Chapter Fifteen
Halligan crawled toward the other end of the row of booths. He’d gotten a couple shots off, but Franco was still standing—well, crouching—behind another table he’d flipped over. His goons were hunkered down behind furniture too.
Now they were just firing shots off intermittently. Halligan was frustrated and ready to end this.
“Heads up. Another vehicle just entered the parking lot. Three men in suits are getting out and protecting an older, white-haired gentleman. I’m letting them through. They’re armed with guns, but they’re keeping them holstered. I don’t think they’re with Franco,” Quinton said.
Halligan waited to see what would happen. The door opened, a loud voice calling out cease fire.
Halligan peered over the top of the booth.
The men Quinton had described were casually standing in the entrance. None of them had drawn their guns.
“No, you can’t be here. This is my deal,” Franco said, standing up and waving his gun toward the men.
“It seems we are in disagreement. You were never given approval to take over Las Vegas, Franco. Boys?” the man said.
Two of the men who had come in with the white-haired gentleman walked over and took Franco’s gun away, pushing him to his knees.
“No. You have no say here in America,” Franco screamed, his face turning red.
“Awww, Franco, if you’d been in the know at all, you’d know that I have a say in everything. Now, who is the Halligan Nelson that I have to thank for taking care of my niece?” the man asked.
Halligan stood and walked toward the man. “I’m Halligan and who are you?” he asked.
The man held out his hand, “Bruno Rossellini. I’m Loni’s great-uncle. Pleased to meet you.”
“Stop. No. I have this all planned. I’m in charge,” Franco screamed, his face turning red.
The door opened, and the figure walking in had Halligan’s eyes widening.
“Icilio, come join us. Halligan, I’m sorry we didn’t reach here before Franco made a mess. We stopped in Las Vegas to liberate a few people, and Franco snuck out of the city before he could be picked up,” Bruno said.
“Icilio, my wife is going to be thrilled that you’re alive. She was distraught thinking she’d lost you,” Halligan said, sticking his hand out.
Icilio looked a little worse for wear. His face was mottled with bruises that extended down his neck. His left arm was in a sling with a cast. He moved gingerly, which Halligan guessed was due to broken or bruised ribs.
“I am glad she got to you,” Icilio said.
“Where is the principessa? I think she should get to have a little time alone with Franco, don’t you?” Bruno asked.
Halligan wasn’t sure whether or not Loni would want to, but he was giving her the chance.
“If it’s safe, I’ll bring Loni,” his dad said in his earpiece.
“Yes, please bring her,” Halligan said.
“My dad was keeping Loni safe. He’ll be bringing her over. If your men can keep Franco there, why don’t we all share a drink,” Halligan suggested.
Maverick, Schaefer, and he poured drinks for everyone. Crewe walked out of the kitchen with a tray of appetizers.
“No reason to be hungry,” Crewe said, placing plates on the table.
Halligan settled back and waited. He couldn’t wait to see Loni again, but he wished he could protect her from being in Franco’s presence.
Bruno smiled. “It seems the rumors of your business acumen aren’t exaggerated.
Few men could deal with people in our line of work visiting your establishment and keep their cool.
I’ll hold my approval, as will Icilio, until we see you with Apollonia but it’s looking good for you,” Bruno said, picking up one of Crewe’s beer-battered onion rings and taking a bite.
“I appreciate the fact that you both are holding your approval until you see Loni because it shows how important she is to your family, and I know she would love your approval, especially you, Icilio. She cried so many tears at your loss. That being said, if either one of you makes my woman cry anything but happy tears ever again, I won’t hesitate to teach you a lesson.
Loni is mine—my wife, my woman, and the mother of my child.
You will all do whatever it takes to make her feel loved, safe, and happy. Clear?” Halligan said.
Bruno chuckled. Icilio glared, but Halligan was positive they understood his position now.
Crewe tapped him and motioned toward the kitchen. His dad was standing there, waiting for the okay to bring Loni in. Halligan strode over to the door and stepped in.
“Halligan, you’re okay,” Loni said, throwing her arms around him. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to this feeling of her in his arms, loving him. And fuck—it took the threat for him to realize he loved her.
“I’m more than okay. I want to show you something,” he said, then paused. He wanted her to know everything before she faced her demon.
He cupped her face and stared into her dark eyes that he really hoped she passed on to their son or daughter. “I love you, and I love how I am when I’m with you. I can’t wait for the next fifty years plus with you and our children,” he said.
