Page 69 of The Silencer

“Not sure yet, but Bane will get it out of them,” Luca says.

“It has to be them. If not them, then a gang affiliated with them. Someone stupid enough to come after us here,” Luca says.

“Do you think this will affect me and my girls?” Sabrina asks, sounding slightly worried. A stark contrast to the badass she was earlier.

“Yes, there’s a possibility. They hit Raphael.”

“Why is this the first I’m hearing about it?” Sabrina replies angrily. “You should put out a notification to all your subsidiaries to be on the lookout. This is dangerous.”

“I will,” Anthony bites out. “We’ve caught and killed everyone they’ve sent out. I didn’t realize they’d be this stupid.”

“Seems they are. But it’ll be their downfall. I guarantee that,” Viktor says.

“It will.”

They continue discussing semantics, but my mind filters in and out of the conversation, only hearing bits and pieces of it. At one point, they get a senator on the phone. Something about sending some agents down to the Fallen Aces to put heat on them. I try like hell to pay attention, but I honestly don’t care what they’re discussing. I just want Anthony to continue holding me like he is.

Eventually the conversation ends and everyone finishes their drinks and stands.

“Send me updates on Mike’s condition,” Anthony adds before Luca and Viktor leave.

“Will do, Boss,” Viktor replies.

Sabrina leans down and presses a kiss to my cheek before the sound of her heels clack out of the room. The door shuts with a click, and I sigh in the silence, snuggling deeper into him.

Anthony doesn’t move, just holds me to him tightly.

“How are you feeling?” he asks me softly.

“Still terrible. May need you to hold me like this forever.”

He lets out a small chuckle and finishes off his drink. It settles onto the end table with a clink and he leans back with a sigh, his shoulders loosening.

“Fuck, I’m sorry you had to experience that. They should know better than to mess with my family.”

I peer up at him and his gaze meets mine. Something flashes in his eyes, and he wets his lips.

“This is all my fault.”

“No. You did nothing wrong.”

“I did,” I say, my nose stinging and my eyes welling with unshed tears. “I shouldn’t have gone to that bar. Now everyone knows I’m a friend of the family. And that I’m worth the risk. And now everyone’s trying to hurt you.”

“People are always trying to hurt me. This isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.”

I sigh, my hand unbuttoning his shirt, just one button before slipping my hand through it, letting my palm settle against his warm skin.

“Usually my enemies are more strategic. Those idiots didn’t have a chance coming here with so few men. Like I said, whoever did this was sloppy. Which is why I’m betting it’s attached to the Aces.”

“Yeah,” I murmur as I run my thumb over his nipple. It puckers under my touch, and I tug at it.

Anthony doesn’t move away from me, just continues to hold me close. My hand travels across his chest, feeling his chest hair beneath my palm as I explore.

“And Sabrina?” I have to ask.

“What about her?”

Our gazes collide and I shrug, feigning disinterest. “You know…have you two been…she’s beautiful.”