Page 58 of The Devil's Pawn

Not to say losing another brother is something I don’t think about, because I do, but it’s different with Dom. He never dealt with the aftermath of watching Matteo die, and I don’t think he ever will.

“You both better be fine, or I’ll fucking haunt your asses,” he throws in.

“It’s settled, then,” I tell them. “Let’s call the team and get some intel. If we find one of their men who might know something, then there’s a good chance we could find where they’re stashing the victims.”

“I know exactly where we can start,” Enzo offers. “Joelle told me they have a lawyer, Joey Russo. The guy knows everything, including where her kid is. She’s sure of it.”

“Then we’ll start there,” I decide.

A wild grin spreads over my mouth as fury rises from every ounce of my blood, like an invisible layer of smoke, filling me with the need to spill theirs.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

DANTE

We didn’t wasteany time going to work. After a meeting with our crew a few hours later, we stopped by the lawyer’s office, but he was on an “extended vacation” according to his secretary, which basically means Faro ordered him to disappear. That was all we needed to know. The bastard knows something.

But we weren’t about to give up. We took Jared, the Palermos’ accountant, and Victor, one of their associates. They’re currently on their knees in our van. A woven sack traps each of their blindfolded and gagged faces. Their hands are tightly bound behind their backs with our weapons pointing in their direction.

“One slight move, and I’ll take a leg,” I warn both of them.

We can’t kill them just yet, not until we get what we need.

We decide to bring them to my place instead of Enzo’s. He didn’t want Joelle to see them. Many of these men were not only her clients at the strip joint, but also her clients outside of it. She told Enzo how they violated her, beat her, raped her at that private sex club. If she refused the work, the Bianchis threatened to hurt her son.

So my place, it is. I have a nice basement just for these special occasions. Practically empty, no carpets or rugs, easy to clean, and—most importantly—soundproof.

Not that it matters. All the houses in my area are acres apart. The closest homes are Dom’s across from me and Enzo to the left. I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna tell Raquel, though.

The van stops harshly, lurching the two men forward and making them fall on their faces.

“Stand up,” I demand, shoving the barrel of my gun into the back of the accountant’s head while Enzo does the same to Victor.

They grumble, but make no attempt to obey. When they’re not fast enough, we help them, grabbing them by the back of their shirts and dragging them out.

The darkness is everywhere at first, the daylight long gone. The only brightness is coming from inside my house. A few of our men hop out of the van, following us. The assholes fight against the gags, screaming as their legs twist over the rocky driveway.

“You should thank us that it ain’t your face on that ground,” Enzo says on a laugh. “This is us in a good mood. Can’t tell you what’ll happen if one of you doesn’t start talking, though.”

The door clicks open after I shove my keys into it. Dread punches me in the gut at the knowledge that Raquel will have more questions than I’m ready to give her answers for.

I considered ordering one of my men to keep her locked away in her room, but decided against it. She’ll find out who I am and what I am eventually. Better start somewhere.

She should see all the parts of me: the ugly, and the parts uglier than that. Only then will she really know if I’m someone she wants to be with. If there’ll even be an us after everything’s said and done. Lying to her the way I did to get her to marry me is probably unforgivable.

I wouldn’t blame her, though. She was always too good for me, even with the Bianchi blood spilling through her veins.

As I push the door open with my foot, Enzo and I lift the men up onto their feet and move them inside.

That’s when I see her walking up the stairs with her back to me, probably heading to her room. But once she hears us, she sharply turns around. And as soon as she does—as soon as her eyes dart from the men with hoods over their heads over to me—her gaze widens, mouth parted. A million thoughts are probably swimming in her head.

“Raquel, go upstairs,” I bite out.

“What is this?” Her stare shifts to me and stays there.

“Hey!” My brother gives a wave with a smile, as though this is some damn party. “I’m Enzo, Dante’s much-better-looking brother. I've heard a lot about you.” He glances at me with a knowing expression I want to wipe off his face. “I would stay and chat, but we have some business to take care of. I promise we’ll get a chance to meet properly, though, and then maybe you can tell me what you see in him.”

He winks while she gapes at him, her eyes still unrecovered from the shock. Then she turns her fearful eyes to me.

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