Page 118 of Deception

“Ero?”

“I tracked a van. Lost them.” He shrugs, like that’s good enough.

“Then where the fuck have you been?!” He looks at Ciro, tucking his hands in his pockets. “Him first.”

“Is everyone scheming against me tonight?”

Ciro sighs, looking green in the face. “Look, uh, Angelica told me something. Made me promise not to say, but then I told her Isabella was taken, and?—”

Adriano loses his temper this time, realizing something’s not right. “Quit beating around the bush and spit it out, Zero!” He only calls him that when he’s mad.

“Isabella’s pregnant.”

A dead silence settles in the room like a gut punch.

I can’t breathe. Roaring, rushing blood floods through my ears, red tinting my vision.

And without warning my fist is driving right into Ciro’s face, all the pent-up energy and angst rocketing out through my fist.

He's immediately laughing, pulling himself up while Adriano holds me back from continuing my tirade.

“Geez, way to stab the messenger.”

“It’s ‘shoot the messenger,’” Ero mumbles.

Adriano looks more like I just hit him in the face. For the first time in years, he looks surprised. Taken off guard, looking at me like I’m a ticking bomb.

“So…is this good news or bad news?” Ciro mutters, looking around the room. “I mean, it is yours, right?”

I don’t have a chance to answer. Adriano starts cussing, stomping around the room.

“I fucking knew it! You have to be shitting me. Of course you did. I leave you up in the mountains for a week, what did I expect?” His tirade rattles on, his top totally blown.

Ciro, Ero, and I watch him unspool, kicking over a chair. Eventually he flops down, sighing.

“You done?” I ask.

“Yeah, I’m done.”

“Good. Cause I need you here running the show while I'm gone.” I’m already walking, heading straight for the armory.

It takes the three of them a few seconds to rush after me, catching me as I stuff every gun I can lay hands on into a duffel bag. Ammo. Grenades.

I strap on a vest as they circle around the table.

“Alessandro—” Adriano starts.

“My mind’s made up.”

“Yeah, I got that.”

“But what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Ciro chimes in.

“What does it look like? I'm going to save her.”

“By yourself. Right,” Ero retorts.

“Never took you for the type to go running off to get killed over some broad,” Ciro chuckles, leaning over the table, egging me on.

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