Page 119 of Devil's Tulip

Something’s off.

I pause, studying him carefully.

He’s the same composed, unshakable Rafael, but his chrome eyes shift around distractedly. He’s physically in the room with me but mentally checked out—a rarity for a man whose attention is typically razor-sharp.

“You okay?”

“I’m good, Michael. What brings you here?” he repeats, crossing his arms.

My gaze drops to his bare feet, and I frown as I take in the details I missed at first glance.

The rumpled jacket he’s wearing, his disheveled hair, and even though he's standing perfectly still, the effort it costs him is obvious.

He’s definitely notgood.

Are the wheels finally coming off? Why? I know only one force on earth—one person—capable of dismantling his legendary control this way. Emilia. Did he find something out about her?

Any other time, I’d be thrilled to witness this slow-motion collapse, to see what happens when the great Rafael Moretti finally breaks the way he did the night he killed his father.

But right now, I’m also distracted with my own woman problems to enjoy the show.

I take my phone out, navigate straight to my media gallery, and wordlessly hand over the damning evidence to Rafael, my blood boiling as I recall the reason I’m here in the first place.

Fucking Aldo.

Rafael stiffens, his gaze finally coming into focus as he listens to the tape and scrolls through the receipts. He carries himself in the same aloof way he always does—no outward change in his expression—but I’ve known him long enough to read his microscopic reactions. And this… this doesn’t seem like news to him.

My shoulders tighten with realization. Motherfucker. “You knew all along, didn’t you?”

Rafael glances up, then calmly hands my phone back. “He was on our side, so I saw no reason to stir the pot. It didn’t matter to me what the dons did amongst themselves. They werebrothers, and at the time, it made no sense to meddle in a family affair.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded, as molten anger courses through me. “He broke the very first rule of the syndicate, Rafael! Loyalty to family. If he could betray his own flesh and blood, then any loyalty he’s shown us is conditional at best. How the fuck could you just look away?”

“Because this happened when we first took over the city. Whatever power we had was still unstable—we needed all the men we could get on our side.You know that. And if it isn’t because you’ve gone and fallen for your little wife, you’d be able to think critically and realize you would’ve done the exact same thing I did.”

I stare at him speechlessly, chest heaving. He’s right.Goddammit, I hate that he’s right.

Back then, in our ruthless quest for power, nobody mattered except us. If I had been the one to stumble on it at the time… would I have just looked away like Rafael did?

Gianna’s golden eyes flash through my mind, and something in my chest constricts painfully.

No.

Not for her. Never for her.

I always took pride in how ruthless and emotionless my brothers and I were, but in our ambition, we turned a blind eye when an innocent was hurt. “Did you know that after Aldo took her in, he started abusing her? Not just him but his son too?”

Rafael doesn’t answer, but his lips press into a tight line, and that’s confirmation enough. I shake my head in disbelief. “You knew that and fucking handed her over to Aldo when I found her. How could you?” My hands form fists at my sides. If he were anyone else, I’d already be on him, beating his face into the floor. How the fuck could he?

“You have no right to stand on a pedestal and fucking judge me, Michael. You’ve done worse in this line of business.”

I don’t deny it. But that doesn’t make this right.

“And now? What will you do now? She’s not just any random girl now, Rafael. She’s my wife. My family.One of us.”

Rafael’s gaze sharpens. A beat of silence. Then, “I know. Now, I’ll summon Aldo to the high table of thecommissioneand lay his crimes at his feet. He’ll pay for everything.”

The fierce promise takes some edge off my anger, but it’s not good enough.

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