The chopper landed in Milan at the rendezvous point with the other men, along with the tanks and equipment we needed. We were going into a hostile situation with no information at all. We could be up against four men or forty. No idea. We had to be prepared for anything.

Cane and I got into the Hummer with our men in the back.

“Is Carter meeting us at the site?”

Cane had a beanie pulled over his head, dressed in all black with the vest over his clothes. “I want to keep my son out of this, Crow.”

When we rescued Vanessa, all of us were involved. Even Button was involved. But this was different, since this was a hit by the Skull Kings, the most ruthless organization in Italy. Cane and I were well-acquainted with them. They were monsters in the dark. I loved my wife dearly, but she didn’t have what it took to stand up to men like that.

He continued. “If I die, I need him to take care of Adelina and Carmen…as well as Pearl and Vanessa.”

If both of us died, Carter would be the last man of the Barsetti line. “You’re right.”

“Thanks.”

I was behind the wheel, driving through the quiet streets of Milan. It was only nine in the evening and there should be more people out, but it was a ghost town. It was alarming. “Why is it so quiet?”

Cane scanned the area then spoke into the radio.

One of our guys spoke back. “Some of the streets are blocked off by police. Must be for the banquet Conway’s attending.”

Cane looked at me, his eyebrow raised.

“I wonder if it’s really the police or them,” I said out loud.

Cane nodded. “It could go either way. Were you able to get a hold of Conway?”

I shook my head then pulled over to the side of the street next to the curb. “His phone is on silent. I left a text message so it’ll be on his screen right away.”

Cane’s phone rang, and he answered immediately without checking to see who it was. “Cane.”

The guy was audible to my ears through the phone. “We just hit the house in Verona. She’s not here.”

“What?” he snapped, his nostrils flaring. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. There was a struggle. Front door was left open.”

“Shit,” Cane said. “Blood?”

My chest suddenly tightened, the pain searing me from the inside out.

“No,” he answered. “I’m not sure when this happened. We may have just missed them.”

“Find some clues, and figure out where the hell they went.” Cane hung up then gripped his skull. “Shit.”

“Fuck. We were too late.” I kept my hands on the wheel, but I felt a momentary jolt of weakness in my fingers and legs. My daughter-in-law had been taken, and I didn’t save her. I didn’t do my job. I didn’t protect my grandbaby. Even if I saved my son, he would never get over this. My temper snapped, and I punched the steering wheel, making a horn ring out.

“Stop!” Cane pulled my hand back. “We don’t have time for this.”

“Maybe you should go back and see if you can figure it out,” I said. “She’s a Barsetti… I can’t let anything happen to her. I love her like a daughter.”

“Crow.” He gripped my shoulder. “There’s no time for that. Whatever is done is done. Hopefully, our guys can pick up their trace.”

“Shit.” I gripped my skull, the rage starting to make me shake. I would slit the throat of every single man who laid a hand on her. I wouldn’t stop until she was avenged.

“This is the new plan,” Cane said, keeping me grounded. “We get Conway first. He might know something.”

“He doesn’t know anything,” I hissed. “He’s completely unaware.”

“I mean about Sapphire. He might have a tracker on her. I’ve still got one on Adelina to this day.”

And I had one on Button. It wasn’t about crazy possessiveness, but for situations like this. I’d worked so hard to have a quiet life, and now all that had been taken from me. I wanted to raise a family and keep them safe. But no matter what, I kept getting dragged into this. I got rid of Bones, and I still wound up here. “You’re right.”

“I know I am. Now let’s do this.” He pushed the door open and hopped out, his automatic rifle held at the ready.

We met with the second group of troops, making twelve of us altogether. That was all I could round up on such short notice. There were more men, but there weren’t enough of them who wanted the money enough to risk their lives. I hadn’t lied about the situation we were getting into, so some of them turned down the offer.

But when it came to Cane and me, we were as strong as five men each.

Especially when my son’s life was on the line.

Silent and with impeccable stealth, we moved down the street and approached the banquet from the back entrance of the building, knowing they would strike from the rear instead of completely in the open. They would probably lure Conway out the side entrance by pulling some stunt.

Unless he finally looked at his phone.

We stopped at the corner and peered across the street. Just as I expected, there were black cars parked everywhere, providing adequate coverage on every single corner. We were surrounded on all sides. Our only option was to break into three different teams and move simultaneously.

“Fuck,” Cane said. “They don’t give a shit, do they?”

“No…they don’t.” These guys were willing to take down a celebrity even when hordes of people were gathered at the entrance on the next street. They obviously thought they were above the law, that they could disappear into the night without any questions asked.

Who were we dealing with?

“Did Bones say who these guys were?”

“No.” But in his defense, I didn’t give him much of a chance. “We’ll break into three teams. I don’t see any other way around it.”

“Neither do I,” Cane said. “But I’ve got to say…the odds aren’t in our favor. We’ve been through some tough shit, but this…I’ve got a bad feeling about it.” He stared out at the street, his jaw clenched tightly.

“You don’t have to do this, Cane. I know you have your own family.” I wouldn’t judge him if he backed out. He had a wife and two kids, a family that would be devastated if something happened to him. “But I have to do this…even if I don’t make it.” I wouldn’t turn away just because the odds were overwhelming. I’d rather die saving my son than live a life without him.

Cane turned back to me, a pained look still on his face. “No. Conway is like a son to me. I’m here to the end. I just don’t have high hopes this time…not that I ever really did before.”

I nodded, appreciating what he said more than I could articulate in words. I extended my hand.

He took it then pulled me in for a one-armed embrace. “If we don’t make it—”

“I know.” I patted the back of his head. “I love you too.”