Page 51 of Heartless Vows

My father isn’t Tristan’s father. Otello is.

Technically, I’m the Achilles heir, but the mafia is too patriarchal. No one would accept me when Tristan is around, and there’s no way in hell I’ll ever reveal the truth and put my brother in danger.

The worst part?

I think Otello Tempe, my father’s consigliere and lover, knows he’s the one who put Tristan into my mother’s womb.

Chapter 14

Giorgio Vivaldi

I push through the painand continue past my original set count, hunkering deeper into my stance and lowering my center as I put more power behind my extra punches. Fiero grunts and leans into the bag, my unexpected swings almost knocking him off balance. When I finally step back and shake out my arms, he sighs and rolls his shoulders.

“Will breaking the bag make you feel better?” Fiero asks with more snark than common sense.

“You’re lucky I didn’t beat on your sorry ass instead,” I snarl.

“What’s got your tits in a tangle this morning?” he asks.

I catch the hand towel he tosses at me and wipe the sweat from my face.

“Nico Russo thinks thestronzosthreatening our families have shifted to online attacks. Stealing information and planting bugs without even leaving their fucking hideout,” I snarl.

When I grab the shin pads and throw them at him, he groans. I roll my eyes and include the bigger kick pad while mumbling about weak-ass bitches who chose the wrong career path if they can’t handle a few blows with protection.

“Did they attack his business or his home?” Fiero asks as he straps his last shin guard onto his leg and stands.

“Both, but his team is so busy with cleaning up the mess, they can’t find the source.”

I stalk across the mat to Fiero. He curses and pivots just in time to accept my kick on his shin pads instead of the side of his legs.

“Fuck, are you trying to kill me?”

“You won’t die, not from this,” I promise.

“Oh, there’s a relief.”

I land a flurry of kicks, interrupting the conversation as he focuses on protecting himself. When my thighs burn and calves cramp, I stalk around the mats, working out the kinks, before moving to the center again.

“Don’t you want to hear what I found on Aurora?” he asks.

“No,” I snarl and strike.

He curses and fields my volley of random combinations.

“Why?” he grunts.

I finish with a push kick, shoving my sole into the shield pad so hard Fiero stumbles back several steps.

“I know enough already. She’ll tell me the rest when she’s ready.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell her about the cyberattacks on Nico Russo.”

I drop the hand towel without using it and turn to face him.

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