Page 60 of The Don's Eternal Vows

I nearly jump off the couch when the bedroom door flies open with a bang. Gianni bursts in, his face alight with wild excitement. I put down the book, to ask what’s wrong, but before I can react, he's across the room in two long strides, sweeping me off my feet.

The book falls straight out of my hands as I fight for balance, my hands now clutching at his shoulders.

"We've got 'em, Genoveva!" he whoops, spinning me around. His muscular arms crush me against his chest while we whirl, the room blurring into a dizzying kaleidoscope—my heart races, matching the frenetic energy radiating from every pore of his being.

"Gianni!" I gasp, clinging to his broad shoulders. "What's happened?"

He sits me down but keeps his hands on my waist, his fingers digging into my flesh with barely contained exuberance, and all I see is pure, unadulterated joy in his eyes.

"We've found them," he growls, his gravelly voice dropping to a near whisper. "Greco's family. Their hideout."

My breath catches in my throat at the mention of Greco - the man who murdered me. By now, I’m aware of how long and hard Gianno has tried to find a lead on him, and now, we might finally be close to exacting our revenge.

I’m about to celebrate when the predatory gleam in Gianni's eyes gives me pause. He said he found Greco’sfamily. So why are we so damnthrilled?

"Where is Greco?" I ask, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

A slow, dangerous smile spreads across Gianni's face, the thin scar on his chin stretching white. "I don’t know. But his family is in a little villa outside Tuscany. Isolated. Vulnerable. Wife, three kids."

His grip on my waist tightens, pulling me closer. I can feel the coiled tension in his body, like a spring ready to unwind with devastating force.

"We move tonight," he continues, his words thrumming with anticipation. "By dawn, Greco will know what it means to lose everything he holds dear."

The venom in his tone makes my stomach churn. This is the man I love, but at this moment, I barely recognize him. I take a step back, searching his face for answers.

"Gianni," I say, my voice firm despite the tremor in my hands, "what exactly are you planning?"

His eyes flash, a mix of surprise and irritation at my questioning. "What needs to be done. An eye for an eye."

I shake my head, my stomach twisting. "But why his family? They're innocent in this."

Gianni's jaw clenches, his voice hardening to steel. "Innocent? They've profited from our suffering, living in luxury while you..." He pauses, pain flickering across his face. "While you were dead because of Greco's actions."

He begins to pace, his movements tight and restless. "You died, Genoveva. He took you from me. And now, I'll take everything from him. He will feel the pain I felt. His wife will feel the pain you felt. His children will lose a future, the way Greco chose to steal our future."

I gasp, unable to feel anything but shock. This isn't justice he's after - it's revenge, pure and ugly. I watch him, my heart aching for the man I know is still in there, buried beneath layers of pain and rage.

"Gianni," I whisper, reaching for his hand. "This isn't you. This is Hades talking, not the man I love."

His eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see a flicker of doubt. But then his gaze hardens again, resolve setting in like concrete. "No, my love. This is who I am now, and this is what I must do now to make things right."

I feel my knees shake, and my hands tremble with rage. How can I make him see that this path leads only to more darkness?

Disappointment surges through me, and I step forward, a finger on his chest. "Gianni, listen to yourself," I say through gritted teeth, my voice barely above a whisper. "You're talking about hurting innocent people, even children.Is that who you've become?"

I step closer. "We can't build our future on the suffering of others. It's not right, and deep down, YOU know that."

Gianni's fists clench at his sides, knuckles white with tension. His jaw works silently. He’s a proud man, but beyond that pride, I see an inkling of doubt beginning to form.

"You don't understand, Genoveva," he growls, but there's a hint of uncertainty beneath the anger. "This is how our world works. It's the only language they understand."

I reach out, gently touching his arm. "No, it's not. We can be better than that. We have to be."

His gaze meets mine, conflicted and stormy. "And what would you have me do?" he asks, voice low and rough. "Let them go unpunished?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. "I want you to choose justice over vengeance. To be the man I know you can be, not the monster they expect. I want you to go after Greco himself and leave his family behind."

Gianni frowns, shaking his head.

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