Page 111 of Wicked Rivals

“Do we know where this came from or the pick-up location?”

“The courier picked it up from a locker at the train station,” Bruce said. “We started pulling the station’s security footage to find a visual.”

“Get back on it. Follow that lead. Get me some answers.”

Bruce quickly left my office, then Tony took his seat.

“What’s next, boss? How can I help?” Tony asked.

“Start calling in some favors. We need extra manpower to search every inch of the city. Call Lordi’s second and relay a message from me. Tell him the Commission’s assistance would mean my allegiance.”

Tony’s eyes widened.

“But Stef…”

“Just fucking do it,” I ordered. “Keeping Valerie alive is more important to me than avenging the dead.”

With a compliant nod, Tony left the room to make the calls.

I had connections. Good connections inside other families and outside of the business. Men who I’d helped in the past.

I worked hard to rebuild the Vignali reputation. To improve it. For ten long years.

Those debts owed to me needed to be paid now, no matter how large or small. Even if the contributions were small, a few men to help mine sweep security footage or additional soldiers for more boots on the ground, I would take it. My allies had to come through.

Enzo squirmed, cleared his hoarse little throat, and shifted from one side of the chair to the other while continuing to stare at me. The boy wanted answers.

As I studied his face, the way he held his mouth, his eyes, I realized his mind worked like mine. He actively plotted his own course of action to get his mother back.

I couldn’t let him do that. I made a mental note to keep him close. His plan would only get him taken away from me, same as his mother. Val would kill me herself if something happened to our son. And rightly so.

The woman had given herself to that animal to protect Enzo, and I refused to let her down by pissing all over her sacrifice.

“Enzo, I gave you my word. We will get her back,” I said.

“Why would you help me or Mama?” he asked.

“What?”

He’d caught me off guard. I needed to give him some clarity.

“You’re my son. She’s the mother of my child. That means everything to me.”

“But you didn't know that until yesterday. Why would you care now after Mama lied to you?”

I couldn’t stop staring at him, wondering how best to answer his questions. There was no easy way to tell him that I had always loved his mother. No easy way to say I’d only gone away because she made me go before hiding my child from me.

How could I explain myself without making Val seem like the bad guy?

I couldn't.

I wouldn’t do anything to affect the way he loved her.

And because deep down, as much as I hated Val for what she’d done, I still understood the fault was all mine.

I had lied to his mother first. I never reached out to her after getting her letter. I never begged her to give me another chance.

What the fuck could I say to him about all that?

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