Page 3 of Vito

"What the fuck?" he exclaims, fully awake now.

I hear rustling and picture my wide-chested brother sitting up in bed. I'm the tallest brother and most chiseled from the type of work I do for the family, but neither of my brothers is a slouch in the muscle department. Massimo has the widest build—slightly wider than our baby brother Creed—and has shoulders and a chest like a tank.

"How do you know?" he asks.

Glancing at Raf, I bite the bullet. "I'm at Gilly's with Raf."

Massimo hisses out a breath. "Anyone else there?"

"No."

"Fuck. This is going to look bad, brother."

"I know."

"You could clean your presence and get out."

"You know that would be stupid. And I have nothing to hide, Massimo."

"I know that." He sighs and curses under his breath. "You know we have your back in whatever this is."

I didn’t think my brother would doubt me, but hearing the words was still good. "You should wake,Babbo."

My father used to cringe when my five-year-old sarcastic little ass insisted on calling him that instead ofPapà.However,Babbois what my mother used to call her father, and eventually, my father came to expect me to call him that.

"He should be the one to convene the meeting for the Chamber," I say.

I can hear Massimo move around, probably getting dressed. "What can you tell me?"

I scan the bar again. The broken furniture, broken bottles, blood. Aiken's dead body.

"Security system was taken out. The last thing the cameras recorded was shortly after two, when Aiken was closing up. Staff was all gone. Place was locked up when we got here. Till is empty; not sure if it was robbed or if Aiken had already put it into the safe. His office is sealed. Aiken has multiple stab wounds. Blood pools at the back of his head, and judging by the dent in the wall nearby, I'd say his skull played a part in making it."

"Why did he call you?" Massimo asks.

"That's the million-dollar question." I scrub my face, the two-day-old scruff scratching my palm. "No fucking clue."

"Has Gus been called to initiate protocol for security to secure the scene?"

"Raf is about to call him."

"Okay. I'm on my way to wakePapà. He'll meet you at the Tower."

Being pulled in front of the heads of the Chamber would be no picnic, especially if any of these leaders decided I was guilty or had something to hide.

"Can't wait."

Chapter 2

Vito

Asitturnsout,I could wait. For four fucking hours.

I could've gotten laid or got a blow job, but instead, I've been sitting on my ass in the waiting room outside the main conference room at the Tower. Raf and I came straight here because I didn't want anyone to accuse that we were getting rid of evidence.

So, like good innocent boys, when Raf and I left Gilly's, we got into my black 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and headed straight to the Tower. Purposefully taking a direct route, where the CCTVs would catch us and the Chamber heads could verify we came straight here. I also knew we've been recorded ever since we sat our asses in the waiting room.

Molly, the assistant for the Chamber meetings, bends over the desk in her tight pencil skirt and straightens after she grabs what she needs and slips into the conference room. Raf just finished fucking her in the bathroom, and he adjusts his junk as he struts out.

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