Page 91 of By Blade, I Love
“It’ll be alright, sweetheart,” he said in a calm voice as he moved to the chair.
“How touching,” Icarus said. “To lie to your daughter, knowing full well she’s going to die a very painful death.”
Fucking monster.
Icarus turned to the little girl. His back was to me so I couldn’t see his face, but I had a feeling he grinned at her. “Daddy is gonna sit here and beg for your life, understanding I’mabsolutely going to kill you anyway. And your sister.” He turned to look at Rosaria. “And your mother. All because he thought he was sooooo much smarter than me.” He turned back to Don Russo, who’d taken a seat in the chair.
The older sister looked to be about fifteen, and her bottom lip quivered as the fear kicked in. She probably didn’t understandexactlywhat was about to happen, but she knew her father wouldn’t be able to save her.
Icarus snapped a finger, and one of the other men brought a chair forward for him to sit. They were the same chairs we’d used for that dinner Cosa Nostra had held under the stars and by candlelight. A beautiful memory ruined by a horrible reality.
Icarus took a seat, spread his knees wide apart and sank into the chair like he was tired after a long day. One elbow was propped on the metal armrest as he looked at Don Russo across from him, cocking his head to one side and then the other. “I just want to rehash a couple points before we continue the show. I want the record to reflect that I gave you ample warning this would happen—and you disregarded that.”
I didn’t have a clue how Don Russo was doing, if he even looked at Icarus or if he stared at his family behind him.
“You thought—like the silly old man that you are—that you would outsmart me.” His hand moved to his chest, and he released a loud laugh. “Me.”
Just when I thought I couldn’t hate this man more, my rage reached new heights.
“I’ve been moving my chess pieces across the board, and you’ve been running around like cockroaches without heads. Wolfe and your main guys are trapped out front by my firing squad, whileyou’re about to witness a public execution. Then I’ll kill all of you, and…” He started to wipe his palms together to brush off invisible dirt. “And then my job will be done. Sicily will be a territory under the king’s regime, and everyone’s happy. So…” He scooted forward in his chair, his elbows still resting on his knees. “Would you like to say goodbye before I hang them? Or would you rather plead for me to change my mind?”
Rage coursed through my veins like acid because I was sick of this asshole’s games. All of this had been one long, fucking game.
Don Russo didn’t speak.
“Which is it gonna be?” Icarus barked.
Don Russo finally found his voice after a heavy pause. “I’m the one you want…not them.” His voice shook like he was already in tears, a grown man who had been eviscerated by fear.
Icarus nodded like he was raptly listening to every word. “Uh-huh. Sure.”
I shook my head in ferocity, and without really thinking it through, I took a step forward.
But Leo grabbed me around the wrist like he’d somehow read my mind. And he gave me a wild look with wide eyes and mouthed, “Don’t do it.”
I twisted out of his grasp and stepped forward. “No, they aren’t what you want. Not when you can have me instead.”
“Frankie.” My brother’s hiss came from behind me.
Don Russo was in Icarus’s line of sight, so he leaned drastically to the left to make eye contact with me. And the second he did,he grinned. “Lady Wolfe, what a lovely surprise. I feel so rude leaving you out.”
“If I’m a surprise, then maybe you aren’t as good at chess as you thought.” I came to Don Russo’s side and crossed my arms over my chest.
He grinned before he started to rub his palms together greedily. “Just when I thought things were getting boring around here. You really are the perfect woman for him.” My hand went to Don Russo’s shoulder, and I gave it a pat, silently telling him to leave.
He hesitated for a moment before he stood up and returned to the main group.
Icarus’s eyes shifted to a spot beside me, his sight a little off from my gaze. “Little boy hates to be away from his mama.”
I turned to see Leo right beside me. He must have followed me up the stairs and stayed behind me. I had been so focused on Icarus and the adrenaline in my ears that I didn’t notice his steps. “Leo, shoo.”
He ignored me and looked straight at Icarus.
I couldn’t deal with him right now, so I turned back to my opponent. “This family has nothing to do with this, so you’re going to let them go and deal with me instead.”
“Ooh, I forgot how bossy you are.” He relaxed back in the chair and cupped his chin with his hand. Telling me what to do…it’s cute.”
“Let them go, Icarus.”
