Page 146 of Brutal Legacy

He was crucified to the floor.

Blood formed a pool around the desk.

“I figured it made sense to end Sergio and his little vendetta here, where it all started, Alfredo Bellisario’s study. The place where the prosecutor made his deals and did his dirty work.”

“I’ll tell you the information,” Sergio groaned. “But you can’t kill me.”

Massimo laughed. “I don’t need your information, Sergio. I have everything I need, and I didn’t have to betray a brother-in-arms to get it.” He stared at Elio. “But no matter, I know he understands me.”

He stood suddenly and stepped back, gesturing down to Sergio like a waiter presenting a particularly delectable main course.

“All yours, Apollo,” he said to Elio and winked at me. “A little insider nickname for our dearly beloved Colonel.”

Elio nodded to Massimo and turned to me, pulling a long, wicked-looking knife from his belt.

“I didn’t know what to get you as a wedding present,cara… but now I do. A life, free from danger. That is what I promise you.”

Then he turned and made his way across the room.

“Don’t look. You don’t have to,” Massimo said, standing beside me. He shifted his body and hid the desk and Sergio. “You never have to look… that’s your husband’s job now.”

“No, not my job.” Then Elio was there.

I fell into his arms. He brought me close and kissed the top of my head.

“No?” I pressed myself as close to him as I could.

“No. My honor and privilege... my birthright. Protecting you… loving you, is my legacy,topolina, and I’m the luckiest bastard in the world.”

42

GEORGIA

We went to the De Sanctis estate, only a few miles away, while Massimo Lucciano disappeared into the night. Giada had already redirected Elio’s men from their failed mission to escort me to Casa Nera, and they headed directly to my childhood home to clean up the mess.

Elio fished out a key, hung by a string, from an old well in front of the De Sanctis estate, and let us in. The heavy metal gate creaked when we pushed it open. The garden was overgrown, and the path to the front door was nearly hidden under wildflowers. Dawn was just breaking on the horizon when we got inside.

I was tired and wired at the same time.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” I wondered as we stepped inside.

The grand foyer was still awe-inspiring, even if it was a little dusty and faded.

“Zio Sal invited us himself. He has more than a few estates dotted around Napoli, don’t worry. We won’t be disturbed here.”

With that, Elio turned to me. “I think it’s time to finish that conversation from the other day.”

The adrenaline that was still leaping through my system jumped to attention again. “It is? Aren’t you tired?”

“Not of you. Never of you,” he said quietly and lifted me into his arms.

“Hey, I can walk.”

“You don’t know where we’re going,” he pointed out and started up the marble stairs.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

Elio took us in and out of the long procession of bedrooms upstairs.

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