Chapter 22
MATTEO
“I NEED TO TALK TO MY men,” Amalia says. “Everything’s ready for the attack.”
I follow her down to the room where they’re already gathered. They go quiet when she comes in, and I lean against the wall near the door so I can keep an eye on everyone.
“You all know why we’re here,” she says. “Dominic killed people we cared about. He thinks he’ll never pay for any of it. Well, he’s wrong.”
A few of the men shift on their feet. One of them folds his arms, his gaze trained on her.
“We know where he’ll be, when, and we know how to get him exactly where we want him.
That’s months of work. Yours. Some of you have done this longer than I’ve been alive, so you know it won’t be easy.
But I’m telling you we’ve never been this close, and I’d rather go there with the people in this room than with anyone else I’ve ever met. ”
She lifts her chin and looks around at all of them. “Tomasso taught me everything. I’m asking you to help me finish what he started, and when it’s done, Dominic will answer for every one of us he took. So are you with me?”
A low rumble of agreement goes around until everyone has dipped their head at least once. She thanks them and starts breaking them into groups, telling them what to bring and when to be ready.
She’s fascinating, as always. She knows which of them needs to be told twice and which one to put in charge of the others. I figured she could plan, since I’ve watched her do it for weeks now, but this is something else.
Later, when the room’s cleared out and it’s just the two of us again, I catch her arm before she heads upstairs.
“You were amazing in there,” I say.
She frowns at me. “It was just a speech.”
“It wasn’t just a speech. Those men will follow you anywhere.” I let go of her arm. “I’m serious. You’re good at this.”
“Thanks.” She holds my gaze for a moment. “Come with me.”
As we make our way down the hallway, her face is pensive.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing. I’m just thinking about what happens next. I’ve wanted this for so long that I never bothered to think past it. Tomasso, my family, holding onto everything... It’s all been about getting here. And once it’s done, I just... I don’t know what comes next.”
“Live,” I say.
She blinks at me. “What?”
“After it’s over, you live. That’s what comes next.” I shrug.
The corner of her mouth pulls up just slightly. “You make it sound easy.”
“It’s not. But it beats the alternative.”
“I guess.”
“How about we go over the plan again, just in case?” I say.
“Sure.” She gives me a smile, and part of me wonders what will happen after Dominic’s dead and there’s nothing for us to do together.