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I look down at myself. “Guess I’ve found my go-to outfit on these lonely, lonely nights.”

“
Amelia
,” he groans, and I hear him get louder as I waltz away from the open door.

“I have no time to stand around and talk. We have work,” I say as I enter my closet and decide to go for the plum wraparound dress Zane always used to love. I pull it over my body and feel the material fall over me. Immediately, I feel like I’ve chosen right. I grab a pair of Louboutins then head to my jewelery stand. I take over a long gold-chained necklace and find my favorite rings and earrings to match. As I leave the room, I’m putting my earrings in and find Zane sitting at my vanity table.

“God, woman, what you do to me,” he comments his eyes roaming up and down my small frame.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” I announce and watch as his face lights up with hope. “Except in my panties.” I watch the grin on his face drop and my smile widens. “Now c’mon, Maverick, you’ve got an initiation to start.”

I leave him as I grab the purse I used on the flight home and head out of the room. I walk down the hallway, my steps followed by Zane’s heavier footed ones. I love the feeling of him behind me. It makes me stand taller, makes me want to walk fiercer, and makes me feel like I’m in command. As I reach the stairs, I begin to walk down, my heels alerting Carlo that I’m ready to go.

“Car’s just pulled up so good timing. I’ll brief in the car,” Carlo comments as he sees Zane and me heading down the stairs. He’s dressed in a navy blue suit with a black leather pouch under his arm; the same one my father always
uses when there’s an exchange with cash involved. “Should I be concerning myself with your joint arrival?”

“Nothing happened,” I say and head straight for the open front door. I see the car waiting, our driver and guard by the back door ready for me.

“Something happened,” Carlo comments and I can just imagine the facial expression he’s giving Zane.

“Seriously, she cock blocked me,” Zane moans as he leaves the house. “I didn’t even get something to welcome me to the family.”

As Carlo begins to laugh, I look around as I reach the open back door. “Don’t encourage him!” I look at Zane and say, “Behave.”

I climb into the car, finding that Zane follows suit while Carlo rushes around to get into the front passenger seat.

“You nervous?” I ask as I sit in the back of the car.

“Terrified,” he jokes, adding on a little laughter. “This is what every mission is like, isn’t it?”

I look away and nod. I worry what he must be thinking. After all, he was aware of the death toll I had caused; he knew how many men I killed with intent. I ponder if he thinks every kill or mission is this informal. Not every time we leave the house is with a driver, security details, and a look of
Mission Impossible
. Most of my kills were men who wined and dined me prior to their demise.

He reaches for my hand, and I can’t help but pull away.

“You get used to it,” I comment meekly. I shift uncomfortably in my seat and feel like I’m being watched like a hawk. When I look out of the corner of my eye, I catch Zane watching me with a small smile curled on his lips. “What?” I ask, keeping my vision forward.

“Nothing,” he whispers sweetly. “You’re just adorable.”

“Nice try,” I remark, laughing lightly. “I told you what flattery will get you.” I smirk harder as I look away from him. “So quit while you’re ahead.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he comments and smirks. “Because I am going to keep trying.”

Silence overcomes us after that as we just wait to reach Carmello’s house. I gaze out of the window, staring at the normal life going on around us. I sometimes find myself incredibly jealous of those who get to go out for a walk through Madison Square Park or can take their dogs for a walk. I envy those couples who go out and hold one another’s hands and friends who grab coffee. I’ve been sheltered from living that sort of life; I can only dream of what that sort of endless freedom would be like.

“You ready, Lia?” Carlo calls out from over his shoulder, using the middle mirror to look over at me. I nod, and he gives me a wink. “What about you, Maverick? Scared yet?”

“Terrified,” he quips at my brother and tries to hide his nerves with a chuckle. “But hey, this is smooth running, right?”

“This is our father going easy on you,” Carlo quips as our driver takes a right and waits on a driveway before large iron gates. “Here we go!” he exclaims, almost too excitedly. For the one who plays the part in our family, he does get into the game easiest. As we pull to halt, Carlo gets out, and Zane and I follow. “We shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes tops. Any longer you come in, got it?”

