A Vow of Love and Vengeance

Annaliese cleared the table before disappearing into the kitchen.

I glanced at Gio. “Does this mean everything is over?”

“Nearly.” He reached out and swept my hair from my cheek. “There’s still the mess with the Irish to clean up.”

“I might be able to help with that,” Una said, taking the glass of wine Tommy poured for her.

Gio narrowed his eyes at her. “You have a plan?”

She snorted. “No, Nero is the one with the plans. I have friends.”

Tommy laughed. “No, you have chess pieces.”

“Same thing.”

Annaliese chose that moment to bring in the cake, and they all sang “Happy Birthday” while my cheeks burned at the attention.

It was the best birthday I’d ever had, though. Sergio was dead. I had a future, a family… And Una had her cake.

27

GIO

Being in Chicago made me edgy, but it was necessary.

Liam O’Hara was the new head of the Irish mob, and he’d refused any and all contact with us. So, I was forced to take drastic measures. I would have peace, no matter the cost. For the business, the family, but mostly for Emilia. I wanted some normalcy for her, to feel safe. I couldn’t give her any of that with the threat of violence hanging over us.

Nero and I exited the car and crossed the street to Emerald, one of the hottest nightclubs in the city and mob-owned. The bouncer eyed us up and down when we approached, his fingers flinching toward his belt and the gun holstered there.

“Easy, wouldn’t want to cause a scene in front of all these people,” I said, over the hum of music, gesturing to the line of people waiting to get in.

The guy’s hand lowered to his side, gaze shifting to all the witnesses just feet away.

“I’m here to see Liam O’Hara,” Nero said.

“I know who you are.” The man glared at Nero even as he took a shifty step back. “The boss doesn’t want to see you. Unless you’re dead, of course.”

Nero laughed. “He’s welcome to try. As are you.” He parted his jacket shamelessly, revealing the weapons holstered at his chest. Unlike the bouncer and me, Nero didn’t give a fuck who saw what.

The man faltered for a second, and I took advantage of his distraction, stepping close and ramming a gun into his side. “You’re going to take us to him, or I’m going to put a bullet in your liver.”

“You won’t make it out alive,” he snapped.

“You let us worry about that.” I forced him ahead of me into the club. I’d already researched the layout and knew exactly where O’Hara would be, but I dragged the bouncer along so he couldn’t contact anyone and warn them. Not that it would help them. The club was filled with my men already, all waiting to move should this all go tits up. If we couldn’t negotiate with them, we would eliminate them. Still, the less warning they had, the less collateral damage we would sustain.

We moved through the packed club and down a corridor that opened out into the VIP section. It was quieter back here, the music a low hum, the dimmed lighting panning over tables full of people.

O’Hara’s table was in the corner, crowded with some of his lieutenants and a few women, a certain blonde Russian included.

I shoved the bouncer. “You can go.”

He stumbled away, disappearing back toward the main club. No doubt to rally the troops.

The guards at the end of the corridor reached for their guns the second they saw us, and I shook my head. “What are you going to do? Shoot us in the middle of your own club? I hear the mob already has enough problems with the DA.”

They hesitated, and that was when Liam O’Hara noticed our presence. He shoved to his feet so fast that the girl who had been fawning over him toppled to the floor. His jaw ticced as he strode away from his men and approached us.

“You have ten seconds to turn the fuck around and leave before I kill you in front of all these people, Guerra.”

Nero laughed beside me. “You know, it’s nice that you’re the one they hate for once.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the mob boss. “Violence would be unwise. We didn’t come here for a fight. We came to discuss peace.”

“Peace?” he laughed. “After what you did to my uncle?”

“Fuck, this is boring.” Nero sighed. “My men are everywhere inside your club, and trust me, I much prefer to just kill those who get in my way, so which is it? Hear us out, or death and blood?” The smile he flashed was downright disturbing, and given Nero’s well-earned reputation, O’Hara should have been very fucking concerned.

Jaw tense and fists balled at his sides, Liam O’Hara stepped back. “You have five minutes.” Great, he wasn’t completely stupid.