Page 15 of The Curse of Blood and Silenc

I tightened my grip on Gianna, feeling her fury and fear. For a moment, our eyes locked, and I saw the desperation there, a plea for mercy I couldn’t grant.

“Enzo,” I said, my voice grim. “Take. Her. Out.”

With a sharp nod, Enzo reached for Gianna. I released my hold, allowing him to take full control of her, pulling both of Gianna’s arms behind her back, restraining her very effectively.

“No!” Gianna screamed, renewing her struggles against Enzo’s grip. “Angelo, please! Don’t do this!”

I ignored her entreaties. In our world, betrayal was the ultimate sin, and Dimitri had crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed. Family or not, I couldn’t let this go unpunished. The safety of our entire organization—not to mention of Serenity—depended on it.

I cracked my knuckles, the sound sharp in the sudden silence of the room. The smell of Dimitri’s fear intensified with the coppery scent of his blood. Time for him to die.

“Angelo, non.S’il vous plaît.”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to the frail voice. Elena stood there, leaning heavily against the door jamb. Her silver hair, usually piled up into a bun, now hung loosely over her shoulders. Her vibrant blue eyes, typically so full of warmth and wisdom, were tired and sad as she looked between me and what was left of Dimitri. Her arrival here was so unexpected that, for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

There was a fierce determination in the set of her jaw. Whatever she had to say, she considered it important enough to drag herself down here, barely recovered from her attack as she was.

I glared at Enzo. “What is she doing here?”

I didn’t want her to see what I was going to do any more than I wanted Gianna to witness it.

Enzo shrugged, looking as bewildered as I felt. “I don’t know. She was unconscious when I left her.”

I turned back to Elena, my voice softening. “Elena, what is it?”

As Elena opened her mouth to speak, the tension in the room was like a rattling lid on a boiling pot. “Angelo, I…saw who put the dagger…in Gianna’s drawer.”

I remained perfectly still, except for my thundering heart.

She took a deep breath. “It was Petar. I came in to put away some laundry and he was in there.” Fear flashed in her eyes. “Hewas angry and told me that I shouldn’t be there. And that he…had to…shut me up.”

I clenched my fists. “He attacked you?” Another nail in Petar’s coffin.

She nodded. “Yes. The look in his eyes… I believe he is mad, Angelo.”

Gianna gasped, and from behind me, Dimitri let out a weak, humorless chuckle that ended in a wet cough. “Well...well,” he croaked, his voice rough. “Looks like... Someone’s been a naughty boy.” Each word seemed to cost him effort, but his sarcasm still cut through. “And here I thought... I was your favorite punching bag, Angelo.” He wheezed, a pained smirk twisting his bloodied lips. “I’m hurt...truly.”

I shot him a warning glare, but he merely attempted another smirk, wincing as the expression pulled on his split lip. His words came out slurred and breathless, punctuated by pained gasps.

“Don’t...tell me you’re...surprised.” He paused, struggling to pull in breath. “In our line of...work...betrayal’s practically...expected.”

Dimitri’s labored words had barely left his bloodied lips when sudden, searing pain lanced through my skull. I staggered as I tried to keep from falling.

I caught my breath. The room spun around me, colors whirling around as if I had turned into a spinning top.

Serenity’s sweet voice echoed in my mind.

Angelo, be safe. I’ll find you. Just know I love you.

Enzo gripped my arm. “Boss, what’s wrong?”

I braced my legs, fighting to stay upright as the world around me tilted and faded. Darkness enveloped me, and then... The smells hit.

Rich leather, new. The unmistakable scent of a luxury vehicle.

Champagne. Sharp and bubbly, perhaps spilled on upholstery. Potatoes… Why potatoes?

A man’s cologne—expensive, but applied too heavily to be anything but oppressive.

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