Page 79 of Gilded Saint

“Apologizing or declaring war?”

“Eh, middle ground. He feigned ignorance of Leandro’s plans but said it was our fault.”

“Because I married someone he wanted?”

“Apparently, Willow’s father promised Willow to Leandro.”

“I don’t believe that’s true.” Alessio likely would’ve caved with pressure, but I don’t believe he had already done it when he blessed our union.

“Truth doesn’t matter. What I’m telling you is what Massimo believes.” Nick pointedly looks at me, and I get what he’s not saying. It’s a point he’s made repeatedly. Truth is immaterial. The only thing that matters is what one believes.

Truth was a twentieth-century inconvenience, and it’s a twenty-first-century myth.

“He suspects the syndicate is behind the heroin bust that landed his capo in prison but doesn’t have proof.”

I’d been aware of Nick’s scheme. Kept Interpol abreast. But they observed and didn’t get involved. “Who knew?”

“I’m working through that. Massimo may have been probing. Trying to figure out if Leandro was playing him to justify coming after Willow. It might’ve been conjecture on Leandro’s part. Guy wasn’t stable. Had a history of being delusional.”

“Perhaps some of the law enforcement groups that normally would’ve been paid off to re-direct a bust suspected something? Shared their suspicions with Leandro?”

“Perhaps.”

“Where’d you leave it with him?”

“I agreed to send his brother’s body back to him so he can have a proper funeral.”

“And in exchange?”

“Officially, we let bygones be bygones. Willow stays with you.”

“Her father?”

He waves a hand. “I don’t think he was ever going to do anything to Alessio. He’s too wealthy. Wields too much power. And some portion of that pea-brain recognizes that his brother was demented and a woman forty years younger wasn’t a suitable bride.”

“So, it’s over?”

Nick’s brow furrows, and he pushes the iPad across the table. “Not at all. The Grigi are slow learners. They need another kneecapping.”

On the screen, there’s a list of weapons.

I flip to the next page. Another list.

To the next page. Another list.

“What’s this?”

“Cargo on three Titan ships. Two other ships are carrying sanctioned oil. We’re going to bust one of these ships.”

“Are the weapons going in or out of Russia?”

“Saudis and Chinese are fortifying Russia. I’m thinking if we do this right, we’ll piss the Russians off, and if we can lay blame at Massimo’s feet, make him look incompetent, they’ll take him out.”

“Won’t that just make Gagliano look incompetent?”

“Massimo orchestrated the sale. Putin will blame the man who took his money.”

“You don’t want to go the legal route?”

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