Carlos moves over and gives his brother a warning look before cutting the sleeve off his shirt to tie it around his shoulder. He finishes the makeshift bandage by giving it an extra hard yank. Matteo allows his growl to slip through this time, though, as it’s okay for him to show his displeasure to Carlos.
Being the fucking Boss has its perks.
“Let’s move these bodies inside the building and get it wired,” I say, looking between Angelo, Matteo, and Carlos. “Luca, collect Cary’s equipment and go get the SUV. We’ll need it. I’m going to call Lorenzo and see if he’s been able to locate anyone from Miami left alive.” I smirk, feeling cocky. “And Matteo, make sure not to get blood anywhere, especially out here. Wouldn’t want you to be fingered when the pigs descend with all their forensic shit.”
Matteo nods, pulling his arm out of his other sleeve and holding it out to Carlos. “Tie this one around it, too. Might as well embrace the whole Rambo thing.”
Carlos chuckles and whips out his knife while I walk a few steps away and pull out my phone. “You locate anyone?” I ask as soon as Lorenzo answers.
“I’ve put out some feelers, but no word yet,” he replies, sounding optimistic. “I do have an update on the helicopter, though. It has landed and Madeline has been rushed into surgery.”
“Good,” I respond. “Keep me updated, especially if things take a turn for the worse.” I pause, waffling on my wording. “I’m not sure how a baby would survive an injury like that.”
“I don’t know, son. I’ve seen some miraculous things in my time,” he says, trying to be encouraging. “Let’s just wait and see.”
“I assume, since you haven’t mentioned her, everything’s okay with Piper?” I ask, the melancholy of the moment making me think of my own love, who’s far away but safe, unlike Madeline.
“I checked on her earlier, and she and Bee seem to be getting along swimmingly.”
“That’s not necessarily a good thing.” I smirk, appreciating the minute to talk shit before I return to the death and destruction around me.
“No. It’s not.”
“What the fuck, old man?” I ask with a snort. “You were supposed to reassure me.”
He laughs. “Get finished down there, and you can see for yourself.”
“Find me someone to take over this fucked up organization so I can,” I challenge, looking behind me to see if my men need help. “Keep me in the loop. I’m gonna make sure these fucks do this shit right.”
“I’ll be in touch,” he replies, and then rushes to add, “Do you want me to send them to you?”
I pause, thinking through the question. “Yeah. That’ll be fucking perfect.”
I hit end and turn with renewed vigor. “I want to get a look at the faces of the dead,” I tell Carlos as I pass him at the bay door. “Maybe I’ll recognize someone from my opposition research.”
“Have at it,” he says, waving toward the shop. “We’ve only got a couple more to drag inside, and they’re the outside guards we killed first. I doubt any of them are who you’re looking for.”
I enter the building through the open bay door and move past the rusted cars to the room where the war came to its end. Harold and William’s bodies have been stretched out to the side, while the rest of them are haphazardly posed along the far wall, sometimes even double stacked.
As I skim over the faces, a few look familiar, but there’s only one of the Capos I’d originally targeted. Which means, the person I’ve chosen to become the next leader is still roaming Miami somewhere, but so are a few others who were marked for termination, including their Consigliere and another shady Capo.
Whipping out my phone, I dial Lorenzo again. “I was just about to call,” he says in lieu of a hello. “I’ve located Stanley Kent and spoken briefly with him.”
“Did you make him aware of their predicament?” I ask, picturing the old man currently serving as the Consigliere for the now defunct Miami organization—a man who’ll fucking die before the day is over, but it doesn’t mean I can’t use him as a means to an end.
“I did,” he replies, sighing. “And I don’t trust him. You should expect the unexpected.”
“No fucking doubt.” I nod, motioning Angelo over. “Make sure Peyton and Ryker Nash attend the meeting. Relay to Stanley that I’m ready to leave it to them to restructure, and I expect them to be here within two hours.” I pull the phone away and look to Angelo. “Take Luca and guard the entrance. I’ll be working to get you overhead support shortly.”
“Got it, Boss,” Angelo replies, turning to find Luca.
“Let’s get the helicopter back here,” I direct Lorenzo, placing the phone back to my ear. “I want him circling overhead and in direct contact with Angelo until this meeting has taken place.”
“On it now,” he replies, his fingers flying over the laptop keys. “I’ll text you further developments as you await their arrival.”
“Perfect,” I reply, glancing toward the building where Matteo and Carlos are lounging in the bay door. “Any word on Madeline?”
“Still in surgery.”
“Keep me informed,” I say, squaring my shoulders. “Time to get ready for visitors.”
Ending the call, I approach my men. “This building set to fucking blow?”
Carlos chuckles and tosses the handheld switch my way. “Abso-fucking-lutely!”
The echo of helicopter blades whirs overhead, and I huddle with my men to give them a general rundown of how I expect the evening to conclude. They don’t seem overly impressed with my plan, but they’re used to
