The Mafia Vows of Vengeance

body had been dragged away. The scent of gunpowder and whiskey mixed in

He was ruthless, efficient, and dangerously intelligent. And now, she was walk

ith an unreadable expression. "You handled that

ow. "I thought yo

er like a predator assessing its prey. She'd learned enough about him to know he

suddenly, nodding toward the

"Only when I'

lf another glass. "And what ex

ing him carefully. "That I

sip, then set his glass down. "Patrick was a liability. I need

the other, unfazed. "I wo

th something unspoken. Then, Matteo leaned

e was smooth, but there was an edge

n't let people into his inner circle without knowing everyth

gaze head-on.

udied her, as if peeling back layers s

ated. "A dangero

or people who don't

softly. "You in

lot of people want power," he said, his voice l

ad to look at him.

he could respond. "Enough," he said. Then, to Swaby, "I

irroring his posture.

w night. A very important one." He picked up his glass, swirling the amber liquid. "Vinc

esitate. "Cons

wanted to protest, but

"Good. You lea

ng out her dress. "L

, aware of their eyes on h

stepped into

as no turni

e

ir was thick with the scent of saltwater and gasoline,

gainst a black SUV with his arms cro

ame," he said a

I wasn't aware I

"Matteo trusts me to make sure things run s

w. "Then I sugge

e. Instead, he turned and gestured toward th

a large cargo ship in the distance. "We make the exchang

ded. "Und

stepped onto the platform, led by a man Swaby recognized from her r

on her immediately. "You

mth in it. "You must be the guy tr

amused. "Feisty

tone clipped. "Let's

going smoothly-

bullets whizzed through the air. Som

tol from her holster, ducking behind a cra

"This was suppo

g a group of armed men approaching. "L

g one of them squ

rning fire. "We need to get

er mind racing. Then she

e," she

itated, but

p dust around her. She climbed in, hot-wiring it in r

d cover as she loaded the c

led in the

o!" Vincen

ssenger seat as it peeled out of

Level

as silent. Vincent stared straight

the silence. "You're

d. "You think

I think we got

ing unreadable in his expressi

old you-I'm not he

. He looked at them both, then at the

omeone tipped off the c

shifted to Swa

"I told you I coul

nothing. Then, a slow sm

ser. "I think you just earned your

d... Exactl