Robbie
This is fucking bullshit. I should be at that damn family lunch today. Firstly, I’m a fucking Quinn, and second, and most importantly, Dina is going to be there. I can’t believe I’m being banned from seeing my girlfriend like a teenage boy all over again.
I think back to Friday when I tried to sneak my phone off Ronan to text Dina, and he caught me. He started to smack me on the head in anger, something he hadn’t done in a long time, before he threw me to the ground, finger in my face, and ordered me to my apartment.
That also sucks. I’ve only been allowed to come out cause the men are simmering down, but now I’m confined to my apartment again, spending hours and hours reviewing footage from all over the area near the attacks to track down the Baldocchi’s moves.
Ronan didn’t even see me today. He sent Daniel to tell me that I could pop down to the pub for fish and chips for lunch, but I was to go straight back to my apartment afterwards. I rolled my eyes at him and said,
“Yes, Dad.”
Daniel hadn’t taken kindly to that, but he left it there. Since they left, I have been pouring over the footage. I pause the footage and head out, going down to the pub. I sit in the booth, and Molly brings me a plate of fish and chips, the chips soaking in salt and vinegar. I eat my food grumpily, even if it tastes fucking amazing.
Some lads come in to have lunch and sit in a booth behind me. They must notice me because they start talking loudly about more than one way to betray a family, and Callum clearly isn’t the only problem. Molly stops at my table. “Ignore them, love. Ronan won’t have you fighting the men.”
I nod, though the anger in me is building. I get halfway through my food and push it away. “Molly, keep this for me for later. I’ve lost my appetite.”
“I would lose my appetite too after eating Russian pussy,” one of the older men quips at me.
I sigh and walk toward the door when that same man stands up and steps in my way. I recognized him instantly. He is a much older soldier; his son is also in our games.
“Ian, I think it’s best if you step out of my way,” I say, looking straight at him. I won’t let these fuckers think I’m scared.
“Or what?” he says, stepping closer to me.
I grab him by the throat and choke him slightly. “I don’t care what you think of my choice of who I slept with, but I am a Quinn. I have given up my life for this family and saved your asses on more than one occasion.
For that, you will give me respect.” I drop him, and he steps aside quickly. “Sorry, Robbie,” he says. “You’re right.”
I nod and walk out of the pub, not looking back. I don’t have to. The men know where I stand in the grand scheme of things and where they stand in relation to that.
I return to my apartment, and two lads greet me on my way there. I nod to them, go upstairs, and shut the door. I go back to the footage, irritated and needing a distraction. I lean back in my chair as I hit play and stare mindlessly at the screen.
Something flashes across the screen that catches my eye, and I quickly pause the video and rewind it. I hit play, but I slow down the speed until that flash comes across again, and I pause.
Fucking hell.
Here is the proof.
Sitting in the passenger seat of the Italian’s getaway car is not Callum but Aiden.
The fucking traitor.
The whole being wounded by Callum thing was just a rouse to throw us off him.
I grab my phone and dial my brothers, but their phones go straight to voicemail. Either they’ve turned them off, or there’s no signal where they are. Where they are having lunch, and Aiden is leading the entire security team.
Clever bastard.
I grab my car keys and rush out of my bedroom to the front door.
When I open it, I find the two lads from the street outside my door.
“Sorry, Mr. Quinn, we’re going to have to ask you to stay right there,” the one to the left says.
“Boys, I don’t think you’re even old enough to be doing this.” I move to push past them, but the one on the right pulls a gun on me. “I’d hate to have to shoot you, Mr. Quinn, although I’d be doing our men a great service. Our orders are to hold you here until our boss gives us word.”
I look between them, searching my brain. “Your Dad’s Cormack,” I say to the one on the left. “And ain’t your mom, Mrs. Timothy near the laundromat?”
They look at each other, and the left one presses a knife against my skin.
“Get inside, or we’re going to hurt you.”
I’m not armed, and I’m sure they’ll be prepared for that if I come back with one of my guns.
“Boys, you’re selling out Ronan. This is way bigger and way over your head,” I try to reason with them, looking for my chance.
“Ronan sold us out to the Italians and Russians. Aiden will take care of us proper,” the younger one says. They can’t be eighteen yet.
“Aiden’s in league with some Italian family. He’s sold Ronan out and already sold out this entire family. Can you not see that, lads?” “Get the fuck inside,” the knife holder shouts.
Two single shots sound out, and the boys drop like lead, each with a bullet to the head. “Their parents are going to be disappointed,” Jarryd says from a few feet away.
“Why are you here? Not that I’m complaining.”
“I came to save your sorry ass before they killed you.” My younger brother holsters his guns. “Why are they stopping you?”
