on his own. Along with some girls who have his family turning their back on him where it matters. But no one has done anything to fix this issue. Others fear retribution. I, on the other hand, do not. I have secrets on and favors owed by the Cruz clan, they won’t touch me. Dominguez will take care of Marco now that he’s acted against him. My hands will be clean and the guns and cash will flow.”

Declan grabs a bottle of whiskey on his desk, along with two glasses, and pours two healthy fingers into each with unsteady hands. “You orchestrated all that? Right then?”

It took longer than that, but he won’t know that. “Why do you think I’m in demand? I get things done.”

“That was a thing of beauty…”

I pin him with a look. “I’ve bought some time, Mulligan. Given you a wedding present. We move the wedding up. Because the reality is if Dominguez knew it was your fucking son who killed his second, then Patrick and Heaven would be dead. I’ll make sure that won’t happen.”

“Heaven—”

“Will do what you say. Won’t she?”

For a moment he looks like he’s going to argue, but then he nods. “Yes.”

“Good. A man needs a wife, and you need protection. It’s perfect.”

I’d say all this is playing perfectly into my hands as if I’d organized it myself. Except, of course, I have. All it took to set this plan on its perfect path was Conor fucking up.

“She won’t like it,” he says, pushing one glass to me and draining the other. “And she’s headstrong.”

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