Page 88 of Vito

Creed sets down his tumbler and paces in front of his wall of windows. "So maybe Mancini was the unknown third-party supporting Morales and Ortez after all."

"If that's the case, Mancini hasn't moved against Sophie since," I reason. "And the Czech's pressure in our territory has almost been exclusively in San Francisco."

"Where the Chamber would back us in preventing any sort of human trafficking routes and operations," Creed finishes.

"You're assuming logic dictates where Mancini is concerned." Massimo's deep voice is laced with malice.

"Why do you have such a hard-on for this motherfucker?"

He grunts. "Leave it to you to associate this with a dick. Always thinking with your cock."

"When you got the cock I do, why the fuck not," I taunt, making him smirk.

Creed stares out the window with his brow pinched. Massimo sets down his drink and takes out his phone. He glances down at it, his finger running over the screen before he locks it and slips it into his pocket.

Creed is on edge, and Mass is acting… odd.

But for now, my focus is on my baby brother. "What do you and Triple S need, Creed?"

"To confirm if Morales or any of those bastards lived," he growls, turning back to me.

"Well, fuck, thanks for clarifying," I deadpan with an eye roll.

That gets a wry grin from him before he's back to frowning. "Boston and California are thousands of miles apart. Does Mancini have the resources to try to push into our territory and operate?"

"Multinational conglomerates rule empires that span huge distances all the time," Massimo reasons. "You'redoing it, Creed; expanding all across the states and now on the Amalfi Coast."

"But Mancini would need to go to war with us to do so."

"There's nousin this context," I firmly remind Creed. "You're on the side of the line that'snotneck-deep in the criminal underworld."

"If I need to remove the threat to Sophie, I'll do whatever it fucking takes. You know that," he snarls, his icy-blue eyes flashing with fury.

"We do know that. But let's not jump off the deep-end before we know more. For now, keep your feet planted in your world, baby brother. Focus on Soph, your growing baby in her belly," my chest seizes at the reminder of Eden's hellish tortured past inflicted on her, "and getting Hope's Legacy up and running."

Hope's Legacy is Sophie's dream job-slash-passion project of helping women and children escape the cycles of domestic violence and poverty.

"Vito is right, Creed. We'll focus on Mancini. We'll keep you updated, though."

"You said you were looking into Mancini." My eyes swivel to Massimo. His broad shoulders tense slightly, and my interest increases about where his head is at. He's a family man—or, in this case, a 'company' man—and is strategic and cunning. He's planning something, or at least, considering a plan, but he's keeping his cards closer to his chest more than usual. I don't press him, though. I'm keeping my own huge secrets and don't feel I qualify to push Massimo on his. I trust him to pull me in when he needs me. "Do you have eyes on him?"

He shrugs one big shoulder. "Ish."

Before I can press him for more, his phone rings. He takes it out of his pocket and sees the caller. He says without glancing up, "I need to take this. Excuse me."

He walks to the door, but I hear him as he answers the call. "Gemma. How's the princess?"

The door closes, and I can't hear more. Gemma is our cousin who lives in Italy. She's like a sister, but I've never heard Massimo refer to her as a princess because Gemma would claw out his eyes. Maybe Massimo is taking a page out of my book regarding taunting and feels safe doing so when there's an ocean between them.

"He's acting off." Creed eyes the door. "He's been different sincePapà's death, but he's darker lately. More quiet than normal."

"I don't disagree. He's got a lot on his plate withBabbo's death."

Creed sighs, running his hand over his head. I walk to him, gripping his shoulders.

"Go home to Triple S."

Since Sophie's rescue, she and Creed have unofficially taken up residence at the estate. It's like a fortress, and Creed feelsSophie is the most secure there. And it makes our mother insanely happy. All Gina Santoro wants are daughters-in-law and grandbabies. The house is huge and has four wings, so everyone still has privacy.

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