“But it didn’t end the way you wanted, did it?” Ryker asked quietly as her heavy breathing echoed in the silent church.
“Because of her!” Bianca yelled and then leapt for Kenzie.
Kenzie’s mouth had dropped open the second Bianca had begun her story and she hadn’t been able to close it since. The woman was an evil genius. If it hadn’t been so illegal and if she hadn’t tried to kill Kenzie and Ryker, Kenzie would applaud her.
“Because of her!”
Kenzie looked to her side, but no, Bianca was pointing at her. Then she leapt toward her, her hands out like claws with perfectly manicured talons. “You kept rescuing Ryker when I had them trying to kill him. You screwed everything up for me!”
Kenzie was too surprised to move, but then a fist came out of nowhere and slammed into Bianca’s face, and everyone in the church held themselves motionless.
“That was a long time coming,” Tinsley said, shaking out her hand as Greer and Abby hauled Bianca up from where she’d fallen back onto her butt.
“Thank you, Tinsley,” Kenzie said, standing up and meeting Bianca face to face. “I almost felt sorry for you, but then you tried to kill Ryker numerous times. Why? Why kill him when you had your little con already in motion. You were transporting the containers just fine as it was.”
“It would have been easier if I were Mrs. Ryker Faulkner. Imagine the power I would wield after taking over the Porzio and Di Maio families. I’d be unstoppable. But first, Tinsley got me fired. So, I put Plan B in motion. I forged documents giving me control over Faulkner Shipping if anything happened. I set out to hurt him, to make him pay for firing me, but then he hired me back only to find out he had a girlfriend. You ruined it all. I had my second chance for Plan A. I had everything in motion—a war between the Porzios and Di Maios after Fat Joey’s people killed Little Joey and vice versa, Ryker would be all mine before dying tragically so soon after our wedding, and then Faulkner Shipping would be all mine. You ruined everything!”
Bianca struggled against Abby and Greer’s hold but froze when her grandfathers stood.
Joseph turned to Ryker first. “The bank, my shipments, and family, that was you.”
Ryker nodded even though it wasn’t a question.
It looked as if a light bulb went off on Di Maio as he turned to stare at Ryker. “You foreclosed on my strip club and froze half our assets.”
Ryker nodded again. “I told you. Don’t mess with what’s mine. When your families went after my fiancée, well, that was just the first taste of what’s to come.”
“We didn’t know!” Michael said, fiercely. “We never approved any harm to you or your fiancée.”
“And yet it was done by your family,” Ryker said just as fiercely.
“Enough!” Mary Alice said as she slammed down her yardstick, raising her voice like a schoolteacher who had put up with too much. “Your stupid feud started this. I lived it and saw it when I taught all of your children. They never learned responsibility or the consequences of their actions. Well, they are now and so are both of you.”
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Ryker said matter-of-factly. “I’ve gathered enough evidence and supplied it to the FBI. Bianca, you’ll spend your entire life in prison. Fat Joey and Little Joey, you’ll do a nice long stint as well. Michael and Joseph will spend a short stay in prison together provided three things happen. One, the feud ends. Two, you go legit upon your release from jail. Trust me when I say I will be watching and I will know the second you step out of line. Three, you both retire. Because I understand there could be a power vacuum upon your retirement, you both will appoint Nico as the head of your families as a way to show the feud has ended and there’s peace between the families.”
Kenzie saw the thoughtfulness on Joseph’s face, but Michael looked ready to fight. “And if we don’t?” Michael asked.
Ryker shrugged. “You’ll die in prison with your entire family. I have so much evidence that I can take down every brother, son, nephew, grandson, and cousin you have. Plus, several wives, sisters, a more than a few mistresses who happily spent all that illegally gained money. All that evidence will go to several locations if anything happens to me. The authorities will get it all and you’ll be arrested in minutes. If you follow the rules, liquidate your assets, and let Nico take over as a legitimate businessman, then you and your family can have a nice small house in New York and still see your extended family. They’ll have to start working legitimate jobs, but they won’t be in prison or dead. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it, it really doesn’t matter to me.”
Kenzie and the entire town of Shadows Landing held their breath and waited.
“I’ll take the deal,” Joseph said first as he held out his hand over Little Joey’s wails of displeasure.
“You’re a real son of a bitch,” Michael spat at Ryker.
“Thank you,” Ryker replied. “It would be wise for you to remember it.”
“Uncle, no!” Fat Joey yelled even as Peter was handcuffing him. Next to Fat Joey, Paxton was cuffing Little Joey as he cried.
“I refuse to acknowledge a granddaughter who would do this to her family,” Michael spat, glaring at Bianca who now seemed defeated as Granger cuffed her, too.
“I don’t care if you acknowledge her. I only care that you both come up with a plan to unite the families,” Ryker said, ignoring Bianca’s sad little hiccup. “You have three seconds to decide.”
“Fine,” Michael snapped, but Kenzie would bet he’d be trouble down the road. Ryker must have thought so as well because it was Dylan who stepped forward to take him in hand. He bent his head, whispered something, and Michael went white. “I agree to your terms. Thank you,” he said to Ryker in a stiff voice a minute later as he held out his hand.
“Good.” Ryker shook it and then it was over.
Granger hauled Bianca out to the cruiser with Paxton and Peter following with the Joeys.
“Nico,” Joseph said, and Kenzie leaned forward to hear what was happening. “You were right. Take care of the family, my boy—your way. Sebastian will help you. I love you.”
Nico watched as his grandfather was led down the aisle. “Why did you save me?” he asked Ryker.
“Mary Alice pointed out there needed to be someone in charge or war would break out between the surviving relatives. Sebastian and I are good judges of character. If anyone can make something good out of this, it’s you. You have my help as well if you need it.” Ryker held out his hand and Nico shook it.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid you’re not going to like me much after I do this.”
“Do what?” Ryker asked as Nico turned away from him. “Mary Alice, I could sure use you on my team. How do you feel about going back to New York?”
Mary Alice grinned but looked to Ryker first. Kenzie saw him smile and give a little nod. “I’d love to, young man. My sisters still play pinochle every Wednesday, so I’ll need that afternoon off. Now, let’s talk about the charity work you’re going to fund with that dirty money you’ve got stashed away.”
Kenzie watched the two walk away as they talked. The town slowly began to leave the church behind them as if to wave off the criminals on their way to prison.