She quickly started walking back the way we’d come, but this time going the long way. We followed the tree line toward the mansion, not walking out in the open. Up ahead, I watched the truck pull around toward the back of the building, and I knew where Lou was taking me.
A few minutes later, we were crouched not far away from the truck. I watched them slowly unload the contents without any comment.
The truck was full of guns. Lots of guns. And not the sort of guns you could buy at some store, but military-looking guns. Serious firepower was being unloaded from the truck, thousands and thousands of dollars worth of guns and ammunition and who knew what else. Most of it was packed away in crates, but it was clear what was inside.
After a few minutes of watching, suddenly my heart skipped a beat. Rafa and Vince appeared from inside and began giving orders, inspecting the goods.
Vince. He was involved with this gun thing. These guns must be for the war, for killing my family members. I felt anger welling up in my chest.
“Why are you showing me this?” I asked Louisa.
“You should see it.”
“But why?” I snapped. “What does this prove?”
“You should understand what’s happening.”
“I get it. There’s a war.”
She pointed. “Those guns are meant to kill your family, and they might get my family killed. I want you to see it.”
“And do what?” I asked her, angry. “I can’t do a thing about this.”
“No, you can’t.”
“You want me to turn myself in to my family? I won’t do that.”
“I know that.”
“Then what do you want?”
She stared at me. “I want you to see.”
Before I could yell at her some more, she turned and simply walked away.
I stared at her back as she slowly disappeared behind some buildings, frustration running through my chest. I had no clue what she wanted or what her motives were, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t control my family, much less the Italians. I couldn’t stop them from killing each other, and showing me those guns did nothing but upset me.
I’d thought Lou was my friend. I’d thought she was on my side. But that was stupid. All of these people were my enemies in some way or another. Nat had warned me that people were angry with me, but I had never imagined Louisa would be one of those people.
But Lou didn’t seem like the type to purposefully try to hurt someone.
None of it made sense, and it only hurt me to see Vince unloading those guns and checking them, probably imagining himself killing my family members.
I turned and walked away. There was nothing I could do, and watching wouldn’t solve anything.
I wanted to call Soph so badly, but I couldn’t. I had nobody I could talk to. Natalie was nice to me, but she was still Louisa’s sister-in-law. I couldn’t go to her, couldn’t go to Vince, couldn’t go to anyone.
I was alone, so very alone.
I walked off in search of Sonya. I wanted to see the only person in my life who truly relied on me and would never mislead me.
Alexei, my son, the only decent thing I had left.
26
Vince
Part of me was surprised Bao came through. I’d had plenty of good business dealings with the Chinese in the past, but something had just felt off about the whole thing to me.
It wasn’t until the guns were docked at the mansion and we began to unload the stuff that I felt okay. Sure, I’d taken a big fucking financial loss to get these things, and in the long run I’d likely only break even, but this was huge for the war.
Rafa cracked open a case of weapons and picked up a rifle. He looked down the sights, checked the parts, and nodded.
“Stuff’s in good shape, boss,” he said.
“Looks that way.”
“We’ll test it out, but I think Bao came through.”
I nodded. “I think so too.”
I picked up a gun and sighted it. A lot of men were going to be killed with these weapons, and many of them were likely related to Kaley.
Fucking Kaley. I had no idea what I was doing with that girl, let alone with our baby.
But for a little bit there yesterday, I had felt normal. I’d felt like a regular fucking guy doing regular fucking dad shit. I’d held the baby, rocked him, even fucking sang to him at one point. It was completely bizarre and weird as hell. And then he fell asleep in my arms and I was able to get him down into his crib.
Then what happened next, of course. It made my cock hard just thinking about the way Kaley had squirmed under my touch.
I wanted her again, wanted her fucking badly. And here I was, unloading weapons, thinking about how best to murder her family.
Not that I had any other choice. The other bosses were gearing up and getting ready, and I couldn’t look weak around my men. I had to be prepared to break some fucking skulls, especially after they attacked me first.
I pulled the trigger. The hammer fell with a click. I nodded at Rafa. “Get some of this shit ready for our guys. We’re going out for a run tonight.”
He raised an eyebrow. “A run?”
“Yeah. We’re going to kill some of those Russian fucks.”
He grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”