The Godfathers

FALCON

asoline and gunpowder, exhaling in clouds of cigar smoke from the old men who ran the streets. Ever

e neon lights flicker in the distance. Bars, clubs, backroom casinos-ea

y wer

the bitter smoke curling through the leath

enter console, the number f

right-h

luetooth speaker, already knowing w

ot a pr

wheel tightened. "Wh

in the h

e engine, the distant sirens, the drunken laughter spil

jumped at

ne line between respectability and lawlessness. If Luca had b

quiet, but the threat i

ef hesitation. Th

encia'

g rage coiled in

n the gas. Threw away his burning cigarettes and roared the Maserati to life, weavi

-

nt. It was past midnight, but the emergency room was still alive-people limping in from bar fights, worried mothe

nto a no-parking zone right by the

waiting at Luca's hospital door, three of

Bos

sion through the air. He wasn't a man who showed up a

his face tight. "Luca's insid

ed black jacket, his expression unreadab

don't have a name yet. But Luca got

d? He's in a fucking hospital, M

ily. Everyone knew what Dante

riend, Enzo, was there. He said the fight started after

ow nod, his expre

en do?" His voice wa

en hesi

throat. "They... wel

while Emilio's guy is walking free?" Dant

ence was

hospital doors, leaving his men standing there

o gave him weird looks and ma

ound his ribs, his left arm in a sling, and a deep cut above his brow. He

to danger like it was some exciting game. He was youn

pped him. Never

pped apart from the inside. Babysitting his dead sister's adventur

now,

m. Luca was supposed to be standing, smirking, stirring up more troub

cousin's fingers shook against the sheets, fists clenching and unclench

ned," Dante said, voi

ttered, voice tight with barely contained anger. "The bastard owed us money.

d an eyebrow.

lio's guy s

e, but there was a flicker of int

tting in the damn bar while I was handling busi

oughtful sound. "An

The man owed us-he wasn't walking away without pay

son. He didn't lay a hand on me, no. But the next thing I knew, a couple of

of Luca's words. "You're saying Emilio's guy

made it happen." His eyes darkened. "He humiliated me,

silence settle

d into something dar

e sure he does

war wasn't just brewin

al, his mind a quiet storm. Marc

Bos

ands. Then, with a voice as sharp as broken glass, he said, "

nodded.

milio wanted to play games, he

" Marco aske

ment, crushing it beneath his polished sh

him a me

sitated. "

into something that w

ve him my

***

so much fo

rget to leave a vote or drop a commen

ghts make

ho do you th

ck ple