69. Leona
LEONA
Before Rossi bound my hands, I quickly called Badawi to let her know everything was in place. Makarov and Fallon had both confirmed their forces were where they were supposed to be. Giulio and Felix had all our men prepared for the final showdown.
There would be a war on the streets of New York tonight, but my last battle was here.
I sat at a singular table in the middle of Nonna’s, with my hands tied behind my back. Rossi had left them loose enough for me to escape if I needed to, but my nerves were already frayed.
I breathed a slow breath. In through my nose, out through my mouth. In, out.
I could do this. My men were counting on me.
On top of being tied up, I was also unarmed. It was a gigantic risk, but Greco would search me anyway—even if Rossi had already tied me up—especially after the last time I’d snuck a weapon past him and killed one of his capos. If he found something, he’d kill me immediately.
I was banking on the predator’s need to play with its food before it killed it.
The normal hustle and bustle of Nonna’s was gone. The restaurant was empty except for my lonely little table. Instead of patrons, Rossi’s men lurked around the walls. Anthony was closest to me, and he gave me a nod that signaled the start.
They were here.
I clenched my jaw and braced myself.
From my seat, I watched as a dozen of Greco’s men piled into the restaurant. They spread out like a virus while they searched the entire restaurant. After a few minutes, one gave a signal, and a moment later, he walked in.
Greco wore his signature tailored suit. His hair was styled off his forehead, as usual, but this time he wore a holster at his shoulder with a gun tucked inside. He pulled the weapon and held it in a firm, comfortable grip. My heart hammered a frantic beat against my ribs.
“Signorina Vero,” he said calmly. “It seems like you were caught red-handed trying to assassinate one of my underbosses.”
I gave him my most contrite look. “Just a misunderstanding, I assure you.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, you see, I was trying to surrender. Rossi just wouldn’t let me finish explaining before he wrapped these zip ties around my wrists.”
Greco tilted his head back and let out a laugh. “é vero?”
“It is true,” I explained with a smile. “I wanted to meet with you, and this seemed like the best way to get your attention.”
His eyes crinkled with amusement, like he clearly didn’t believe me, but he also couldn’t believe my audacity. “A meeting? It might be the last thing you do, but you’ve gotten my attention. What do you want?”
I jerked my head toward the empty seat. “Please sit.”
He laughed again. “Bah! No. You will not trick me that easily.”
“A trick!” I exclaimed while I wiggled my shoulders. “I’m tied up! How could I possibly trick you?”
He smiled and then gestured for two of his men. “We will search you, just to be safe.”
My lips pressed together. “Fine.”
One of his men looped a hand around my upper arm and pulled me to my feet. I winced at the harsh angle of my shoulder.
“I wonder if the princess likes cock in her mouth,” the soldier said. A ripple went through the rest of the men.
“She’s certainly got enough of them,” the other answered, his Italian accent thick on his tongue.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Anthony flinch, but I gritted my jaw and held my tongue. The only way I was getting through this alive was if I played Greco and kept him more entertained than angry. I doubted he’d be terribly pleased if I killed another one of his men right under his nose.
The man dragged his palms over my body. My gut coiled within my stomach while he searched me, lingering where he shouldn’t for far longer than was appropriate. The touch was repulsive—especially while they all watched, including Greco, and whispered amongst themselves.
“She’s clean,” the man said as he stepped back. “No weapons.”
I let out a breath as I sat back in the chair.
“Check the table,” Greco ordered.
His man searched under my chair, all around the table, and then under Greco’s. There was no hidden weapon waiting to stab him or blow him up. He deemed it safe.
Greco sat down, still watching me with that same detached amusement.
“Don Greco,” I said, trying to keep my tone even and polite, “thank you for meeting with me.”
His fingers drummed on the surface of the table. He folded one leg over the other. “You wish for a surrender?”
I stared at my lap. “I think we both know that you’ve won. I spent the last day in hiding trying to figure out what to do next, and I came up empty. This was the best I had.”
He snapped his fingers, and one of his men cut the ties binding my wrists. I let out a soft gasp and rubbed the aching flesh.
“Why did you do that?” I asked.
He tilted his head to the side. “You seemed determined to believe I am a monster. I won’t kill a man, let alone a woman, with her hands tied behind her back. Even as criminals, we still have our manners, don’t we?”
I gave him the most grateful puppy dog eyes I could manage under the circumstances before I bowed my head in deference. “Thank you,” I whispered.
