Page 18 of Forever

He smiled. “Matthew Caldwell. Your family has snubbed mine for years. Do you think you’re better than me?”

I’m not a mobster, if that’s what you mean.I wiped the blood off my mouth with the back of my hand. “I’m just here for my girl. Let her go and you’ll never hear from me again.”

“Ah yes. Brooklyn Pruitt.” He walked over to Brooklyn on the floor, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and pulled her to her feet.

She didn’t scream. But I saw the tears biting the corners of her eyes.

I swear to God.I took one step toward him, but he turned the gun to the side of Brooklyn’s head.

No.

“Take care of Jacob,” she mouthed silently at me. “Promise.”

I couldn’t lose her again.

“Please,” she mouthed again. She didn’t look scared.

But I was terrified. I couldn’t live without her. Not again.

Tears started streaming down her cheeks now. “Matt. Promise me.”

I nodded. Of course I’d take care of her son. But I couldn’t lose her. I’d only just gotten her back.Baby.

Locatelli gripped her hair tighter, pulling her head back so I couldn’t see her eyes anymore.

For years I couldn’t remember the hue of her eyes. I didn’t want to forget again.

King pushed himself off the ground. “I really think we should talk about this,” he said.

“Well, this has been fun,” Locatelli said. “But it’s time to take care of the trash.”

I grit my teeth. Isabella had said something like that to Brooklyn once. When she’d found out that Brooklyn’s uncle was the janitor. And no one was allowed to talk to Brooklyn like that ever again.

“Let her go,” I said as evenly as possible. “If you think it’s been bad being snubbed by my family, just wait until we reign hell on you.”

“Your family won’t lift a finger unless they want to be next. The city is mine now. As soon as I end the Pruitt line.”

What the fuck was he talking about?

“Luigi,” Magnus said and lifted his hands to his sides in peace. “We really should talk about this. Teaming up with Patricia Cannavaro is a mistake. You can’t trust her.”

Patricia Cannavaro?Was he talking about Mrs. Pruitt?Mother fucker.I should have known she was behind this somehow.

“Did someone order room service?” said someone from behind us.

I turned around to see a very bewildered guy in an actual server’s uniform holding a tray of food.

Tanner pulled off the cloche to reveal a steak dinner. “Ah. Perfect. Just what I was looking for.” He lifted up the steak knife, spun it around, and threw the knife. It sunk into Locatelli’s forearm.

He screamed and dropped his gun.

A shot fired off, the bullet landing in the drywall.

“Fuck!” Locatelli yelled and released his grip on Brooklyn’s hair so he could pull out the knife.

Brooklyn fell to the ground. “Matt!” she yelled as she somehow managed to kick the gun toward me with her bound ankles.

I grabbed it off the ground and held it in front of me.

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