“Aiden is the fucking traitor, but I can’t get through to Ronan or Daniel.” I throw my jacket on.
“The cellphone towers are down in that whole area. I also can’t reach them to check in. It’s why I was coming to look for you originally,” Jarryd says.
“Jarryd,” I call as he walks away. He stops and turns around.
“How’d you know I was in trouble?”
He looks down the corridor, and I see Molly going around the corner. She may not approve of our lifestyle, but she loves Ronan, and she’s our fucking family.
“Come on, we need to get Dina from the estate and get down and protect the families,” I say, walking past Jarryd.
“Robbie, Dina is at the lunch. As a guest.”
I look at him sharply and then hurtle down the corridor, knowing the woman I love could be killed. My brother follows closely on my heels.
Dinara
Three rows of tables per family lead to the center, where the heads of the families sit. I’m seated at the Sorvino section with other family members. Carmine and Adrianna are near me. In the middle, I can see Alessandro, Katya, Ivan, Tori, Ronan, Daniel, and Natalia. Just as planned, we have sunshine and blue skies overlooking the massive garden of the venue. Everyone is content with their food and where they are, and I have to plaster on a smile until this is over.
Everyone was awkward when we first arrived, but now there’s low talking as people eat, and those who are finished are mingling. Thankfully, children weren’t allowed because that would have made things tense. Imagine telling your kid you can’t play with that man because he’s Irish or Italian. Just because the heads of the families say we’re all family now doesn’t mean there isn’t some tension among everyone. This is going to take some getting used to.
I feel a hollowness inside me, like something is off, but I’m not finding what causes it. It’s like when a house you use for a landmark changes color. Sometimes, you don’t notice at first and keep telling everyone to turn right at the green house; only the green house is now blue.
It has been in front of your eyes for a few days, and you just didn’t see it.
I feel like I’m missing something, making me too anxious to eat. Maybe it’s because I miss Robbie so much. I want to see him. I want to kiss and touch and be held in his arms. I’ve already planned how I’m going to ask Katya, as my friend, to release me from the family so that Robbie and I can move to Europe and be together. The only problem is I don’t know if Robbie would do that. He is so loyal to Ronan and his family. It’s a lot to ask of him.
As the guards rotate every fifteen minutes, I scan the perimeter. So far, I haven’t noticed anything off except the one guard toward the back exit. He’s Italian, but I don’t recognize him. I assume he’s new or someone I haven’t worked with before.
My eyes scan the next guard that rotates. We decided that the guards would rotate one at a time with small intervals to ensure a smooth transition. I raise an eyebrow as I see another guy step out that I don’t recognize. I scan the perimeter again. There’s another.
Fuck. Our guards are being swapped out by other men. They are going to attack the families when they least expect it. I need to warn Katya, but I can’t make a scene. Startling the other guards might cause a shootout to break out, and people could get hurt. I take my phone out calmly to text her, but my phone beeps. It has no cell signal. I try switching it to airplane mode and back, but they’ve jammed the signal somehow. I need to get out of here and get reinforcements. I look at the side gate, where I see Aiden has just stepped inside, talking to a short Italian man who is definitely not a guard.
It is him. He is the second traitor. Dickhead! Being injured was just his way to make us think that he isn’t in on it, that he is safe. It was fucking smart I won’t lie, I didn’t suspect him at all.
I calmly get up and excuse myself to go to the bathroom. Four guards still have to rotate, and enough people are mingling that I don’t think Aiden will pay attention to me. I manage to get inside the main venue office, and instead of walking to the right where the bathrooms are, I walk toward the front.
I reach for the door, but they’re chained shut from the inside. That’s why they aren’t worried if people come in here. I’ll have to find a way out quickly or find a place to hide.
I jump as the window to the right slides open. Jarryd sticks his head in and smiles. “Hey, Dina, we okay to come in?”
“Yes, get in here quick. We need help.”
Jarryd climbs in and is quickly followed by a gun case, then Robbie. Robbie gets up quickly and puts his hands on my shoulders, drawing me to him and kissing me.
I feel Jarryd smack Robbie’s head. “So not the time, dude.”
“Sorry,” he breathes. He reaches behind him, pulls out a handgun, and holds it out to me. “I’ll take out whoever is in charge.”
“The guards are all gone,” I whisper the words, looking around. The party outside has gone quiet.
“Please, like the heads of these families don’t have secret backup plans.” Robbie leads the three of us to the kitchen and opens the window slowly and quietly.
I listen as the Italian man starts making a rather condescending speech about how it’s time for new blood, how it’s time for a new era, and how he is going to rule over everything.
I look up as Robbie takes aim, and I smirk.
“Time for new blood indeed,” I murmur as he takes the shot.