Page 104 of Vito

Massimo's dark, intense eyes lock on me. His expression is unreadable. He goes to the sidebar and pours a vodka. For never being one to drink too much, he seems to drink more lately, but I hold my questions on that for now.

"Talk to us, Mass," Creed says in a husky, sleep-thickened voice.

"Ed was attacked tonight." He turns to Creed. "The attackers had a tattoo like Manuel Morales."

Creed rubs his jaw, frowning. "Someone connected to Morales targeted Ed? Why? What's the connection with Gilly's owner-operator?"

"No clue."

"Could she have been involved in something before becoming Gilly's successor, and this is spill-over?" Creed asks, walking further into the room.

My hackles raise that there's even the slightest accusation that Eden would be involved with a cockroach like Manuel Morales or that she had done something to bring this on herself.

Creed leans his shoulder against the mantel of the fireplace. "Is she okay?"

It guts me that I wasn't there with Eden while she debriefed with the Chamber heads and that I need to rely on secondhand information updates about my woman.

"She's fine physically and is handling the attack quite well; she's a lot like Aiken. Ambrose will survive, too." Massimo sips his drink and turns to me.

I know what's coming.

"How did you not only know about the picture Ed took of the tattoo but also get a copy, Vito?" he asks.

I can feel Creed's startled stare settle on me and Raf's wary one, but I keep my eyes on Massimo.

If he had suspicions afterBabbo's funeral and what happened with Eden and me, then tonight would've confirmed them. Icouldmake up an excuse—Raf had thought of two logical ones on the way here, but I'm done hiding this from my brothers. Because I need them—especially Massimo—behind me, since my gut tells me the threat to Eden runs deeper than we think.

"I think you know how, brother."

Raf hisses at my admission, and Creed rocks back on his heels and murmurs 'fuck.'

Massimo white-knuckles the vodka glass, his jaw clenched. "Are you saying you've crossed the line into non-neutral territory with Ed, Vito?" His voice is low and dangerous.

"I'm saying I'm in love with Eden." I avoid confessing outright.

As a Chamber head, Massimo will be honor-bound to disclose my infraction. However, I'm banking on his loyalty, honor, and love as my brother to trump that. The collective good of the Chamber never comes before the collective good of our family. Our family always comes first. Always.

There's stunned silence. Then, my calm, controlled brothererupts.

"Do you know what you've fucking done?!" His shout vibrates off the office walls. He throws his glass of vodka at his desk, the crystal shattering against the dark, knotty wood. Then he slams into me with the force of a mountain shifting.

I let him push me back, his large hands fisting my jacket, and he rams me against the wall.

"How could you do this, Vito?" He half-jerks, half-shakes me. Anger ripples off him, but there's fear there, too. "How couldyou choose the pleasure of yourgoddamn cockover this family? Over your safety and possibly your fucking life?"

Anger that he'd reduce Eden and what I feel for her to just carnal lust rears its violent head.

"This isn't about my.Fucking. Cock." I shove him, making the mountain that is my brother stumble back.

Maybe at first, I thought it was—that I just needed to fuck Eden to get her out of my system. But even then, my body, subconscious, and probably my heart recognized my obsession for what it was. It could never be one-and-done with Eden. I started to belong to her the moment I heard her voice over the phone.

"I. Love. Her.You grumpy motherfucker."

Massimo stares at me in disbelief, clenching his hands.

"Fuck!" he roars so loudly I'm worried the soundproof walls may not contain it and will wake up Sophie andMamma.

He stalks the perimeter of the room like a caged, wild animal. His massive shoulders strain against his suit jacket as he rips at the buttons to undo it and pull it off.

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