Page 133 of Vito

"But, yeah, I think the play was to distract you two so that whatever they're planning could get put in place."

"Which adds more weight that Lixin and Amazu are the ones who took Ed," Raf stresses. "Where are the most likely places they'd take her?"

I want to kiss my best friend because he's so urgent about getting my woman back. We've wasted too much time already.

But I have to remind myself that this is time well spent. Because if we have the Havoc Guardians and the Saints behind us, we're more likely to get Eden back alive.

"Bane and Hugo are both leading our crews to look into it," Ash reassures. "But so far, everywhere we’ve looked have been dead ends."

Both the Triads and Fire Clan's power bases are within San Francisco; they don't have much hold outside the city.

The USB could help us, but can we trust Ash and Dom with that? Especially since it opens a whole can of worms about how we know about it and have it.

Ash cuts in before I can silently try to communicate with Massimo to determine the strategic play. "Before we go any further, there's something else that needs to come out into the open."

More cryptic talk. But nails of apprehension rake down my spine when he turns to me. "I know about Cutt."

What… The… Fuck.

Massimo steps closer to me.

Ash puts up his hands. They're heavily tattooed, and his fingers are full of thick rings—he likes to wear those when he pounds the life out of his enemies. "I come in peace." He smirks at me and Raf. "You two did me a huge favor."

Massimo, Raf, and I exchange a wary look.

"I've been looking for a way to end Cutt, but fucking MC politics," Ash growls, then shrugs, looking at me. "Bane and Iwere following Cutt that night because we were trying to get proof that he and Jax were working on side hustles and against the MC. We saw them break into Ed's apartment and would've intervened if you two hadn't shown up."

"And whydidyou two show up?" Dom raises his scarred eyebrow at Raf and me.

"Ed had been here for our father's funeral and forgot a package our mother wanted her to have as a thank you for coming," Massimo interjects, lying to protect me. "I told Vito to call Gilly's."

I pick up smoothly and finish Massimo’s lie off with the truth. "I spoke with Gus; he was concerned that Cutt and Jax were missing from the bar after the altercation with her. Raf and I promised we'd go check it out."

"Yet, you never breathed a word about what went down." There's an accusation in Dom's words.

"It's done," Ash grunts. "They did me a fucking solid. We're good."

"Is this blackmail?" Massimo's tone is quiet, but the warning is clear that he'll protect his family if it is.

Ash cocks his head. "Not at all. I'm revealing my hand to show that I'mall-in."

There's a knock on the door, and Alfonzo pokes his head in. "Don, sorry to interrupt, but Gus and Frank are at the gate wanting," he clears his throat, "demandingto be let in to talk to you."

"Let them in." Massimo comes to stand beside me, sensing my slipping control. I need to do something to get to Eden. "Settle," he murmurs.

The tension is still high in the room, but the tension between us as Chamber factions specifically is gone.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I grab it, not wanting to miss another call, especially if it is somehow from Eden.

It's not her but a blocked number. I answer, expecting Axin's voice. The accented voice makes me stop.

"Vito Santoro. I truly hope you love my daughter."

Ohith.

"More than I ever thought possible." The words almost catch in my throat as it closes with emotion.

"Good. Because I need you at your worst."

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