Page 18 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)

“Should we take care of it?” Marco asks, his tone eager with the idea of killing a traitor.

“Let me know first.”

“Right, Boss.” Marco nods.

"Lou, I want you with the street-level guys. Boost our presence and peace in the community, if you know what I mean. Remind them who holds the power."

"Will do, Boss.” Lou leans closer to me and whispers, “I wonder if you’ll have to knit for your duties.”

I shoot him an irritated glare. “It’s easy to torture and kill with knitting needles.”

He smirks.

“Now, we also need to get into Abate’s territory.”

I straighten because that’s right up my alley. I can take men and insure that Abate’s business becomes Niko’s.

“Pete, I want you and your men, along with Dex and his men, to get in there and persuade his soldiers andcaposto join us?—”

“Or die.” Dex high-fives Pete.

“Yes, but find out who in the Family thinks they can take over. With Romeo gone, it’s likely acapo, but maybe Carlo Marchetti, Tiberius’s consiglieri, could be eying it.”

“He has a legit law firm,” Pete shares.

“So? I have legit businesses.”

Pete shrugs.

"Everyone else, you know your roles. Visibility and strength, brute force if needed.”

I know Niko is focused on protecting his business and taking over Abate’s, but how long will he let Giovanni alone? The fucker set us up and nearly killed me.

I shift from the wall, the bullet hole beneath my shirt itching. I’d rather the soreness than itching. I ignore it to focus on the job at hand.

“What about Giovanni?” I ask. “When do we move on him?”

“Patience, Donovan.” Niko leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers, his eyes on mine.

“He thinks he got one over on you, Boss,” Lou says. “You gonna let him think that?”

“For now, yes. Don’t worry, justice will come. But Giovanni must think he's won. That's when he'll slip. That's when we strike."

Niko pauses, watches the men who are all nodding. They’re on board, except maybe Lou, who is scrutinizing Niko. Perhaps he thinks Niko is being weak. But I trust Niko. Even when I don’t like his decisions or don’t understand them, I trust him.

"Let him think he's holding all the cards," Niko says. "In the meantime, we fortify. We take what was Abate’s and make it ours, and by the time Giovanni senses the noose, it'll already be too tight to slip."

“Damn right!” several men bellow.

“You know your jobs. Get to it.” Niko stands. “Donovan, you stay with me.”

Thecaposand soldiers disperse, leaving me alone with Niko. My spirits rise. He’s going to give me my assignment and it’s not going to be to babysit Elena and Lucy.

“Have a seat.” It's not a request.

I sit down and try not to squirm as he studies me.

“How’s the wound?”