Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Pulling my phone out, I find a single measly little bar of signal, which flickers out a moment before it comes back. Here's hoping I can get my messages through. If I call, Dario will hear me.
I make a quick text group of all the guys, then start typing.
33
VIKING
A high ranking Giordano inside the Screaming Eagles clubhouse. Who would've fucking thought? And yet, here he stands, in the middle of the common room and dressed in Armani—Luca Giordano.
Alessa's father.
All my instincts tell me I should be out turning the city on its fucking head until I find her, but I press them to the back of my mind. If we get this guy on board, he can help us find her faster. And what kind of dad won't protect his daughter when her life is on the line?
Luca Giordano’s a strong man who stands straight, even if he's let himself go a little and his hair's turning gray. Early fifties, maybe? There's a bit of a paunch under his dress shirt, but there's nothing soft or laid back about him as he examines the club like a hawk looking for prey. He brought two guys for backup, wearing penguin suits, just like him. Bet we look like a bunch of fucking slobs to him, but we've left enough of a mark on the Family over the years for him to know we're no fucking pushovers.
Across from him, standing equally straight and at least as broad, with his big arms crossed over his chest, is Eagle-eye. He's trimmed his short beard for the occasion, but is in his usual jeans and leathers. It's about as formal as he gets, and we are who we are. The rest of the club's strewn over the rest of the common room, and to the side, Emily holds Izzy close, a reminder for Luca what's at stake. Beatrice is there too, watching nervously, knowing she's not particularly popular with either camp right now.
Giordano spots Izzy and his eyes widen. “Is that Alessa's little girl?” There's a weird catch in his voice.
“Our girl,” I say, keeping an eye on his expression. Fuck, it's the first time he sees her, isn't it? “Alessa's and ours. Isabella.”
His shoulders slump, just a little as he steps right past Eagle-eye to look. “She's beautiful. I—can I hold her?”
Emily looks at us, and I nod. He's not going to hurt his own granddaughter.
He holds Izzy like she might break, shaking his head in disbelief. “She looks just like Alessa did. Beautiful.”
“She needs her mother back,” says Bear, and Giordano nods.
“Dario's a disgrace to the Family.” His finger strokes Izzy's chin gently, but his voice is pure steel. “The Fabbris all are. This will not go unpunished. I'm going to have every single one of them torn apart and fed to the pigs.”
“The only Fabbri I care about is Dario,” I say. “Where the fuck is he?”
He looks at me like I'm a fucking animal, but he nods. “The Fabbris have a lot of hideouts around the city. As any sensible… business partner might, we track them to the best of our ability, but I can't guarantee we know of all of them, and there are many. Narrowing it down could take some time.”
“We don't have that kind of fucking time,” growls Bear. “That fucker already fired one bullet at her. Who knows what the hell that psycho might do?”
Luca's eyes widen and he holds Izzy tighter, as if it's her that's been shot at. “He shot at my girl?”
“Right.” I nod. “You only got Dario's version. Yeah, he fucking did, and if Hawk there hadn't gotten himself in the way, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.”
Giordano straightens to his full height, and whatever cozy grandfather was there is all gone now. Now he's a deadly mob boss. “You have my full support.” His voice trembles just this side of an explosion. I imagine how I'd feel if someone had fired a bullet at Izzy, and honestly, I'm fucking amazed at his restraint. “Anything to get her back. If I can prove this to Papa, the Fabbris will be finished. Completely.”
“I don't give a fuck about the Fabbris. I just want Alessa back,” Bear snarls.
“Have someone send me the list of hideouts,” says Snark. “I'll do analysis on likely locations.”
Just then, all four of us buzz as something ticks in on our phones. “What the fuck?”
Snark's the first one to get his out. “It's Alessa!”
And then everyone's yelling at once like only they have the best idea of what to do next. Eagle-eye holds his hands up. “Shut the fuck up! Everyone!”
The room settles.
“Snark, is she all right?”
He's typing furiously on his phone. “She says she is. She's in some kind of warehouse on the river with a hideout in it.”
Luca shakes his head. “There are still too many. The Fabbris have a lot of property on the river.”