Page 63 of Massimo

"Which way?" I ask.

Massimo takes my hand and leads me to the bookshelf. He feels under one of the boards, and a section of the bookshelf swings open. 'I'll try to make this as quick as possible, princess."

I step inside without looking back at him, and the door seals shut behind me.

Chapter 27

Massimo

Idon'thavetimeto process Nova's stricken look before she turned her back to me and walked into my safe room.

I spin to my desk, remembering the food tray, plates, and glasses for two.

But Gabe is already on it—my chair is back behind my desk, and he's sitting in Nova's chair and starts to eat off her plate as Vito fills the doorway of my office.

Vito is the tallest of us brothers at six-five, and leaner than Creed and me. He's the protector of our family, the known apex predator. He hates suits, so he's in his usual dark jeans, boots, black shirt, and jacket. His blue-green eyes scan the room and fall on me.

"Hello, grumpy motherfucker," he taunts with a smirk.

I walk to my desk and grab my vodka, sipping it as he comes into my office. "Aren't you supposed to be home, reclined with an ice pack on your nuts?"

"Gabe." Vito hikes his brow as he sits—carefully, if I'm not mistaken—in the other chair beside Gabe. "Is this starting to become a regular thing with Massimo? That's twice in two days he's cracked a joke."

Gabe smirks and puts a piece of salmon in his mouth. Vito grabs a piece of broccoli off Gabe's plate and turns to me.

"I got the no-scalpel procedure for the big V," Vito informs us. Gabe balks at the thought of any sharp instrument close to his nuts, and I can'tsay I'm any different. "I'm not saying my nuts feel like getting played with or anything." He laughs when I grunt. "The worst thing is I have to wear fucking underwear."

Gabe chuckles. "For a commando guy, yeah, that would be torture."

Vito relaxes back and winces.

"Really, brother. What the hell are you doing here?"

Vito eyes me, his joking demeanor gone. "Just checking on something."

"And that is?"

"If you happen to have a little snake here."

I force myself not to stiffen while keeping my expression unreadable. Once word got out about the missing Mancini Princess, I knew my family, especially Vito, would question me.

"Word is that the Mancini Princess didn't run like the evidence points to, and Mancini is spreading rumors that you stole her, Mass."

"And why would I want that snake's spawn?" My words are cold, and bile pushes into my throat.

Thank fuck, the door to the safe room is closed, and the room is soundproof.

"Why, for revenge, of course." Vito's keen predator eyes haven't left me. "You're trying to tell me, after having to let Mancini go free, you don't have any retaliation plans in place until you can kill that motherfucking piece of shit?"

"I didn't say that," I say gruffly.

His jaw shifts. "And you're telling me that you don't have the Mancini Princess?"

"Does it look like she's here, Vito?" I ask instead of outright lying.

His eyes narrow, then he relaxes. "You backed me with Eden, brother. But even without that, you know I'll always have yours."

"I know, Vito."

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