Top Dog

“You’re trying to manipulate me, and it won’t work,” I said. “That was a dirty tactic my father used on me many times, and you won’t get away with it.”

I took a step toward my uncle, and he backed down. He settled onto the balls of his feet and rolled his shoulders back. His facial features softened, and he cleared his throat, smoothing his hands over his chest.

“You have your father’s strength,” my uncle said. “That steely resolve that can quiet a room. But it would do you well to think about what I’ve said.”

Instead of answering, I lifted my chin in defiance and stared my uncle down. “Being a stubborn woman won’t get you what you seek, Julia. If you don’t want peace and if you don’t want Romeo, then leave. Take Enrico, and your son, and head back upstate. Live your life as you see fit.I’ll makes sure no one will come after you. But if you stay, I will assume you want to help. Which means you’ll have to stop fighting and start cooperating.”

I clenched my fists at my sides as Stefano made his way to the door. He closed it behind him, and I could hear Matteo rustling around in his bed. He was getting up from his nap, and he would surely want to go do something fun. It sounded good because I didn’t want to be in the house any longer.

I wasn’t going to allow a killer to be in my son’s life. I wasn’t going to allow him to know a father who was a ruthless and cold-hearted criminal. None of it sounded like Romeo, but all of the evidence pointed to the contrary. I’d give Stefano the benefit of the doubt and think about things, but it wouldn't likely change my mind.

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to go back upstate.

The farther away from Romeo I could get, the better.

CHAPTER 13

ROMEO

I jerked awake and looked at the clock. Just before three in the morning. I couldn't remember my dream, but the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. My entire body was poised to fight, and I didn't know why.

Until I heard it.

Someone was moving around the house.

I sat there and listened to the movements. The heavy footfalls and the boots sticking to the floor. I listened to see if I could figure out how many there were, but I only heard one pair of feet. One lone man in the house, and I knew from the sounds that it wasn’t my brother. How they got in without triggering the alarm system was beyond me, so I had to assume there were at least two of them. One in the house and one of them monitoring the outside. Ready to move in case anything spun out of control.

Like me.

I slid from my bed and grabbed my gun from my bedside table. I slipped the full magazine into itand held it tightly in my hands. My mother was just down the hallway from me, and my brother was head-deep in his night shift with the familyworking. And no one dared to come over at such hours without calling me on my phone first. No, this was an intentional break-in. Whoever was in my fucking home was gunning for something. Looking for trouble. And I was going to give them what they came for.

I opened my door quietly and cleared the corners, then went to peek my head in on my mother. If someone was in that room with her, they would be the first to die. I kept my steps as quiet as I could, holding my breath as I cleared each corner. I pushed open each door upstairs leading all the way to the room my father and her shared when he was still alive. I reached for her doorknob and silently opened her door, then thrust my gun out in front of me and readied myself to shoot.

But she was fast asleep and didn’t seem to be disturbed by what was going on.

I went into her closet and looked around before charging into her bathroom. Once I knew no one was in the room with her, I went and locked all of her windows. I don’t know why in the hell she slept with them unlocked, but tonight she wouldn’t. I went over and locked her bathroom window, then locked her bedroom door from the inside before shutting it.

I knew she had a gun underneath her pillow. She’d have enough time to grab it if someone broke through the door.

As I made my way downstairs, the rustling grew closer. I cocked my gun and felt my way around the wall, feeling for the light switch. My steps were silent, even though I towered over most people. It was one of the first things my father ever taught me how to do. Walk with purpose and silence. Never announce your presence until you mean to. It was a lesson that had stuck with me throughout my years, and I was suddenly glad for his training.

It would allow me to keep my promise of protecting Mom.

It was dead silent, and I knew whoever was in the house had heard me cock my gun, but I was ready for them. No one had a right to come into my home and startle me awake. To frighten my mother in any way. My fingers reached around for the light switch so I could illuminate the room around us, but I moved too slowly.

Before I could flip on the light, something hit me in the back of the head. A searing, blinding pain shot through my forehead and tunneled my vision. I stumbled forward and hit the ground, watching as my gun slid from my hand. Sliding away from me and out of reach as I tried to catch my breath.

It was hard to breathe, and my gun spun into the darkness of the room.

I rolled out of the way, less than a second to react. Instincts were taking over as my body tried to deal with the pain. Tried to work through it and overcome it to keep my body stable. Something heavy and thick hammered into the marble tile floors. My eyes widened. I kicked out with my feet and caught the intruder in the stomach, listening as he stumbled back and groaned in pain.

He fell toward the stairs, and I was on my feet in an instant. I stumbled over to the man lying against the stairs and grabbed his shirt. I delivered a punch to the man’s jaw and heard it dislocate. I delivered another blow before I yanked him off the stairs, holding him in midair. I pulled his bloodied face to mine and looked into his unwavering stare.

“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but you made a big mistake tonight.”

I grabbed the mask over his face, but I couldn't get it off before I was hit again from behind, like the fucking cowards they were. They couldn't even look me in the face and fight because they knew they had a disadvantage. They knew I’d tear them limb from limb. But the pain shooting through my body blackened my vision and I could feel blood dripping down my neck.

I stumbled to the side and fell onto my back, my blurry vision staring up at the ceiling.