Page 32 of Pure Vengeance

I laugh.

“Don’t worry. There will be plenty of times you will.” I gesture to the couch. “Why don’t you just relax until he gets here?”

She plunks down in one of the chairs and rubs her temples. Her face has less coloring than this morning.

“Are you alright?” I ask taking a step toward her.

“I’m fine.” She sighs. “I just want this all over with.”

Before I can question her further, the door swings open and Vince walks in. Joseph Fanelli strolls in behind him with two of his own men.

“Joseph.” I give a curt nod and reach my hand out to him.

After a brief shake, he turns his gaze to Claire who is now standing right behind me.

“This is Claire, my fiancée.”

My introduction gives him pause.

“Nice to meet you.” He nods to her, then looks back at me. “Congratulations, I hadn’t heard.”

“It’s new.” I gesture to a chair for him to sit.

“Very.” Claire’s voice is tight, but she doesn’t contradict me. I’ll take that as a win.

“I don’t have a lot of time. You said you needed to talk to me about one of my men?” Joseph asks. His two men stand move to the wall. Vince and Dmitri do the same.

It’s all very tense for a simple question about Salvatore.

“Yes. I understand a man named Salvatore Luparo works for you.”

“Worked. Yes.” He nods. “Why?”

“He doesn’t anymore?” Men don’t just quit the Fanelli family and move on to another job.

“No.” It’s the only answer I’m getting.

“Do you know where I can find him?”

“What do you want with him?” he asks, probably sensing the information is important to me.

“To talk to him,” Claire answers.

“About what?”

“Does it matter?” she questions.

I reach behind me and squeeze her hand. If she’s going to make this more difficult, she’ll have to leave the room.

“Salvatore Luparo was caught cheating in my casino last year. I need to speak to him about the dealer he said was helping him,” I explain.

“The dealer? This happened a year ago, yet you want to talk to him now? Why?” He eyes Claire. “Is the dealer important in some way?”

“You’re not going to make this easy.” I frown.

“You know what I want,” he states, victory already in his eyes.

“The dealer was Claire’s brother. He was murdered, and Salvatore had something to do with it. For all I know, he was in my casino under your direction.” I roll my shoulders back. “Maybe you were trying to steal from me to help grease the wheels in the commissioning office?”

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