Page 100 of Tristano

Asharp whistle pierces the air, rattling off the metal walls of the empty building. Everyone quiets as some of the most dangerous men in the city stand for all to see.

Tristano impresses me more and more each day. After he helped me redress, he led me to the main room where Greer, Killian, and Enzo were preparing for what was to come. Lucian, someone from their Italian family, had arrived to provide added support, but even with him, they needed Tris. Each one assigned to watch a family as they search.

I thought this would mean Tris would urge me to stay with him, but he didn’t. Instead, he pulled me into his arms, kissing me senseless before smacking my ass and telling me to be safe.

I’ve gotten so used to being told what I could and couldn’t do that for a moment, I just stared at him as he moved back to his desk and got to work. I couldn’t comprehend that he was not only letting me go, but he didn’t say one thing about me not being able to do it.

Is this what a healthy relationship with someone looks like?

It only shows me how toxic my uncle was for me. He was supposed to be my biggest supporter, but he only weighed me down. He stifled me when he should have been encouraging me to grow.

I think him firing me is the best thing that ever happened to me.

“Keep your eyes open,” Matteo murmurs into the comms, drawing my attention back to the task at hand.

“What should I be looking for?” I ask as I scan the crowd.

“Anything that could be considered a threat to either Bash or Killian.”

“Ten-four,” I tell him as I start walking around the outskirts of the room.

Before we could go out and search, we had to get everyone together in one place to ensure everyone was on the same page. Today there are no territory disputes. No bad blood.

We come together for a common mission. Save the innocent women of our city.

Bastiano stands tall above everyone, giving out the orders while Killian and some other Mafia leaders stand next to him. There’s a clear divide down here in the crowd. Despite the closeness between Bash and Killian, their families stand separately, and the same goes with the other families. I’m sure if I was looking down on them, it would look like large clusters of people all in one room. Or like a clique at a high school dance. I snort at the idea.

What would they think if that’s what you told them they looked like?

“We are going to have men hit the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island freight train stations. I want every rail car inspected. If you find anyone, call it in. Men and women, it doesn’t matter. While part of you are doing that, I want the rest of you hitting the streets, warning people not to travel alone. Your bosses and I are in agreement that this is top priority, and you all need to take it seriously.” He looks toward the other bosses. “Do any of you have anything to add?”

Killian steps forward. “My men, you know what to do. Make me proud.”

Rothestein steps forward and says something in Yiddish, making his men nod.

“Break into your families to get further instructions,” Bash says before stepping back.

The crowd starts to rumble, and there’s a certain tension in the air that I can’t quite place.

“Serena, come meet us over in the northwest corner,” Matteo says over the comms.

“On my way.”

I weave around the men who don’t pay much attention to me.

“Serena, thank you for joining us today.” Bash nods when he sees me.

“Anything I can do to help. This is personal for me.”

“I can understand that,” he tells me.

“Serena,” Killian says as he joins us. “Who will you be joining today?”

“Wherever I’m needed.” I shrug.

Bash turns and looks at Killian. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“The way I look at it, she’s been claimed by one of yours who works with mine.” Killian raises a brow and turns to me. “She’s already gone out with me once. She did good. She might have been a cop at one point, but that only adds to her skill set.”

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