Chapter 34 Tyson
THIRTY-FOUR
TYSON
So far, this is going better than we could’ve expected.
Not only are the Corazza’s on board to take down the Ricci’s, they’re interested in wiping out our family, too.
Of course, destroying two dominant crime families in the same area bodes well for the one who prevails victorious, and Rocco Corazza is trying to make a name for himself, proving to the world that he’s got what it takes to run with the big dogs.
He’s our age, and hungry as hell to take some serious power, which makes this deal beneficial for us all.
After we shake on it, Rocco and his wife order bottles of champagne, deeming this a celebratory dinner.
“I’m going to check on Carter, she missed the whole meeting,” Massi whispers to me, and I nod, keeping my poker face intact, but my heart drops into my stomach at his realization.
We haven’t seen her in at least ten minutes, but for the sake of this deal we quite literally just made, I need to keep my shit together, and trust Massi to find our girl.
My mind is racing with possibilities, my brain blocking out everything happening around me, and it feels like Massi’s been gone for hours, not minutes.
“Tyson, you alright?” Rocco asks, breaking my trance, and I quickly take a sip of water, attempting to recenter myself.
Carter is my kryptonite, the one thing that could bring me to my knees or paralyze my body in pure shock if something were to happen to her. I know from experience, the night she was almost taken from us standing out front and center in my mind.
“Yes, sorry. His girlfriend tends to run off, and I’m just worried she got into trouble, her first time in the city and all,” I smile sheepishly, knowing that if I were on the opposite side of the table, I wouldn’t believe my lies for a second.
“His girlfriend? Interesting,” he laughs, and Allie does too, the two of them exchanging a glance.
“How so?”
“I’ve seen throuples before, Tyson. You three are very much in love, but do you and Masseria … cross swords?” His wife jokes, and I can’t help the smile on my face, releasing a sigh of relief as for once, we don’t have to hide our relationship out of fear of judgment.
“Absolutely not,” I say sternly, ending that ridiculous narrative before it even begins, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Massi walking toward the table, a shit-eating grin on his face.
“She’ll be right out,” he says, keeping it short and sweet, but I know him well enough that he’s not telling the whole story, and I’m on high alert.
Judging by his face, there’s something deeper going on here, especially since he came back from the restroom alone.
“Where is she?” I ask, my resolve shattering by the second, the panic sweeping over me at record speed.
“Don’t worry, Ty, she’s fine. She’s … found a side project,” he says, and I notice how blown out his pupils are, that devilish persona he carries only showing when he’s on the verge of a kill.
Whatever they’re up to cannot be good, and I’ll be damned if we came all this way for Carter and Massi to ruin our plans because they can’t resist their mutual thirst for blood.
“I swear to God, you better not be fucking this up,” I mutter through gritted teeth, my blood pressure rising with each word that leaves my lips.
“Exactly the opposite. Relax, brother, have a drink before the show begins,” he laughs under his breath, delivering an ominous warning that doesn’t make me feel calm in the slightest.
Before I can say anything else, Rocco’s waiter delivers bottles of champagne on ice, along with five glass flutes, and an array of meats and cheeses on a platter.
“Shall we toast?” He asks, standing as he pops the cork off the first bottle, the bubbles spilling all over the white tablecloth.
A loud crash comes from the kitchen, followed by a scream I immediately decipher as Carter’s, and rather than trust Massi’s assurances, I jump into action.
Faintly, I hear Rocco tell his wife to stay put, but the blood rushes to my ears, my feet not moving fast enough as I follow the sounds, praying that I make it to her in time.
Finally, I round the corner, coming to a screeching halt when I see Carter standing over a man tied to a chair, her dark curls covering her face as she leans in close to him.
“Ty! Let her handle this,” Massi warns, but I shrug him off, stomping straight toward her petite frame, snatching her by the arm as I spin her to face me.
“Hi handsome, why do you look so somber?” She smiles, that deranged one that pairs with the psychotic look in her eye, stealing complete control from her usual demeanor.
She’s consumed by the hunt, her prey quite literally displayed on a silver platter, and there’s no getting through to her when she’s this lost to the beast that lives within.
“Carter, you nearly gave me a heart attack. What the fuck is going on here?” I yell, switching my focus between the two culprits, but neither one of them says a word, only fueling each other's fire the longer they hold their stare.
“I’d like to know why your girlfriend has one of my men tied up, actually,” Rocco adds, his hand on his waistband, and I copy his stance, not happy with my two idiots, but never faltering on the fact that I’d kill for them in a heartbeat.
Carter is fearless, always has been in the face of everything we’ve been through together, and usually I admire that most about her, but as she steps to the head of a crime family with no regard for safety, I’m ready to throw her over my shoulder and drag her out of this place like a toddler throwing a tantrum.
“That man tried to drug and kidnap me a few weeks ago, and I find it suspicious that we’ve found him here, with the Corazza’s?
” She speaks slowly, articulating her words, but also spinning the signature blade between her hands, not an ounce of fear in that beautiful, yet equally frustrating, body of hers.
“Are you fucking serious, Massi?” I whisper, stepping back from Carter, joining him as he watches her stand up for herself with an intense sense of pride on his face.
“It was her call, Ty. Besides, if we can get a real confession from this guy, we’re in the fucking clear. Just do us all a favor and let her work, okay?”
He has a point, as much I hate to admit it, so I step back, allowing Carter to do what she does best, and biting my fucking tongue in hopes that we finally get answers.
Her and Rocco speak privately, their gazes landing on the man tied up to a chair every so often, and I take a second to admire her technique, noticing how well she secured him by herself.
This guy is twice her size, but in true Carter fashion, that didn’t phase her, and she managed to tie his ankles, arms, even stuffing him with a gag, all while barely making a peep.
She’s magnificent, a certified silent assassin, and although she nearly killed me, I couldn’t be more proud of her.
“Here’s the deal.” Rocco turns to face us, finally ending his conversation with Carter, and I don’t dare take my eyes off her.
“He’s worked security for the last few weeks, so the timeline adds up, but I’m not happy about the ambush.
I’ll let you get your information, but my men will handle this once you’re done. ”
His tone leaves no room for miscommunication, and when Carter’s eyes meet mine, she’s practically begging to do this, to be the one to lead the charge, and without hesitation I give her a slight nod, Massi doing the same.
This is another way for her to take back her power, to seek revenge from those who attempted to kidnap her, and I could never say no to that kind of satisfaction.
“Deal,” I say, and Massi echoes my statement, his giddiness at the thought of watching Carter interrogating a man almost sickening, whereas I feel like I’m going to pass out at any moment.
“Good. Get everyone out, and send Allie home with Lorenzo.” Rocco motions to his people, all three men nodding while he speaks, and running off in different directions once he’s finished.
This meeting has taken a completely different turn than I anticipated, but if it’s what gets us even closer to the finish line, I can stomach a little torture, as long as it keeps that crazy fucking smile painted on Carter’s beautiful face.
Nobody speaks another word as we watch her get prepared, pulling three knives from her purse, but starting with her signature blade, laughing maniacally as she steps up to the man who’s being held at her mercy.
He doesn’t seem phased in the slightest, but I’ve seen Carter’s work, the way she takes pleasure in using the human body as a canvas, with blood being her paint of choice, and this poor fool has no idea what’s in store for him.