Rossi walked out of the kitchen, rubbing his hands with a towel. “Ah, signore, welcome. I was tied up in the back. I apologize for the lateness of my greeting.”
Greco gave him a little wave. “Va bene. You’ve done well, Rossi, turning her over to me. I was previously unsure I could count on your loyalty.”
Rossi glared at me. “She tried to fucking kill me.”
I rolled my eyes. “I told you, it was just a misunderstanding!”
He scoffed and turned back to Greco. “Can I get you anything? A glass of wine, perhaps? We have an excellent bottle I’ve reserved for you in the back.”
Greco’s mouth turned down for a moment while he considered, but then he relented. He held up two fingers. “Two glasses, please. Miss Vero may, at least, have a final glass of wine before I kill her.”
Manners, indeed. We only needed him to drink his glass for this plan to work, but I wouldn’t mind imbibing some liquid courage while all this went down.
“Grazie,” I said. “I am a little thirsty.”
We sat in silence while Enzo went back to the kitchen and then returned with two glasses and a gorgeous bottle.
He put one glass in front of Greco and the other in front of me.
Then, Rossi uncorked the bottle and poured a hearty portion into each glass.
“This is one of our premium bottles. I just had it imported from Naples. I think you’ll find it to your liking. ”
Greco took the bottle and inspected the label. “Ah! Il mio preferito. This is one of my favorites.” He grinned. “You’ve done your research, haven’t you, Rossi?”
Rossi nodded. “I have an entire case, which I’ll leave with your men. It’s my gift to you—a little taste of Italy to make you feel at home.”
Damn, Rossi was a talented actor. Even I believed he was sucking up right now.
Greco swirled the liquid in his glass. “Signorina, I have to say, this whole situation has just become so messy. It didn’t have to be this way.”
“I’m sorry. I was too proud before.” I shook my head sadly. “I’ve been trying to make a name for myself, and I didn’t realize that I was stepping into the deep end without knowing how to swim. That’s on me. I wish we hadn’t done it.”
He held the glass aloft and inspected the color of the wine. His eyebrows knitted together in a small frown. “I wish we could have worked together. The last month of conflict has been very interesting.”
Drink it, asshole. That poison in his glass was the key to capturing him.
“We can still,” I offered. “I really did come here to apologize.”
He set the glass down and turned his stony gaze toward me.
I struggled to sit still. As much as I despised this man and what he had done to my guys, he was still an incredibly opposing figure.
Power oozed from him. The dozens of men watching our conversation while waiting in the restaurant only added to the pressure of his persona.
But I could do this.
“Go on then,” he instructed.
I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry. Mi dispiace. You were right. I was prideful. I didn’t listen to your wisdom and experience, and it backfired. I should have realized from the very beginning how much I have to learn from you. We never should have been enemies.”
His eyes twitched, and he looked like he was about to reply, but I pressed forward.
“You’ve always steered my father and his associates in the right direction. It was my hubris that ignored you and believed that I could run New York on my own. I’m sorry. Sincerely. Please forgive me for my mistakes.”
He was quiet for a moment. I couldn’t read one thought going through his head. Eventually, he gestured to my glass.
“You’re not enjoying your wine.”
I looked at the glass, untouched in front of me. “I was waiting for you.”
He glanced over his shoulder, but Rossi had disappeared back into the kitchen. Using both hands, he switched our glasses.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Rossi was supposed to poison his glass, and now it was mine.
“Please, I insist. Ladies first.”
I reached for the stem and lifted it to my lips. He observed me while I ingested a sip of the liquid. “It’s delicious.”
He nodded, and then he took his own drink. Rossi popped his head back into the dining room, and it took every ounce of control in my body not to look at him. Which glass did he poison? Mine or Greco’s?
“This is excellent, Rossi,” Greco said. “Thank you.”
Across the room, Rossi nodded his acknowledgement.
“I imagine you want me to free your men from jail,” he mused to me.
“Yes. There’s no point in denying it.”
“Volpe disobeyed me and disrespected me. Even if I let your other men go, I would still have to kill him.”
My lips thinned. He would expect me to throw Max under the bus, but I couldn’t do that. Not even here, not even now. “I’m not trying to negotiate. I’m just trying to make right my errors.”
“It’s hard to believe you’re serious, signorina, when all you’ve ever shown me in the past was your insubordination.” Greco took another drink from his glass of wine. “Your disrespect has been continual.”