He watched her face, wondering if she’d feel obligated to say it back.
“I love you too, Halligan. From the moment you just accepted me when I showed up at the bar, it kept growing with each little thing you did to make me feel safe. When you were so happy about our little one, I knew you were exactly the man I thought you were, and I could open my heart. And children, as in plural?” she asked.
He chuckled. Trust his Loni to catch that.
“Well, I do come from a big family, but now that we know where we both stand, I want to take you to talk with some people. Franco is in the bar but he’s under guard.
One of the others, I know you’ll be excited to see,” he said, leading her through the door.
He felt the exact instant she saw Icilio. She covered her mouth and shook.
“Icy,” she yelled, running toward Icilio. Halligan hurried behind her, but his wife was in good hands. Icilio was hugging her and assuring her he was all right.
“How did you survive?” Loni asked.
“Franco was keeping me alive, I believe, to use as leverage against you. Bruno rescued me when they hit the compound,” he said.
Loni turned toward Bruno, holding out her hand. “I remember Papa talking about you before he passed. Thank you for rescuing Icilio,” she said.
Bruno stood, raising Loni’s hand and kissing it. “You were always your Papa and Gigi’s favorite…”
“Oh, shut up! I’m tired of her always being the golden grandchild. She’s worthless,” Franco yelled.
Halligan turned, walked closer, and punched Franco the way he’d been aching to for days.
“You shut up,” Halligan said.
“Yes, Franco. Right now, you’re existing there, which is better than the alternative—not existing,” Bruno said, turning back to Loni. “Principessa, are you happy here?” he asked.
Even though Loni had told him that she loved him, her claiming him in front of Icilio and Bruno meant something.
“Oh, I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. Halligan’s thrilled about the baby and I owe my happiness to you and our plan,” she said.
Halligan watched a myriad of emotions cross Icilio’s face.
He’d functioned as her bodyguard, but from what she’d said about their relationship, technically he was her cousin, but he’d been the older brother she’d always wanted.
Even though he’d known about the baby, it had to be hard to realize she was married and he wouldn’t be her security anymore.
“I’m so happy for you. I worried about you while I was held, but I kept telling myself, my Loni is smart, and we’ve gone over the plan. I’m so proud of you for getting you and the baby safe,” Icilio said.
“You better hope I don’t get free because I will end any children you have,” Franco yelled.
Halligan turned to go hit him again, but Loni stopped him.
“I’ve got this,” she said, shaking her finger at Icilio when he started to head toward Franco, too.
It didn’t stop either him or Icilio from standing behind her to back her up. She walked to the bar, grabbing a couple of items and a bar towel. She looked at the men standing on each side of Franco.
“I don’t want him moving. Can you make sure he doesn’t move?” she asked.
Halligan was watching and trying to figure out what his wife had planned for her brother. Each of the men grasped Franco by his shoulders, holding him down on his knees. They’d placed Franco in flexi-cuffs while Halligan, Bruno, and Icilio had enjoyed the appetizers.
“Perfect,” she said, standing in front of him. Without warning anyone, she kicked him in the crotch, making every man in the room wince.
“That’s for threatening my child and any future children,” she said, walking behind him.
“Can someone split his shirt for me?” she asked.
Halligan accepted a knife from the man holding Franco’s left side and sliced through his shirt. When he started to hand it back, Loni stopped him.
“I might need it if this doesn’t work,” she said, laying the towel with something inside of it down and holding up a cheese grater.
He chuckled. “You paying him back for your back, honey? A cheese grater doesn’t seem like a big enough penalty for what he did,” Halligan said. Now that he thought about it, he needed to know something. He leaned close.
“Are the men who Franco had whip you in here?” he asked.
Loni glanced around the room, then motioned to two men standing by the bar with one of Bruno’s men beside them.
“Bruno, those two men by the bar participated in what Loni is making Franco pay for. I’d like them to have the same punishment,” Halligan said.
Before Bruno could reply, his men had the two guys Loni had indicated on the floor, one on each side of Franco. His men ripped their shirts down the back too.
“Principessa, what did they do to you?” Bruno asked.
Loni stared at Bruno. Halligan could see her thinking through how much she wanted to share. She leaned close.
“Help me show him,” she said. Halligan nodded. His woman was strong and fierce.