“You look way too happy. Should I be afraid to ask what you’ve done?” I slid into the chair across the table from Carrie with a cup of hot tea.

Carrie was already at the kitchen table when I got up, a steaming coffee mug in hand and a beaming smile on her face. Her eyes were glued to her laptop screen. Knowing what she was capable of made me more than a little leery to ask why, but curiosity got the better of me. Plus, if it had anything to do with Lorenzo, I definitely wanted in.

“I’ve been thinking about how to coax the rat out of his hole. Then it just came to me. Everyone hates rats.”

“Okay.” Admittedly, I didn’t get where she was going at first. Then it hit me. “You’re a genius. How do we make him look like a rat?”

“I concocted a fake news story with enough real information even his family and his men will question his allegiance. Then I submitted it to all the local news stations and papers. His family name is well-known, so they’ll run with it.”

“What’s the story?”

Her grin widened.

“I’ve written two, actually. The first one puts our game in motion, then the second one seals his fate. The one that’ll become breaking news any minute now is about the money missing from the nurse’s fund at Blaine Financial.

“I did a little more digging after we talked about his embezzlement scheme. It’s actually worse than that. He used that money to establish a Ponzi scheme. He paid his first investors a hefty dividend, so they invested more. That also made others want to get in on the action, so they invested heavily in his scheme. When his allies find out what he’s done, they’ll be gunning for him. But since he’s a made man, they can’t kill him without his family retaliating against them.”

“Okay, so that’s the part that’s true. How will that bring him out of hiding if he knows everyone wants to kill him?”

“Because the second story will leak soon after, revealing he met with the FBI—as if he’s a rat who turned on his family and allies. Right now, the Sanfratello family is hiding and protecting him. With the first story being true and out there for the world to know their business, they’ll be suspicious enough of him to cut him out. The FBI’s only response will be they can’t comment on what is or isn’t an open investigation.

“I don’t think his father would allow a hit on him without irrefutable proof, but Geno Sanfratello has to protect his whole family first—not just his loose-cannon son. Until Geno has proof Lorenzo didn’t go to the FBI, Lorenzo will be exiled from the family safe houses. He’ll also be more likely to agree to a meeting if we dangle a carrot in front of him with the promise to help clear his name.”

“But he won’t know it’s us he’s meeting, right?”

“Exactly. We’ll make him think it’s an associate or a family friend. I know a few names of the men who are in their circle of trust, but they don’t live in the immediate area. We’ll pick one of those wise guys to come to his aid after I do a little work to ensure the plan can’t backfire on us.”

“How would it backfire on us?”

“If the one I pick has moved back to the area and has already been in touch with Lorenzo, or if he’s already dead and the family knows that, things like that. I need to get into Lorenzo’s phone and email accounts to see who he’s talked to already, then go from there.”

“What can I do to help? You’ve done all the work for my revenge against him.”

“This is mostly for you, but Lorenzo has screwed my family over too. Once you’re part of the Marchetti family, you don’t have to face anything alone. We all have your back. When he fucked with one of us, he fucked with all of us. All you need to do is prepare yourself for the meeting with him. I’m still not convinced you should do it—especially being pregnant. It’s not like we can arrange a sit-down meeting in a public place if you’re going to kill him.”

“No, I guess not. He’d expect somewhere private and off the beaten path if his former partners want to kill him, wouldn’t he?”

“Absolutely. His family owns a garbage transfer station in Brooklyn. He wouldn’t suspect a meeting there as much as he would other places since it’s Sanfratello property. I’d be okay with leaving Geno a little present on the doorstep of his office.”

“Carrie, what happens to the Marchetti family after I do this?”

She shrugged and gave me a dismissive wave of her hand. “It’ll be an all-out war. But don’t feel bad about that. A war has been brewing since the day they shot Damon, whether they know it or not. They tried to make it look like they were after you from the start, but we know better. Daddy and Uncle Leo plan every detail of their revenge, and they don’t tell anyone until they’re ready to make a move. They prefer to wait so their enemies let their guards down, and Daddy uses the element of surprise to his advantage.”

