Page 68 of Shield

“I thought you were here to get your reluctant bride a ring,” he says drily, without looking at me.

“I am, and I had hoped that you and I could reach an amicable agreement. But there is more than one way to achieve both of our purposes.”

Matti reaches inside his jacket and pulls a gun out of a holster. He holds it on his thigh, pointed at Mr. Marino under the stone table.

I suck in a sharp breath through my nose.

Mr. Marino lifts his gaze to the doorway as Tommy and Vin enter. Vin has his gun drawn and pointed at Mr. Marino, and Tommy is carrying two carry-on size roller suitcases.

“Mr. Marino, my apologies for interrupting your day like this,” Tommy says in his creamy, deep voice.

“Fuck you, Tommy,” Mr. Marino snarls. “I used to like you when you were a kid. I thought you were different from your family. When your mother passed, I was prepared to take youin, give you a different life, a better life. But now look at you. A disappointment to me and my daughter.”

“I’m sorry to hear you say that, sir,” Tommy says smoothly, but his shoulders stiffen. “But I’m going to need you to stand up and walk over to the vault for me, please.”

Vin moves behind Mr. Marino and presses the tip of the muzzle to the back of his head.

“Don’t kiss his ass, Tommy,” Vin growls. “It’s not like his hands aren’t dirty. He wouldn’t even be in this position if he hadn’t made a deal with Aurelio. You can’t be outraged when you lose all your shit to the monster you invited into your house.”

As they move past us and toward the vault, Matti stands and trains his gun on Mr. Marino as Vin steps back into the hallway, standing watch.

I rise and stand behind him, trying not to look as nervous as I feel.

“Everybody secure?” Matti asks Vin.

Vin nods and smirks. “Yep.”

Matti narrows his eyes at him. “Secure and well?”

Tommy sighs. “Vin felt it was prudent to immobilize them. But yes, they’re otherwise fine.”

Matti raises an eyebrow, and Vin grins. “They’re napping,” he says.

“There it is.” Matti shakes his head.

Tommy places a hand gently on Mr. Marino’s shoulder. “Sir, if you don’t mind, please enter the code and press your hand to the pad on the panel.”

“Fuck you,” Mr. Marino shakes off Tommy’s hand, but Tommy grabs his wrist and pulls his fingers back, pressing his hand to the sensor pad. The sensor pad blinks red thengreen, and the code pad lights up.

“Enter the code, please,” Tommy asks.

“You know you’re stealing from my daughter, too,” Mr. Marino shouts, angrily stabbing his finger into the code pad until the door unlocks and opens with a satisfying whoosh.

Tommy pushes him through the door to the vault inside. “Please enter the codes.”

Mr. Marino stiffens. “No.”

“Sir, if Giovanna’s long-term safety is your goal—“

Mr. Marino cuts Tommy off. “My daughter is only safe far away from you. I will not help you harm her.”

Tommy looks pained. I don’t know the full story, but I’m starting to realize that Tommy must have stopped Matti from harming Aurelio to help his girl in some way, and a wave of compassion washes over me for him.

For Vin, not so much.

Vin shoves past me and pulls his gun out of his back waistband then tosses it up, catching it by the muzzle. In one swift motion, he brings the handle down hard on the back of Mr. Marino’s head, and I bite back a shriek as the man crumples to the ground at my feet.

“That was unnecessary,” Matti says, pushing Mr. Marino out of the way with his foot.

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