Page 79 of Poison Vows

Nothing to be concerned with.

Angel: Seriously?

I stare at the texts as waves of agony start swelling up in my chest like never before.

Angel: Are you in danger?

Angel…

Angel: Jesus, Emmett, just tell me!

I’ll come for you, baby.

Just… wait for me.

CHAPTER 13

Emmett

Tuckingmy phone back in my pocket, I follow after Grandfather.

The old man is waiting for me when I arrive. Along with Emilio, Giovanni, and Angelo, the old man’s idiotic and yet overly ambitious sons and the main culprits in my mother’s disappearance.

They all look at me with a glint and I realize then… I was right.

They’re going to fire their cannon today… Good. My gamble paid off.

“You’re here too,” Giovanni says, with a mocking smile. “I thought you’d be too busy with your work, hiding in that town you lost.”

I smile, making sure to hold this snake’s gaze. I want him to know and see me as I move to crush his head.

“Uncle, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. I was so excited that when I heard you were coming, I quickly rushed over.”

Giovanni’s glare could kill, but the tenseness of his body tells me everything I need to know.

He’s still wary of me… as he has been since I was ten years old and his failed attempts to unalive Angel thereafter.

“How have you been?” I ask politely.

“Alessio, I’m touched that you care about me. I’m stronger than ever,” he answers with a strained smile. “How about you? Everything okay?”

“I’m not sure,” I state, to which Giovanni’s gaze widens with shock for a split second. “I’m waiting on something to happen, Uncle. I wonder if you’ll humor me today. It’s been a long time coming, don’t you think?”

And just like that, the bomb goes off.

To be clear, we’ve been at war for years.

This snake has played all sorts of tricks, shedding his skin to camouflage his involvement in my mother’s disappearance, the hits on Angel, and the preschool-level sabotaging tactics he’s been firing my way.

He hides behind his weak brothers, using them to move his pieces… and I’ve clocked and destroyed him each time.

And now, the bait has been set… by his own puppet.

“Padre, we’re all here,” Emilio says eagerly, glancing at me with ill-concealed excitement in his eyes.

As as much as Giovanni is sly, his older brother, however, is as transparent as a cheap glass.

“Father, you called an emergency meeting, is everything all right?” Angelo asks, ever the Boy Scout.

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