When I lifted my mug for a sip of tea, Carrie’s phone pinged with a news alert. She threw her head back and roared with laughter. “Step one is in play, Jillian. The first news station just released the story.”

She opened the article and read it aloud to me, exuding pride with her every word. She was right—the article was incredibly damaging to Lorenzo. The details were much too specific and far too knowledgeable about the inner workings of Blaine Financial and the Sanfratello family to be fabricated. Everyone involved in Lorenzo’s scheme, from the ones who helped create the elaborate ruse to the people who were cheated out of millions of dollars, would be furious.

“Can’t you just hear the collective growls from the Sanfratellos everywhere? They know what this means. Their empire is crumbling around them.” Carrie closed her laptop and stood. “It’s going to be a great day, I can just feel it.”

She walked to the sink behind me to rinse her cup. I heard her open and close cabinet doors and drawers, but my mind was a million miles away.

It would be a great day when I was able to put everything behind me and only look forward to the future. I’d never been one to plot an elaborate revenge on anyone, regardless of how I’d been hurt. I’d certainly never even contemplated premeditated murder—I’d never even had a reason to consider it. Before Damon, that was. Since meeting Damon, I’d not only planned it, I almost attempted it.

With the news article going viral, there was no turning back. I’d face Lorenzo soon enough…and I’d have to face myself in the mirror. One way or another.

Could I let my mother’s killer live while she was in the ground?

Could I live with myself after taking a mother’s son away from her?

How long would the vengeance continue to destroy these two families?

Would my baby become a casualty of the Marchetti-Sanfratello war?

“Carrie.” I turned as I called her name, and I found her standing beside me with a bowl of cut fresh fruit. She passed the food to me with an empathetic expression then took her seat across from me with her breakfast.

“Jillian, let me explain this to you as best I can. Lorenzo will die, one way or another. When he ordered the hit on Damon, you, and your mother, he knew he’d just signed his own death warrant. Even if he’d been successful, he still knew what would come. We’re flexible when it comes to bending and breaking man’s laws. But there are family laws that aren’t broken—they just aren’t—but he broke them.

“You don’t have to be the one to do it, though. If you want to out of respect for your mother, I want to give you the opportunity. If you can’t or don’t want to, I don’t expect you to do it. No one does. But make no mistake, it will be done. Your mother, you, and Damon will be avenged. He will pay for what he’s done.”

My decision changed from one minute to the next, alternating back and forth between the person I never wanted to be and the person I might have to be for my mom’s memory. The problem was, I didn’t know if I could live with being either one.

“What are the unbreakable family laws?”

“Don’t disrespect the Boss in any way—undermining him, disobeying him, embarrassing him. Don’t kill any made man without approval from the Boss or Underboss. Don’t rat out your family—you must be loyal to a fault.”

“Lorenzo broke all of those, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did. The hit orders disrespected and embarrassed his father. The Ponzi scheme proved he wasn’t loyal to his extended family—he was stealing money from people who trusted him with their lives. He isn’t an honorable man. Look at the Marchetti men in comparison. Everything they do is for the family, for the people they love. Damon threw himself in front of a bullet for you. He even openly defied Daddy—somewhat, anyway. Had others seen that behavior, you may not have ever seen him again. But Mama was on Damon’s side in that argument, so Daddy didn’t stand a chance. Still, Damon loves you, and he’ll do anything and everything just to protect you.”

Funny, just a few short months ago, I had a completely different definition of an honorable man. A self-professed hit man wouldn’t have been anywhere near the list. Her words made me reconsider how I saw Damon, though.

“He did take a bullet for me. Then when he was in my house, he shielded me from what felt like machine gun fire blasting through the front windows. He had glass and wood all down his side…because he covered me with his body.

“Carrie, I have to ask you about something that’s been on my mind. I’m sorry to put you on the spot, but my thoughts and feelings are all over the place. I’ve never been so confused about what I should or shouldn’t do before.”

“Ask me anything. One thing you’ll find out about me is I never lie. Lying is for people who are afraid, and I’m not afraid of anyone.”