I see Matty nod and shut his door and lean against it. He’ll stay there clock watching until he’s needed, if he is. I know he’ll watch us like a hawk until we’re in the house, and even then, he’ll watch vigilantly until we’re back.

All three of us walk up and Carlo gestures for Zane to take the lead. He does so and I could almost believe Zane has done this before. I wonder if he’s handling this like an arrest or raid as he would when he was a cop. His demeanor comes from being the levelheaded cop. He doesn’t even show his nervousness when he uses a steady hand to ring to let Carmello know we’re here.

I straighten my dress as we wait, flounce my hair about and stand as tall and ready as I possibly can, all while trying to exude some of the calmness the two men before me have executed. I’m not even nervous for myself, only terrified for Zane. As the door opens, I feel a ball of dread roll into my stomach, but I have no time to voice my concern in confidence.

“We’ve been expecting you,” a huge, muscle bound black guy in black announces. He looks menacing, with a face full of anger and a readiness to usher us inside with haste. “Get in now.”

“No way to speak to a business associate,” Zane comments and enters.

I hesitate for a moment unable to comprehend that Zane just took command.

“Gonna come in, gorgeous, or stay on the door step?” the thug asks me, and I follow inside. “What I wouldn’t mind doing to you.”

“Whatever you have in mind, stud, trust me when I say my payback would be worse,” I comment, not even bothering to give him eye contact. “I’m bad for your health.”

“I’m sure you are,” he quips and bypasses me to stand before Zane and Carlo. “Carmello is out back seeing to renovations. He told me to bring you through when you arrived.”

I follow through the house and the dread in me doesn’t disperse. We walk into a large room that seems to be in the middle of mass renovations and, instantly, I feel that ball of dread begin to grow in my stomach. Something isn’t right. But I have no time to voice my worry or grab onto Carlo. As soon as we’re in, I can feel an uncomfortable weight position behind me, and before I have time to inspect, hands wrap around the top of my arms and paralyzes me. Before I can call out, his arm moves across my chest, and I feel the cold, sharp edge of a blade press against my neck.

“Boss, I’ve got her,” the thug who let us in speaks gruffly from behind me.

“No,” I struggle to say, the blade pressing in harder than ever.

My whispered response has Zane and Carlo looking quickly.

“Fuck,” Carlo swears as he turns to see me captive. “This isn’t the deal!”

“We’re here to swap money for diamonds,” Zane states. There’s alarm in his eyes, but the training he had to become an officer is clearly sparking to life. He has the ability to negotiate and he’s going to be using it to his advantage. “Now, let her go.”

“Well, you see,” Carmello pipes up, stepping out of the shadows. He’s a large man with an unhealthy glow to him and a back comb hairstyle. He’s tanned, overweight and reeks of power. “We can’t do that. Salvatore owes me more than just a pitiful swap job. I thought his beloved Amelia was pretty good collateral damage.”

“She isn’t anyone’s collateral,” Zane comments, and I notice that although he’s getting hostile, Carlo leaves him to play this part. “We have your money.” He turns and Carlo throws the pouch of money to him. “This, for the diamonds. That was the deal Salvatore said. Amelia is no form of payment.”

“Like my good pal Sal, I like to change things up,” Carmello comments casually, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a small pouch that I can only assume is the diamonds. “Like him letting you take this job.” Carmello laughs when he sees Zane’s eyebrows furrow. “I know all about you,” Carmello acknowledges who Zane is. “The wannabe for Don Abbiati.”

Zane scoffs, “You know nothing about me.”

“No, no, I do,” Carmello comments, moving closer to Zane. “That pretty little thing over there was set to kill you. That didn’t happen too easy so Big Al stepped in to help the Dio Lavoro only to take Ms. Amelia’s stiletto to the neck.” He looks at me with hungry eyes. “Damn, girl, you are killer when it comes to those you love. I have to hand that to you. I wonder what pretty fortune your father will pay when he finds out you’re now working for me.” Carmello laughs, eying me quickly from head to toe. I feel like his gaze leaves a trail of dirt behind. “I actually bet you’d look good tied up on my bed. I can’t wait to fucking claim you as mine. No one will want you after I’ve ruined you.”

