Page 120 of Flawed

And this has to end. The decades of living a double life need to stop. I'm at a breaking point. So I have to kill Jacopo, and now Biagio is also on my list.

Tristano's secret affair with Pina shocked the Marinos. I'm unsure if he or I am closer to the edge of insanity. But right now, he's a loose cannon. When I informed him she's been drugged by Biagio so he could keep her in an induced state of amnesia, it only increased his rage. That was before I told him Biagio was forcing her to marry him.

The engagement party is tonight. We're on our way to raid the restaurant, but the heated discussion we had in Angelo's office worries me. I've taken all precautions to set things up so nothing goes wrong, but Tristano's so angry he can't see straight. And Tully's interference that he's having the police raid the dinner party doesn't help matters.

I don't typically approve of getting the cops involved. In this instance, it'll be a good decoy. However, it'll make it more difficult for me to take Jacopo and Biagio out.

When we're almost there, Tristano asks, "How did you get access to the kitchen anyway?"

I grunt. "I know people. You have to understand, Tristano. I've been in this game a long time."

He snorts. "Yeah, you are an old motherfucker."

I chuckle, happy to relieve some tension. I point out, "Not too much older than you, so careful who you call old. Anyway, I've got my guys in the kitchen. There are two cooks, one dishwasher, and two waiters. They'll back us up."

"What about the other staff?" he questions.

I lock eyes with him. "Hopefully, they'll get out of the way when it goes down."

He stays quiet.

I add, "The hostess is on our payroll, too. She'll let the police through with no issues. I already texted her."

"So your guys are carrying?" he inquires.

"Of course."

"Hostess, too?"

"She knows how to handle herself."

Silence fills the SUV.

I break it, adding, "It's best if we don't blow their cover."

"If we blow their cover, we blow their cover," he replies.

I groan, and my eye twitches. It's something that's been happening more and more lately. I assume it's from stress or exhaustion, but there's no way to stop it. I grumble, "Yeah, well, I have other shit I have to do with these guys where the Abruzzos are concerned. And normal business needs to go on after we rescue Pina."

He scowls.

I order, "We're staying in the kitchen, Tristano. They can't see you or me. I'm already skating thin on their trust level right now."

"What does that mean?"

"We'll discuss it another time. Let's focus on this situation," I answer, not wanting to get into the bad feelings I've had lately whenever I'm around Jacopo.

Tristano opens and closes his fist a few times then snarls, "There's no way that thug will come in the kitchen. We need to shoot any Abruzzo we can. They all should die anyway."

"Stop! You know that's not the answer. Use your head. Do you want Pina to get hurt?" I seethe.

He scrubs his hands over his face, admitting, "Of course I don't. I just want my girl back."

I cock my Glock and affirm, "Yeah, and that's what we're gonna do. But you follow my lead."

The SUV pulls into the back alley of the restaurant. He reaches for the door handle, but I grab his hand, ordering, "Wait."

He better not fuck this up.

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