Page 1 of Angelo

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Dead?

With this one word, her entire world ceased to move. Frozen and panic-struck, a bone-deep numbness took over. Elyse's mind went blank. It took a few harrowing beats for time to turn once more. Then, breath by breath, terror began to rise, rattling and raging in its cage, escaping seconds later to wrap around her throat like a fucking noose.

Alessandro couldn't be gone.

Every beat of her heart rejected the possibility of losing him.

No.

No.

No.

This couldn't be real life. She refused to wear a black dress so soon after the white one. Countless bullets tried to kill Alessandro in the past, but he'd evaded the reaper each and every time.Devils, after all, were meant to live forever.Still, a small, treacherous seed of doubt took root, taunting her relentlessly.Signor Vitale is dead, Signor Vitale is dead, Signor Vitale is dead…

Both lungs seized up.Mierda.She couldn’t seem to get enough air. Was this how Alessandro felt when Cara nearly killed her? Elyse didn't know. All she knew was,Dios, the bastard possessed a talent for screwing with her sanity. What if his luck finally ran out? Would she be forced to charge through fire and brimstone to wrench him back from hell? For a crazed moment, Elyse despaired over the worst case scenario. She caught herself right then.Enough.Fear was making her irrational.

Elyse forced herself to calm the fuck down.

Their recent brushes with death kept inching too close for comfort, and she loathed them with a vengeance. Gritting teeth, she willed away the tides ofdistress. Elyse clung to logic and sense. She felt almost certain that Luca was referring to Mr.VincenzoVitale and not her Mr.AlessandroVitale, but the split-second of uncertainty was giving her a heart attack.

"Which," Elyse growled, "Mr. Vitale are you talking about?"

A sheepish look flashed across the younger bodyguard's face. "Mi scusi, Signora Vitale.It was your husband's father,Signor Vincenzo Vitale, who passed away. I did not mean to alarm you."

Fucking Luca!Each fluttering pulse slowed to steadier beats. Bone-deep relief flowed through her.Thank God it wasn't Alessandro. Selfishly, she thanked the universe for reaping away the evil, old fucker while leaving her man untouched.As she regained her composure, terror was soon replaced by a stunning realization.Her feelings were undeniable. She'd been ready to charge through an inferno for the bastard.

With a somber expression, she offered, "I'm sorry to hear about my father-in-law. I hope he's at peace now."

From the driver's seat, Monte gave a grunt of solidarity.

She glanced at Luca. "How's my husband handling the news?"

The younger man responded in hesitant tones, "He seems… fine."

Bullshit.A grimace flattened her mouth as a new wave of fears set in. Their lives would never be the same again. The oldcapowas gone. Whether or not he was ready, Alessandro's fate as the heir to the throne was, at last, sealed.

"Alessandro has enough on his plate," she mumbled. "Let's do what we can to help him through this difficult time."

"Of course,Signora Vitale."

Perhaps, she could take on the logistics for the funeral arrangements? Elyse didn't know the first thing about planning a proper Sicilian memorial service, especially when the deceased happened to be the old king ofCosa Nostra. Fortunately, she knew exactly who to turn to for help.

In measured tones that hid her anxiety, Elyse probed, "Do you know when Malina will return from Salemi?"

Luca reported back, "She may be away for a while longer. Carmen and Valentina are choosing to be... uncooperative."

Elyse's nerves frayed a bit more.Fuck the Rizzos. As if they didn't have enough problems to unfuck. Vincenzo's passing was already fracturing age-old alliances. A power struggle between the clans was inevitable. The longer Carmen and Valentina were left to their own devices, she suspected, the more havoc motherand daughter would unleash in the mayhem to come.

Elyse was afraid for Malina as well. Her housekeeper wasn’t safe in Salemi. Something needed to be done about the Rizzo women. On the drive home, her mind spun at breakneck speeds to find a way through these obstacles. Plans started taking shape. A quiet tenacity simmered within Elyse, gathering momentum to brave each looming threat.

They arrived back at the palazzo around noon. The moment Elyse entered the house, her feet flew through the foyer, racing down the hallways. Anxious and breathless, she found Alessandro in his study.

Brown and blue-gray eyes snapped up to meet her troubled gaze."Cuore mio..."

As their eyes locked, her heart felt as though it was beating for him, only for him, always for him. She became hyper-aware of how still and quiet he seemed to be. Tension radiated from his being. But Alessandro's face was unreadable.

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