Page 139 of Massimo

"That's currently locked away and untouchable. And I won't have it said that I married Nova to gain control of it."

"Nova?" Nathaniel asks. "What do you want?"

"I don't want it, Nathaniel." I might be a fool, but it's true.

"But your mother wanted you to have it," he argues.

"To use against my father." I stare at Massimo. "But I already have a weapon to wield against him. Silvestro Mancini and his entire empire will be ash by the time we're done with him."

Massimo's mouth curls into a sensual dark smile. "That it will, my wife. My queen."

Chapter 57

Massimo

Novastridesforwardwithouthesitation as we near the basement room where Vincenzo is being held.

Before unlocking it, I position myself in front of her. One might wonder why I brought her with me, but Nova has every right to be here, seeing this through with me.

I glance back at her, and her face is set, determined. I won’t hesitate to unleash my monstrous side if necessary with Vincenzo. Her expression tells me she knows that, but she's here, standing steady with me.

I unlock the door, then enter. Vincenzo is a large man, one used to lavish luxury, and seeing him sitting in the small rickety folding chair in the otherwise bare room makes me smile.

Gabe didn't put him in the same room as Nova had been, and I'll thank my best friend later. I don't need anything to trigger Nova, nor do I need the reminder at this time of how I treated her when I first captured her.

I feel the press of Nova's lips on my shoulder blade, almost as if the same thoughts are in her head. My angst at those memories eases with her touch.

Vincenzo rises from the chair, pulling my focus back to him. "Your hospitality leaves much to be desired, Massimo."

"I didn't realize this was a social visit, Pisani."

His mouth thins at me referring to him by his last name. "We're not enemies."

"That's looking less and less like the truth."

Nova steps out from behind me, and surprise flashes over Vincenzo's face as her small frame had been hidden with my height and width.

He shifts as if he's about to move toward her.

"Take one step, and I'llgutyou like a pig."

He stills, and his eyes warily slide back to me. "I mean no harm to her."

"If you're here for the purpose of returning Nova to Mancini, then you meaneveryharm to her."

His jaw ticks. "Be reasonable, Massimo. Let's talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about. Novaismy wife, and sheiscarrying my heir. Because of both those things, the 'Ndrangheta needs to align with me, not against me in this."

Something passes over his face before he shields it. "This is…complicated."

I shift tactics to keep him off-kilter. "How do you know Ivan Everhart?"

Shock stiffens his burly frame—almost imperceptibly—but I catch it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know the coordinated explosions along the perimeter of my estate—that just so happened to precede your arrival—were orchestrated by Ivan." I don't actually know this; however, I'm putting forth my suspicions as hard evidence. "I also know you activated a jamming device, preventing Damien from giving any notice of your arrival."

Again, I'm passing suspicion off as hard evidence, but my play works.

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