Page 64 of Vito

Once I arrive at the dark, deserted facility in an industrial area, Vito and Raf aren't alone; Creed waits with them. I get out of my car, with a frown, eyeing the youngest Santoro brother. He doesn't say anything, only nods and holds out his hand. Understanding his role and purpose here, I give him the keys and watch as he silently gets into my vehicle and drives away.

After watching my taillights disappear, I turn to Vito. "I don't like you pulling in your family's resources for this."

He shrugs. "It's risky to leave your vehicle here, and a cab or an Uber would leave a trail and a connection. Creed doesn't know what this is about, and he won't say anything, not even to Massimo."

Raf rocks back on his heels and jerks his thumb at the SUV waiting. "We should go." He flashes me a grin. "Don't worry; this one's stolen so no trace back to us."

What's one more law being broken tonight?

I open the back door as Vito climbs in the driver's seat. Raf turns to me from the passenger seat. "You can have shotgun."

Keeping as much distance from Vito as possible is a necessity. "I'm good back here."

After I give them the coordinates Ohith sent me, we're silent as we leave the city.

Clouds cover the moon and the night is dark and quiet when we reach the destination—a treed section of a huge vineyard outside a state park. Raf hands me a pair of gloves and Vito grabs the shovels from the back of the SUV, and we use the headlights to dig a deep grave. Knowing Ohith, this land probably has more bodies in the ground.

I'm sweaty, and I rest my arms on my propped up shovel as a van drives into the clearing, its headlight momentarily blinding me. Axin had already called a head to warn it was him so we didn't shoot him.

Axin climbs out, his white-blonde hair and pale skin making him look like an eerie phantom that could haunt the woods. He's been in the city since I arrived, but we haven't gotten together because I hoped this part of my life wouldn't intersect with my current one.

Wishful thinking.

"Good to see you." He hugs me tightly. When I pull away, I glance over my shoulder to see Vito and Axin having a stare-off.

Axin caves first and turns to me. "Get changed and give me everything to destroy, then get going. Text your father when you're back in the city."

Taking off the gloves that protected my hands from blisters, I hand them to Axin for disposal. I grab the bag of fresh clothes and boots Vito and Raf had brought from my place and go behind two thick trees to change. When I come out, Vito and Raf have changed and put their clothes, boots, and gloves in Axin's plastic bag, and I do the same. There's no blood on these clothes, but the dirt and soil composition from here could be a link to the crime if the bodies are found.

It's not just the authorities we're covering this up from, but the Havoc Guardians and the Chamber. Axin and Ohith are pros at eliminating the risk of evidence being found and connected, but I know they'll be extra cautious since I'm involved.

"The clean team is finishing up at your apartment. It will be spick and span when you arrive," Axin reassures me. He glances at Vito again, then back to me. "Stay safe."

Vito murmurs his thanks to Axin as I climb into the back of the SUV. I'm still reeling from tonight's events on top of what happened earlier.

First, the funeral, then that fucking scene in the library. I press my fingers to my eyes to try to block it out.

Then hearing Aiken's song and knowing someone was coming for me. The attack. Watching Vito kill Jax and Cutt.

I have no idea why he'd do that; why he was even there. Or why he insisted on covering this up from the Chamber. If Ash ever finds out…

It wouldn't just be dissolved alliances; the Santoro family and the Havoc Guardians would be pitted against each other. Vito and Raf could be attacked. Taken out.

Why would he risk that?

Guilt because of Aiken, maybe? Does Vito feel some sort of responsibility for me because of Aiken's last words?

Like with the drive there and during the digging, we stay silent, each in our heads.

As we approach the city limits, I text Ohith that I'm back in the city. While I stare at my phone, a thought fills my gut with dread. "What about their phones? Their vehicle?"

Vito looks at me in the rearview mirror, but Raf answers, "We couldn't find a vehicle registered to either of them, so they likely stole one."

That would've taken tech skills to find out so quickly.

I grind my teeth. "I said no Santoro resources."

Vito glances back at me. "Crispin just got me into the database, and I searched. He doesn't know any details."

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