Page 101 of Savage Enemy

Damn good question. I had to think about this.

I couldn’t leave for Chicago until after I dealt with the Commission, but maybe they’d help. They wanted me on the board. Edgardo had made that perfectly clear when he’d threatened to kill me for marrying Benedetta if I didn’t join.

And now, I had control of Benedetta’s men, and he would want my allegiance to the Commission.

They had it, as far as I was concerned. I could never allow Val to be taken from me again.

It wouldn’t change my plans to eventually kill Edgardo in my family’s name, but he didn’t need to know that.

My living family took precedence over the dead.

Every single time.

In this case, maybe I could get the Commission on my side. Get them to sanction my trip to Chicago. It would be a hell of a power grab and more reckless than I was usually willing to be. If it went sideways, I would never have their support again.

But if I could get additional men, if I could get into Moscatelli’s house and outnumber his men, that would get Val out safely. I could marry her in a church the second we hit the ground in New York. She would then be untouchable.

It would cost me my soul, but I could live with that.

“Nothing changes Tony,” I said. “Get all Vignali and Capaldo lieutenants here for the noon meeting. I want food brought in for everyone. Make sure my son eats something. If he wants to, he can join us.”

“But the Commission?—”

“The Commission requested my attendance at five. As far as I’m concerned, what they need has no bearing on our ability to plan this mission. We’ll have every detail locked down before I leave to speak with them. We’ll reconvene afterward and deal with whatever bullshit they send our way after we get Val back.”

“And if I can’t get all the lieutenants here?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to ward off the pain settling between my temples.

“Why wouldn’t you be able to?”

“Some from the Malta side are saying they should go to their cousin instead of locking themselves in with the Capaldo side.”

“Fuck that. Tell them if they decide not to throw in, I’ll consider it a forfeiture of their position. They get branded as rats, and I hunt them down as rats.”

Had I not been in such a precarious situation, I might’ve handled it differently. But the situation called for action, and I couldn’t let anybody sit this one out.

“Yeah, boss. I’ll get it done.”

Tony headed for the ops room, and I made my way to my bedroom. I paused in the doorway.

Val’s perfume still lingered in the air. Her robe lay in a heap on the bed, her personal things still scattered beside the bathroom sink. Her entire essence filled the room.

My body ached, and my eyes burned, yet I wouldn’t sleep. Not until she lay beside me where she belonged.

I couldn’t go on a mission exhausted. Nor could I deal with the Commission when exhaustion weighed down my limbs.

Sighing, I entered the bathroom for a shower. Maybe the water would refresh my brain, so I could get to work.

It didn’t.

I’d barely wrapped the towel around my waist before I collapsed on Val’s side of the bed. Holding her pillow to my chest, I buried my nose in the silk case and breathed in, smelling her—wishing she was back in my arms.

4:15 P.M.

Knocking on my bedroom door startled me awake. I glanced at my bedside clock. Goddamn it. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep.

How had I slept so long?

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