Page 55 of Crimson Fate

Marco steps forward, his gaze unwavering. “I’m with you too, boss.”

A surge of gratitude washes over me as I realize the loyalty and unwavering support surrounding me.

“Thank you,” I say, my voice low and firm as I look back and forth between them. “We need to be smart. We know Anthony is a part of this, but we’re going in blind with all the other capos.”

“I’ll reach out to some of my contacts and see if any soldiers out there are getting weird vibes from their capos,” Marco offers.

I nod. “Be careful, though. You know loyalty runs deep with these crews.”

“What will you do once you know who is loyal and who isn’t?” Eva asks.

“Do you really want to ask me that question?” I reply, staring into Eva’s eyes. She knows the world that we come from and the price one will pay for disloyalty, but actually hearing me say it is something else.

She shakes her head. “No, that’s not what I mean. I get all that, but what if the other captains don’t believe you when you explain they were conspiring?”

“What do you mean?” I ask, peering back at her.

Marco steps forward. “No, she’s right, boss. These are made men. They were made capos under your father. If you come in and take over and start offing captains, do you really think they’ll take your word for it that Anthony betrayed you? No, there’d definitely be fallout. I mean, what happens if you claim they aren’t loyal next? There has to be no doubt in everyone’s minds that you’re justified in whatever you do.”

I take a moment to process their words. Eva and Marco are right—the other captains won’t simply take my word for it. Doubt and suspicion will swirl around us like a toxic cloud, threatening to tear apart the fragile unity we have left.

A plan begins to form in my mind, one that will not only expose Anthony but also ensure there is no room for doubt about his betrayal. “We need evidence,” I say, my voice resolute. “Concrete proof that Anthony has been colluding with the DeLuca family.”

“Can’t you get someone from Carmine’s organization to confirm it to the captains?” Eva asks as she raises an eyebrow.

I laugh. “Yeah, that’s not really how it works. Carmine did more than I thought he would by telling me. No way he’s sticking his neck out for me any further. People in our world don’t like people who talk about their business, if that makes sense.”

“Can’t you just say Carmine told you?” Eva presses.

“Yeah, if you want to end up on Carmine’s shit list,” Marco adds. “Look, it’s a tightrope we’re walking here. Vincent’s right; Carmine has his own interests to protect, and if he feels like we’re trying to use him as leverage, it could backfire on us. We need to find a way to gather evidence ourselves without implicating Carmine or putting ourselves at unnecessary risk.”

A sly smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I reveal my idea. “We’ll create a trap,” I announce.

Eva’s expression is a mixture of curiosity and caution. “A trap? How exactly do you plan on doing that?”

“First, Eva, I still want you to plan that engagement announcement party,” I begin.

“What?” Eva seems shocked by my revelation. “You’re still going to marry Gia after discovering that her father is conspiring against you?”

I shake my head. “I doubt Gia will want to marry me after what I do to her father. But we need to maintain appearances,” I explain. “If we abruptly cancel the engagement, it will only raise suspicion among the other families. We have to play our part until the right moment comes.”

Eva sighs, understanding the necessity of my plan. “Alright,” she concedes reluctantly. “But what do you mean by trap?”

I lean in closer, my voice barely above a whisper. “We will lure Anthony into a false sense of security,” I say, my gaze focused and determined. “We’ll make him believe he has successfully deceived us and his treachery has gone unnoticed.”

“And then?” Eva asks, her eyes narrowing with anticipation.

“We need to figure out who we can truly trust. That’s where I need you, Marco. It has to be someone we are certain is loyal to us, but who can also convince Anthony they have had a change of heart and are willing to play ball.”

“Okay.” Marco nods, hanging on my every word.

“They get Anthony to let his guard down and get us the evidence we need to take back to the other capos. At the engagement dinner, we reveal the trap and what a piece of shit Anthony is,” I explain.

“I don’t know, boss,” Marco says with hesitation. “You really think Anthony would be so stupid as to reveal to someone he’s been behind the DeLucas trying to move drugs in through us?”

“I understand your concern, Marco,” I finally reply, my voice calm and confident. “But we have to think outside the box here. Anthony may not reveal everything to just anyone, but what if we can make him believe he has no choice but to confide in someone he thinks is on his side?”

“Who would make him think that way?” Marco asks with a puzzled look in his eyes.

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