“Did he…” I shook my head. I didn’t want to ask. Of course he’d finished the job Dominic started.

“My uncle is dead if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Do you believe what he said? That it was Angus behind it all?”

“Dying men are desperate men.” Dominic looked at me. “But I’m not sure. I wouldn’t be surprised and wouldn’t put it past Angus.”

“I want to meet with him.”

“With Angus Scava?” Dominic seemed surprised at that. “What about Victor? We’ll go up the ranks, Gia. Deal with them one at a time.”

I shook my head. “This is for me. Your uncle, he owed you. But this is for me.”

He considered this, narrowing his eyes, studying me closely.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“I know. I’m very clear, in fact.” I picked up my fork and turned my attention to my plate.

23

Dominic

I watched Gia all that day and the next. Truth be told, her quiet was a little scary. I had expected her to be more frazzled, more like a woman, I guess.

Like a woman.

I sounded like an asshole. I’d never been attracted to weak women. In fact, only two women stood out for me in the string I’d been with. Isabella and Gia. Two strong women. Two women with an agenda. Two women you did not want to fuck with.

I meant it when I told her I’d do the dirty work of killing. I wasn’t sure what she expected out of this meeting with Scava. She had to know she couldn’t just walk in there and kill the motherfucker. We’d meet in a relatively public place, but we’d both be armed. And we’d have soldiers around us who were armed. But I didn’t ask her what her agenda was. She was determined and had her own history with Angus Scava. I’d be there with her to protect her, but I’d let her do what she needed to do to make her peace.

“You’re watching me.”

She sat beside me in the back of the fortified SUV on our way to the restaurant.

“You’ve been watching me for the last two days.”

“I’m curious.”

“Are you nervous?”

I shook my head. “No. I do want to be sure you’re going to get what you want out of this. If you told me—”

“No, Dominic. This is mine. This has nothing to do with you.”

“Fair enough, but if I feel like you’re overstepping—”

“It’s mine. You told me you’d help me, and I just need you there with me. I need you to carry me a little, or at least let me lean on you. I’m trusting you with that.”