Fulfilling Fate - Book 3

Chapter 9 - The Notes, Secrets!

"What about you, Tommy? Are you happy to see me?"

"You know I am Mina. You're more than Raffaele's woman. You are family," he retorts without hesitation. Throwing an arm over my shoulders, he gestures me to walk alongside him. "Let's get that drink. I'm curious to know how you managed to cheat death."

I've missed the boys. Each Capo has become a friend, family, and protected me in the past. I have moved on from that morning in the kitchen. I don't agree with any of their actions, but I understand it enough to let the past go. They were split and conflicted about those events.

Walking through the doors of the boardroom. The Capos' eyes snap back up at me, "I still see this!" Leon mumbles, struggling to believe what his eyes are witnessing.

Each one of these men has underestimated me in the past. I was able to outrun and hide for them. I drugged one, I shot another, and even abducted a third. One girl brought a range of trouble to their doorstep. Yet they saved me from Alonzo, tried to comfort me when I miscarried. Fearlessly followed me and covered me under gunfire when John took my son. Who would have thought friendships could be built this way.

"I'm real," I giggle, shaking my head, amused at his reaction. They all have a million questions, and I'm going to need to relay the whole story once more. "Carlos, can I have one of those?" I ask.

Smiling, he walks over as I take a seat and places the glass in front of me, pouring me a drink. Each man takes a position directly across from me. I feel like I'm being interrogated. Raffaele pulls a chair up next to me, placing his warm hand on my thigh, encouraging me to start. Gulping my drink, my brows knit together. I let out a breath, "Clearly, I'm not dead." I start by saying.

"No, shit!" Sal sneers. Leaning forward, he feels the need to express his frustration, "Do you have any idea what your family is going through? What Raffaele has gone through? He was..."

Mark clutches Sal's arm, squeezing slightly. He interjects, "It looks like Raf has accepted her reasons, Sal, and that is all we need."

Letting out a defeated breath, Sal rubs his face, "That's not how I meant it."

I nod meekly in understanding. Blowing out a breath, I straighten my posture, "I wish I had another option, but I didn't." Suddenly, I'm nervous. There was more to that note, and I need to tell them everything. Settling my frenzy state, I continue, "Six minutes is all I had after I was warned about the assassin, waiting to take that shot on me."

Raffaele's fingers dig into my thigh as I relay. "The contract was on me. The previous failed attempts on my life put Nathan in danger. He wanted Raffaele to lose one of us that night, and I needed to ensure it wouldn't be my son."

Tommy angrily runs his fingers through his hair, "We had Nathan well-protected," his comment is to be expected. He has no idea his men were prepared to take the hit on his godson.

"Tommy," Raffaele stops him from going on, shaking his head. He says, "Just listen."

A stern nod from the Gun allows me to continue, "I put a half-assed plan together. It was Petro that made it into a tangible one."

"Petro?" Mark screeches in surprise. His eyes snap to Raffaele. In any other case, this would be seen as a betrayal.

"Yes, Petro!" I snap, "You forget he's my family, and if there were any other way, he wouldn't have let me go through with this." I make it clear to the boys. I hate the finger-pointing at my cousin—I don't want the traitor label on him. He's not.

Petro considers each one of these men his family. He hated hiding the truth, but it was the only way to protect my son and me and giving the Morelli's upper hand. He was distraught and crumbling at the thought of me being shot. I lost count of how many times he begged Paul in the space of a minute, to be precise.