The Hitman's Mark

Prologue

MATTEO

WARNING: This story contains depictions of violence that may be upsetting for some readers.

Everyone knew that behind every powerful crime family, an extremely effective don waited. A crime lord. A kingpin. A godfather. Boss.

Seated at the top of the family's hierarchy, the don's authority was unquestioned. Revered and feared in the same breath. The don made every hard call and was blamed for every bad one. The most successful ones lived in absolute luxury, surrounded by riches and women and infamy. But they also lived on edge. Always looking over their shoulder. Sleeping with one eye open.

Matteo Costa didn't envy them. Not at all.

The Romanos initiated Matteo into their crime family nearly three months prior. Since then, he'd spent almost every day following Leonardo "The Hollowman" Romano around New York City. It hadn't been easy to earn a place in the Romano family's tight-knit circle, but, as the bastard son of Leonardo's distant cousin-in-law, he had just enough Italian blood to merit a position. Even as just another hired gun, ordered to guard the Romano don with his life.

In those short three months, Matteo learned the characteristics that separated a good don from an effective don, like Leonardo. Effective dons ran a painstakingly organized operation, enforced the Omertá with a steel fist, and rewarded loyalty handsomely.

What separated Leonardo Romano from even the most effective bosses, however, was his unpredictability. No one outside of Leo's innermost circle knew his agenda. No one knew the next step he'd take to tighten his steel grip on New York.

Leonardo "The Hollowman" Romano was exceptional.

So, Matteo couldn't understand why the crime boss would suddenly lower his guard—and throw a birthday party for his eighteen-year-old daughter, no less.

"He does this every year," another guard mumbled from beside Matteo, a cigarette pinched between his lips. "Throws his principessa a party fit for the fuckin' stars."

Matteo didn't need to glance over at his fellow guard, Alfonso, to know that a scowl crossed the man's features. Alfonso had been one of Leo's bodyguards for several years, though. He'd earned the right to express his displeasure. Matteo, on the other hand, didn't dare speak out against his boss's foolishness. No matter how much he wanted to.

He ground his teeth to avoid voicing his own frustration, eyes sweeping the lavishly decorated courtyard again. Rose-gold balloons and streamers decorated the clearing, and a half-eaten cake sat abandoned at the center of a refreshment table. There weren't enough teenagers at the party to finish it, and the attending adults were far more concerned with the prosecco glasses lined up next to the dessert.

The don paid for his daughter to attend one of the most prestigious girls' schools in the state, but Matteo doubted that any of her classmates had been invited to the milestone birthday. The only other teenagers at the party were Romano cousins, who seemed more concerned with nabbing a flute of champagne than celebrating the birthday girl. At the ripe age of twenty-eight, Matteo might've actually been one of the youngest guests at the party.

That's sad as hell, he grumbled to himself. At least she doesn't seem to mind.

His gaze flickered to the birthday girl in question. Flanked by Leonardo and her mother, she gasped and peeled back a layer of golden wrapping paper from her latest present.

The infamous boss laughed, a deep, rumbling sound, as his daughter carefully lifted a necklace from its case. Even from his place across the clearing, Matteo saw diamonds shimmering on the pendant, and, judging by the look of wonder on Principessa Valentina Romana's face, they were big.