Page 66 of Conall's Reign

Cosimo exhaled sharply, redirecting his glare back at me. “You got into his car.”

The words sent a chilling jolt through my veins. My breath caught, but I forced my expression to stay neutral. “That’s ridiculous.”

His eyes darkened as he leaned in, his voice low and dangerous. “I have footage, Francesca. You, in Fausto’s car that night.”

My stomach lurched, but I kept a carefully neutral expression. “It wasn’t me.”

Cosimo’s jaw twitched. “All I know is that my brother left that club with you. Hours later, he was dead.”

I stayed silent. Any response I gave would have been the wrong one.

Vallone chuckled, the sound grating. “See? She’s not afraid of you, Cosimo. She knows you won’t do what’s necessary.” He turned to me, his smile as sharp as a razor. “But I will,stronzo.”

A chill slithered down my spine. Whatever game Cosimo was playing, I had a sinking feeling that Vallone was about to change the rules. Cosimo didn’t even see it coming. His face was turned toward me, his eyes angry yet still filled with the questions he had right up until the moment Vallone pulled the trigger.

“Giovanni, if you please.” Don Vallone waved his gun toward the zip ties as if he hadn’t just fired it and it was entirely safe to wave the weapon around.

The same man who had pushed Cosimo away from me earlier stepped forward and cut the zip ties without a word, allowing them to fall away as I struggled to shake out my arms and restore feeling to my wrists.

Blood surged back into my hands in sharp, stinging waves, but I didn’t have the luxury of reacting. My gaze flickered to Cosimo’s body, his eyes wide, frozen in shock, before they went glassy. Blood seeped from the hole in his forehead, dark and final. My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to stay still, refusing to give Vallone the satisfaction of a reaction.

“Now that the distraction is behind us,” Vallone murmured, slipping his gun back into its holster, “we can finally have a real conversation.”

“Let me check on Sean. Let’s see if …” I began to slide my gaze back to my bodyguard, whose condition seemed unchanged. It looked like he was breathing, which was something I could hold onto. He was alive. For now.

“Not until we have our conversation.” His gaze remained fixed on mine, resolute.

I swallowed hard, my tongue as dry as sandpaper. “Why?” My voice barely managed to scratch out the word, but I steadied myself and tried again. “Why did you kill him? Didn’t you do this for him? Wasn’t he on your side?” I was confused about Cosimo and filled with guilt. Perhaps I should have tried to tell him the truth. Maybe he would have been reasonable. Would that have been too unlikely? Perhaps he was just a tortured soul trying to put his brother’s memory to rest. Would that have been so terrible?

Vallone snorted and stepped closer. “He was an annoyance — a desperate man trying to salvage his family’s crumbling empire with half-baked schemes. He thought he could bargain his way into control. That’s not how this world works. He was stupid.” His dark eyes gleamed with a hint of amusement. “He was useful, though. I should thank him for his sacrifice.”

My fingers curled into fists, my nails digging into my palms. “Sacrifice?” I spat. “What exactly did he give you?”

Vallone’s smirk deepened. “Guarantees.” He stepped closer, compelling me to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. “Cosimo was prepared to promise the Oliveto’s submission in exchange for ten minutes alone with you.”

The Olivetos were allied with the Commission against him. Removing an entire mafia from the board without a shot fired was significant. For ten fucking minutes?

The words hit me like a slap. My mind reeled, struggling to grasp the gravity of what he was saying. “You expect me to believe that?” I whispered. “Cosimo is dead now, so the deal doesn’t stand.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said with a casual shrug. “But it doesn’t change the facts. Cosimo sold out his family name for a slim chance of getting answers from you. And look where that got him.” His foot nudged Cosimo’s lifeless hand, his mouth curling in distaste. “Pathetic. The Oliveto name dies with him. Dishonored. Destroyed. Fausto is already dead.” He grinned at me wolfishly. “And now Cosimo. Their mafia is finished.”

My breath came in slow, measured inhales as I tried to keep the panic at bay. I knew Vallone wasn’t telling me this for no reason. He wasn’t just going to kill me, right? There was a reason that I’d been cut loose. He wanted something. Whatever it was, I had a sinking feeling I wouldn’t like it.

“I was curious about Cosimo’s interest.” He looked at me again. “So I investigated you. Imagine what I discovered.”

I squared my shoulders, injecting strength into my spine. “I couldn’t care less.”

A slow, almost lazy smile spread across Vallone’s face. “Did you know that I knew your mother?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “She and I were very close once, a long time ago.”

My pulse thundered as I stared at him in dread.

“I had to double-check, of course, but …there is no doubt about it.” His hawk-like eyes peered at me as I tried to put the pieces together.

White noise filled my ears. It couldn’t be. My mother wouldn’t be so callous as to sleep with Vallone. Would she?

Then he said it.

“You’re my daughter.”

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