Chapter Forty-Two
Dominic
Last night I went to bed with three things on my mind.The first was the blood I got on my hands.
I've never killed so violently.I can be as ruthless as my brothers, but last night the thirst for vengeance darkened my soul.Lucas took one look at me and knew I was approaching to give him death.He managed to open his mouth once before I shot him in his head.That would have killed him instantly, but it was like that wasn't enough.
I emptied my gun in him and I realized when I still wanted to keep going that nothing would ever be enough.Nothing I did would ever fix what he did, or change it.
I went home and the next thing that hit me was the fear in my girl's eyes when she saw the darkness still lurking inside me.It was still there in full force and I couldn't shake it.That steered my thoughts to Jacques, who we now can't find.
Fucker.
The fact we can't find his ass irritates the fuck out of me because I knew in my heart right off the bat that something was off about him.
He was the first thing on my mind when I woke, and he's still there.
This is possibly the only time since the Syndicate was set up that they’ve had to meet twice in a week.Because I want that asshole dead, I can't even take comfort in the fact that we’re meeting to plan something concrete.We’re not speculating anymore.The time for pussyfooting around is over.
Massimo sits at the head of the table.Tristan and I are to his left and the others are at his right, consisting of: Claudius and his first capo, Dante, Vincent, and his brother Salvatore, Aiden, and his cousin Maksim.
Massimo leans forward onto his elbows, readying himself to give the speech.
“Thank you all for coming guys,” Massimo begins and the guys all nod their acknowledgments.When he straightens up he reminds me of Pa. He has the same presence and even looks like Pa when he used to conduct business meetings.
“I’ve got the report of who will be onboard the Blue Iris, and it’s everyone except Jacques Belmont.There are four senior members of the Circle of Shadows, and the rest of the men are from the Order.”
That report he’s talking about was the last thing I tasked myself with finding last night.
“And what do you suggest we do, Boss?” Claudius asks.“I’m sure we can agree this shit needs to end right the fuck now.They’ll be on board that boat tomorrow.The whole fucking brood. That’s good for us.”
Vincent nods his agreement. “We have the advantage here.”
“A massive one,” Massimo concedes.“They have no idea we got to Lucas Ricci.His flight to Florence left this morning and as far as they’re all concerned, he was on board.They’re none the wiser that we are for once one step ahead.”
“We finally have a chance we’ve never had.We should get to them before they board the boat,” Aiden suggests.
“Yes,” Tristan agrees. “Get those fuckers before they have a chance to meet and plot more secret shit.There’s too many of them. Like rats, they’ve come out of the sewers and festered into this plan of fucked up shit to screw with us.”
“I have other ideas,” I cut in before the chorus of idea clashing can swallow up our time.
These are men who know what they’re doing.I don’t doubt that one bit but I want to do something more efficient than what they’re saying.What they’re suggesting is what we always do.As we have an advantage we’ve never had before, I think it’s time to change things up.
“Speak brother,” Massimo says.
“I want to work with the advantage we have.I want to seize the opportunity for what it is, so I suggest we don’t get to them before they get on the boat.” I look at each man in the room and allow my gaze to settle on Massimo.“I suggest we let them get on board and go out to sea.We let them all gather together like they were supposed to and meet.Then, we bomb them.”
That is my idea. The silence that settles over the room suggests I’ve hit home.
The nods that follow all in agreement gives me a feeling of satisfaction, and suddenly I feel like the old Dominic D’Agostino again.I feel like I found myself and I’m ready to be that guy again and secure our future.Most of all, I’m ready to end the fuck out of this.
“Agreed,” Massimo says. “Anybody disagree with that idea?I feel like it’s one hell of a solution.”
Everyone shakes their head.
“Then that’s what we’re going to do.”
* * *