Page 10 of Enzo DeLuca

“I’m sure it fucking won’t!” She yelled. “I don’t know anything else. Now, let me go. You can’t force me to stay here.”

Enzo smiled. "I can, and I will."

Her lower lip trembled. A surge of guilt washed over him. He pushed it down. She was his only lead. He couldn’t let her leave. Plus, with him was the safest place for her right now. She stared at the back wall, refusing to meet his gaze. That gave him a chance to stare at her without being noticed.

His grandfather had been in and out of consciousness while in the hospital. Even when he was out, he’d kept whispering,“Angel. I met an angel.”Enzo had assumed it was the meds talking. Now, he wasn't so sure. He could see how his grandfather would confuse this woman with an angel. Recently, his grandfather had become very religious.

It was possible that he'd made a confession to the angel he saw when he first opened his eyes. Enzo was determined to find out what Don Ermanno DeLuca had told his angel. And if this woman was that angel, did that make Enzo the devil for holding her hostage? He’d been called worse.

"You can finish interrogating her tomorrow," Stefan’s voice broke through the silence in the room. “You need some rest, don.”

Enzo had almost forgotten how tired he was.

"You're stubborn," Enzo said to his witness. She didn't reply. She didn't even look his way. He gripped her chin, forcing her to stare up at him. "I'm stubborn too," he told her. "Which one of us do you think will win?"

For a long time, they just stared at each other. Her beautifully defiant gaze was mesmerizing. Enzo released her chin and stepped away from her.

"It's going to be fun finding out." That said, he turned to leave. When he reached the door, he paused and told her, “Eve, you now belong to me. Get comfortable. You’re going to be here for a while.” He left the room to the sound of her screaming obscenities at him.

“You fucking bastard,” she called out. “I did a good deed, and this is what I get? What type of shit is this?”

Stefan pulled the door shut. “You’re smiling,” Stefan told him as they walked down the hall.

“Am I?”

“You are.”

So, he was.His first real smile of the day. Of the week.

“I don’t know what you’re planning,” Stefan continued. “But you can’t keep her. Not forever.”

“Who’s going to stop me?”

“Enzo, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but...”

“I’m thinking she heard the don say something before he died. It may have sounded like gibberish at the time. But, if she rests for a while and takes some time to think about it, she may be able to recall exactly what she heard. And it may be something useful. Maybe Ricardo told the don who’d sent him. Maybe he boasted about how the don’s own family wanted him dead. If so, it’s possible the don uttered that family member’s name to Eve.”

“This is a long shot.”

“Right now, this is our only shot.”

“Are you sure that’s the only reason you’re keeping her here?”

“What other reason could there be?” Enzo patted Stefan on the back.

“Okay,” Stefan said. “If you want, I can have her moved to...”

“She’ll stay here.”With me. Stefan looked like he was about to say something else. “Go home and get some sleep, Stefan. Rest well. It may be the last good night’s sleep you get for a while. Soon, we’ll know who betrayed our family. And when we find out who that person is, blood will spill.”

There were dark days ahead for the DeLucas. Some would survive. Many wouldn’t. But one thing was for certain, the person or persons who’d betrayed them would soon wish they’d never been born.

Enzo and those loyal to the family would obey Don Ermanno DeLuca’s last wish. They would show their enemies just how savage they could be. Enzo’s gaze drifted to the door of the room that held his witness. Words from his grandfather’s letter drifted through his mind.

Love whoever makes you happy. And one day, we will meet again, and you’ll tell me all about her.

Smiling, Enzo turned and headed to his room.Grandfather,he thought, sending up a prayer, not knowing if the dead could hear the prayers of the living or not.Today, I met a woman named Eve. Turns out, I may not have to tell you all about her. You met her first.

Though his heart was heavy, and thoughts of vengeance filled his mind, Enzo went to bed that night with a smile on his face.Eve. He liked that name. More importantly, he wanted that woman. But could a woman like her ever want a man like him? Only time would tell. And that time couldn’t come until after he’d avenged his grandfather. Until then, she’d remain right where she was.

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