My stomach bottoms at the thought of what his nasty mind is thinking up. Before I can truly panic, the look on Zane’s face loosens, but not for long. Suddenly, he comes bewildered with the rage that ignites in him and all at once, he’s picked the hammer up from the workstation before him and is slamming it into Carmello’s face. Blood sprays out and the wounded man yelps. Zane doesn’t stop with one hit. I watch as he slams the hammer into Carmello’s jaw, and another hit to the cheek sends the man to his knees.

“I’ll go in for another hit if she’s not released in three seconds,” he threatens, raising the bloodied hammer above his head. “It’s an easy choice. If she’s harmed or not let go of, you’re both going to wish for a quick fucking death.” There’s a deliberate, contemplative pause, and I close my eyes as the knife pushes further into my neck. I whimper as I feel blood trickle down my neck a little, and as I open my eyes, I see Zane watching me. “You’re pushing me here. If anything happens to her more than already has, I’ll make sure you’ll learn pretty quickly that hell is a place on fucking Earth!”

“Let her go!” Carmello orders, still shielding himself from the threat of taking the hammer to the face a fourth time. He’s not speaking much now, the damage to his jaw obviously done.

Zane doesn’t speak until I’m released and back by Carlo’s side. The look he uses on Carmello afterwards is truly frightening. He’s heaving with such aggression, fueled by rage. I have never experienced this side of Zane before.

“Don’t ever think you know a fucking thing about me,” Zane spits at Carmello, tossing the hammer aside. He leans in, and Carmello cowers a little. “Touch something that isn’t yours again, and I’ll make sure the reminder is far more life limiting.” He stands up straight, taking the diamond pouch from the floor and turns to me. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I croak, pushing them away. I see the look he fixes me with and I crack a little. “I’m fine!” I reiterate and make my way to the table. I take the black pouch of our money and make a quick exit. I reach up to feel the cut, feeling the wetness of my own blood as I do so. I groan in frustration and storm out of the building.

“We’re leaving, Matty.” My order comes so quickly that Matty doesn’t have a chance to get a door opened for me. I throw it open myself and slip inside, slamming it behind me. It doesn’t take the men more than two seconds to join me in the car and neither, thankfully, bring up what just happened.

“That’s how a mafia man handles business!” Carlo praises, twisting in his seat to look over at Zane. “I cannot wait to tell everyone how you took Carmello down like a boss. Maverick, I think we have you severely underestimated.”

“It’s always the underdog you worry about,” Zane comments smoothly. He looks smug with his triumph, but I know Zane most. This isn’t about what he achieved; this is about him managing to make it look like he can be one of us.

“I think you deserve a reward for that,” Carlo says as he falls into his seat.

***

“He was going to take her!” Carlo shouts at Giovanni. “I know you don’t give a shit about her, but it’s nice to find a guy who does besides us!”

I listen to them argue as Enzo cleans me up. The moment he saw my paled face with crimson staining my neck, he wanted answers. My father is in with another business associate, so he’s still none the wiser. We have the diamonds, money, and the fear of Christ on our side.

“Would our family really be any less if we didn’t have her?” Giovanni asks, throwing me a derogatory glare. “Daddy’s secret little weapon isn’t exactly a secret, if you didn’t know!”

Carlo’s face reddens suddenly, and he charges for Giovanni. “She’s our fucking sister, you
coglione
!”

The argument continues and I faze it out. I cannot be dealing with Giovanni’s rant as to why I should be cast out of the family. His issues with me are more than an arm’s length long, and I couldn’t care less about any of them. He has issues with me, and I have issues with him. It’s how we work as a sibling partnership. We are never bound to be best friends, and I don’t care to try. But the more I hear him argue about how I’m not needed in this family, the more I wish I could just disappear. By the way no one else is reacting, we’re letting the pair resolve the issue themselves.