Page 64 of Bianchi

Images of Aurora’s bruised and bloody face are tattooed in the forefront of my mind. Seeing her like that—defeated and broken—would have pulled on the strings of even the coldest of hearts. But she betrayed me and that makes whatever happens to her necessary.

Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

Sipping on the scotch I’m nursing, with unfocused eyes, I look at the wall in front of me in the entertainment room before tipping my head back and staring up at the ceiling. It’s been three days since she was taken. Three days since I’ve felt anything other than rage.

No, she left.

Three days since we uncovered her dirty little secret.

I’m ashamed to admit to myself that I didn’t see it coming. Her deceit stings far worse than any I’ve ever experienced. My nonno was right. Of all the betrayal I’ve witnessed in my life, this one feels the most deceptive and it’s all because I let her into my life. I want to find her just so I can put my hands around her neck and take back everything we had.

Cristo, I should be celebrating the fact that my enemy is taking care of her for me. As much as I gave Massimo shit about pulling the trigger for the family, I don’t know that I would have been able to do it to her. If she’d have looked up at me with those wide, sea-green eyes full of fear, as she begged me to spare her, I would have.

“You okay, boss?”

My head rolls to the side on the back of the couch. Daniele stands on the threshold, his features morphed into a look of concern. I feel like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t have, and in some ways, I have. It’s three am, I should be asleep, or better yet, tracking down the figli di puttana she’s been working with.

I throw back the remainder of my drink, the sting a welcome distraction from the heavy weight traveling the expanse of my body. Pushing my empty glass onto the coffee table in front of me, I rest the bottom of one foot on the edge. Ignoring his question, I ask one of my own. “Why are you still up?”

Daniele steps into the room, closing the door behind him. His body is tense and his movements stiff. I watch as he seems to catch himself and force his muscles to relax. He doesn’t reply as he strides across the room to the bar in the corner. Finding a glass, he pours amber liquid into it, the sound filling the quiet.

When he’s done, he holds up the decanter, inclining his head toward it as his eyes meet mine over his shoulder. With a shake of my head, I refuse a refill. There’s no point in continuing to drink when I’m not enjoying it and it’s only marginally numbing the ache.

Waiting until he’s seated on the couch across from me, Daniele brings the glass to his lips before saying, “Something isn’t adding up.”

I lean forward, desperate to take on something that might distract me from the dark path of my thoughts. “With what?”

He swirls the liquid before taking a sip. “Aurora. Something isn’t adding up with her being behind this. She?—”

Lifting a palm, I stop him. “I don’t want to hear it, Daniele. We should be grateful the Bratva are taking care of her for us. Besides, I’ve seen the evidence, and it’s pretty damn obvious she was behind this, even if we never saw it coming. She might not have been the mastermind, but she was involved and that makes her just as guilty.”

He shakes his head, his mouth thinning into a flat line. He slides his glass onto the table, linking his fingers in front of him. “First of all, where did she get a phone from? We checked her over before she got in the car. Secondly, how could she call someone to come to a restaurant she had no idea you were going? And why would she have someone shoot up the place when she could have been killed herself? It just doesn’t make sense and those are just two pieces of the puzzle that don’t fit for me.”

How fucking dare he? My anger consumes me, and I stand, needing a release for the pent up energy. Towering over him, I point my finger in his face and bellow, “Because she’s a master fucking manipulator, Daniele. We might never know why she did what she did, but regardless of that, she’s involved in us losing the men we have and our firearms being taken. That should be enough for us to want her dead. You need to remember where your loyalties should lie because if they’re with her, I’ll hand you over to the fucking Bratva to be with her.”

Picking up his glass, he leans back, mimicking my pose from moments ago. Saluting me with his glass, he says, “Problem solved, I guess. Especially because the Russians will kill her after you practically threw her at them. Even if she isn’t involved.”

I stare at him for the longest time, trying to figure out what his point is. Whatever it is, it doesn’t change the facts and it won’t fix what she’s broken. He sips on his drink, unaffected by the intensity of my gaze.

Scrubbing a hand over my face, I exhale heavily, my shoulders sagging with exhaustion. “Go to bed, Daniele. We have a meeting with Massimo in the morning because, in case you’ve forgotten, we’ve still got a mess to clear up. One that she’s caused.”

With a shake of his head, he stands, placing his tumbler onto the coffee table. “If it’s okay with you, I’m just going to look into a couple of things.”

I know what he’s going to say, but I still ask, “What things?”

“Things that aren’t quite adding up for me.”

“You’re asking to take annual leave in the middle of a fucking war? I hate to break it to you, Daniele, but this isn’t a nine to five. The answer is no.”

His stance widens, and I know I won’t like whatever he’s about to say. “Not quite, Rome. I’m telling you, things aren’t making sense and I think someone is trying to shift the blame onto Aurora.” He pauses, searching my eyes. “If you aren’t going to step up for your woman, then as your underboss, I will. It’s my job to protect you. And her.”

My head rears back at his comment and I huff out a surprised laugh as my brows lift to my hairline. “Given how long you have worked for me, I’ll forgive the casual nature in which you’ve just spoken to me. But I will say this…” I lower my voice, leaning into him so the message is clear. “You will be at that meeting tomorrow morning or you’ll find yourself digging your own grave. Capire?”

His shoulders stiffen before he nods. “Yes, boss.”

When he leaves, I collapse back onto the couch. How dare he question me? The last time I checked, I was the head of the family and what I say goes. Clearly, I’m not the only one Aurora has infected. She’s dug her claws into this family, and worst of all, she’s softened my ruthlessness.

Well, it’s time that changed.

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