Page 60 of Nanny for the Don

I nod slowly, thenI turn my attention back to the guy in the chair. His lip is split, his eyes wild with fear, but I’m not buying any of it. He’s just a piece on the board, and right now, I’m deciding whether to keep him around or toss him aside.

I lean in. , my eyes locked on the man, every muscle in my body ready to move. “Let’s talk about the money,” I say. “You got paid for a hit but didn’t actually pull the trigger?”

He shakes his head so fast it’s pathetic. “No, no, that’s not it. I was getting paid for some gun running I did earlier that month. Just business.”

I watch him closely. , picking apart every word, every twitch in his face. “So, what you’re saying is the payment was meant tolooklike it was for the hit. And someone sent bad info down the channels to pin it on you?”

He nods again, swallowing hard. “Yeah. That’s exactly what happened.”

I narrow my eyes. “Why? Why go through all that trouble?”

He hesitates, like he’s searching for a way out, but there’s none. Not here.Finally, he says, “The Rossis know war’s coming. Theymust think if you find the guy behind the hit, maybe you’ll call it off—or at least delay it. They’re playing you.”

I pause, considering his words carefully. If the Rossis are scrambling to throw me off, it means they’re not as eager for war as I thought. Maybe they’re stalling, trying to buy time. Either way, this changes things – if it’s true.

The room is silent except for the sound of the man’s ragged breathing.I nod to Sal, signaling him to step outside with me. “Stay with him,” I tell his men, glancing at the guy, who’s still sweating and looking like he’s two seconds away from breaking.

Sal follows me into the hallway, shutting the door behind us. I turn to him, keeping my voice low but firm. “How certain are you that your info’s solid?”

Sal sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “It came from a reliable contact; someone I’ve worked with for years. But,” he adds, “if that contact was fed bad intel, it complicates things.”

I rake a hand through my hair, the tension building. “I don’t like being deceived, Sal. If someone’s trying to play me, that’s a bigger problem than we thought.”

Sal nods. “I get it. But here’s the thing—the guy knows he’s two minutes away from a bullet in his skull and his body floating in the East River. He could be spinning whatever bullshit he thinks will keep him alive.” He grins, a little too eager. “We could always torture it out of him. Might speed things up.”

I shake my head, crossing my arms. “Not yet. I don’t want to go that far unless we have to. Let’s keep our options open.”

Sal shrugs, clearly disappointed, but he knows I’m right. There’s a balance between getting answers and creating chaos, and rightnow, I need clarity—not more blood.

I nod toward the door, and Sal catches the signal, following me back into the room. The man looks like a cornered animal. The fear in his eyes tells me everything—he thinks we’ve made the call to put him down.

I step slowly toward him, not breaking eye contact as I approach. The tension in the room thickens, and his breathing gets shallow. I stand over him, taking my time before I speak.

“What’s your relationship to the Rossis? Exactly.”

He swallows hard, stammering. “I’m just a low-level guy. I swear, nothing big.” He glances between me and Sal, then quickly adds, “But not anymore. I’m done working for people that’d throw one of their own to the wolves like this.”

I tilt my head, studying him. His desperation is clear, but I’m not buying it yet.

He keeps going, trying to talk his way out. “If I make it out of here alive, I’m done with the Rossis. I’ll ditch ‘em, leave town, whatever it takes.”

I crouch down in front of him, close enough that he can feel the weight of my presence. “That’s a big ‘if,’” I say quietly, my voice carrying more threat than any shout ever could.

He’s shaking now, eyes wide. I keep my gaze locked on him. “Here’s the deal—you’re going to give me information. Good information. On the Rossis.” I lean in just a little closer. “Your life depends on it.”

Chapter 30

Willow

I’m sitting in the back of the car, watching the city blur past, trying to make sense of everything.It doesn’t take long for me to realize something’s off. We’re not headed toward any hospital I know of.

My stomach tightens with unease. I lean forward, clearing my throat.“Enzo, where are we going?”

He doesn’t respond, just keeps his eyes on the road, jaw clenched.

I try again, this time with more edge in my voice. “Hey, I asked you a question—where the hell are we going?”

“Keep quiet,” he snaps, not even looking at me.

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