“Is this how my life will always be, whether I’m with Damon or not? Will I always have to watch over my shoulder for the next person who wants to use me to get to Damon? Or use my baby to get to him? Am I looking at a lifetime of being shot at when I walk down the street and having to shoot back at the people who are trying to kill me?”

She flashed a small smile, and I knew she understood exactly how I felt. “You walked into this scenario at a terrible time, Jillian. Milo, our associate who helped Lorenzo steal from us, had just been relieved of his duties. You showed up at the hospital with Damon the same day, then rotated into Milo’s role in Blaine Financial. Talk about bad timing and circumstantial evidence—but that’s all Lorenzo had to go on. What are the odds that Damon Marchetti’s lover worked for our rival family, in the same role a double-crossing rat had just left?

“After we settle the score, everything will calm down again. Lorenzo went rogue on his family and ours. That doesn’t happen often. If you marry my brother, you’ll be protected your entire life. Knowing Damon, you’ll be protected the rest of your life even if you don’t marry him. He’ll never stop loving you.”

We finished our fresh fruit with lighter conversations and a few laughs, sharing stories from our childhoods and growing closer to being the sisters we’d both always dreamed of having. Having someone to talk to who didn’t try to sway me one way or another was refreshing. Her words stayed with me throughout the morning while she wreaked digital havoc in her home computer lab.

“I’m heading out to my first appointment with the obstetrician up here in a few minutes.” I leaned against the doorframe to her office. “Thanks for getting me in so soon.”

She turned to look at me over her shoulder, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “How are you getting there?”

“I’ll call a cab. It’s not that far, and I know you’re busy.”

“First, I’m never too busy to take you anywhere you need to go. Second, you really don’t need to go anywhere alone right now—even to the doctor. And third…Damon is waiting for you outside. He’s driving you.”

“I knew you were hiding something from me! Your smirk gave you away. Did you tell him to come drive me?”

“No, he called about thirty minutes ago to remind me you needed a good doctor, like I’d forget or something. Anyway, I told him you already had one and had an appointment. Fell right into his trap, because then he threatened me with all kinds of things until I told him when. I’m trying to respect your privacy, but my brother is impossible. I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s fine, Carrie. Really. He can go to the doctor with me every time I go for all I care. I’d never cut him out of anything he wants to experience, especially with his first child.”

When I stepped outside, Damon was in his normal stance, leaning against the car, his hands in his pockets, his eyes constantly scanning the area for any threats. Then his gaze locked on to me, and I felt my body heat from the inside out. The flutters in my stomach expanded to include my chest as my heart raced, thumping against my ribcage.

Would I ever get used to seeing his handsome face and sexy physique?

He pushed off the car and walked to meet me. Goose bumps immediately spread across my body, washing down my arms in waves and leaving no doubt of how much he affected me without even trying.

“Hello, doll. Is it wrong that I love how much you still want me? Gives me a little hope for us.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips. Without hesitation, or even a single second thought, I reciprocated. Maybe a little too enthusiastically. In mid-kiss, he broke out into a broad smile. “You just keep punishing me until you think I’ve had enough. Because when I get you back, I’m going to punish you until I think you’ve had enough. And believe me, doll, I can dish it out even better than I can take it.”

He stepped to my side, his hand settling on my lower back and his leg brushing against mine with each step toward his car. The fluttering became firebombs detonating inside me, setting off every nerve and fueling the fire of my desire for him.

Would I ever become immune to his charm and the feel of his touch?

“I’m all yours, completely at your beck and call today. If there’s anything you need or want, I’m your man. It’s my pleasure to give you anything and everything you could ever want or need.”

The low murmurs of his deep voice close to my ear sent shivers down my spine. The thinly veiled sexual innuendo made me bite the inside of my cheek to stop the whimper from escaping. After our last tryst, I didn’t want him to stop. I didn’t want him to leave. He showed much more restraint than I felt.

And there he was again, hinting at giving me the most intense pleasure I’d ever felt. If he just came out and asked me, I wouldn’t say no.

I was sure he already knew that, though.