Page 140 of Massimo

Vincenzo's shoulders slump, guilt making him look aged and worn. "I had no choice, Massimo."

"There's always a choice, Vincenzo. You just chose wrong."

Nova steps forward, and I grip her arm to stop her. She studies Vincenzo with a furrowed brow. "Vincenzo Pisani," she murmurs, the lines in her forehead deepening. "My mother… I recall her talking to herself about Emanuele Pisani…and someone named Vincenzo."

He visibly pales.

"It's the ledger." She glances at me, then back at Vincenzo. "You don't want something to come out… It's in the ledger that my mother had, isn'tit?"

Emanuele was Vincenzo's father and had died of heart problems. I inwardly smile at Nova's deduction from her vague memory. Vincenzo's expression is all the answer that's needed.

"That's what Mancini has over you, isn't it?" I deduce. "The ledger. You, Achille, Camillo, and Gastone. There's no profit-sharing deal for Glucoaid-X between the four of you and Mancini, is there? The two million dollars that each of you gave him wasn’t to buy into the deal; he was blackmailing you."

Vincenzo looks shaky as he reaches behind him for the rickety chair to help steady him. "How do you know about that?"

Like hell I'm giving away Rurik and his super hacker as my source. "It's not important. But that's it, isn't it? You four were paying Mancini off for his silence, not buying into some profit-sharing scheme."

Vincenzo's large frame slumps into the chair. "Yes. Mancini approached us shortly after Creed rescued Sophie. It was Mancini's insurance in case you discovered his involvement, and a way to prevent your retaliation. We've had to pay regularly to keep him silent about what he has on us in that ledger."

Rurik said there was only one series of deposits from the four Dons, so Mancini must have used different accounts each time.

"Then why vote against Massimo killing my father?" Nova asks. "With him dead, his blackmail ends."

"Mancini swore he had back-up plans. If he died, the ledger would become public."

My cold laugh fills the stone room. "He played you, Vincenzo." When he frowns, I add, "The ledger is locked up. Mancini doesn't have access to it; that's why he wants Nova."

He stands, eyeing her. "Then she's still a threat."

I step toward him, my unreadable mask falling aside, and I let him see the beast within me that wants to rip him to shreds for threatening her.

Nova grips my hand, and I stop. "I don't have the ledger, Vincenzo, nor do I want it. It will be destroyed."

"Empty words," he grits.

Her spine stiffens, and she stands to her full height—still tiny, but strong. "Which you'll have to accept and believe, Vincenzo. If youbelieved my father had the ledger without proof, then why not the latter?" Before he can retort, she continues, "The Santoros and your family are allies. Massimo himself is a man who stands by his word."

I smile, looking down at my wife, who has slid so seamlessly into her role as queen by my side. Then I turn to Vincenzo. "It's either that, or I kill you, and start a war that will destroy the 'Ndrangheta and use everything in that ledger to aid me to do so."

He looks defeated and nods.

"Are you aligned with the French mafia?" I ask, needing to know how deep his treachery runs.

"Because of Beast? No, he was my overseer," Vincenzo says in disgust. "Sent to Catanzaro to ensure I was behaving. It was another way that Mancini controlled me."

We eye each other—him waiting for my next move; me studying him, using my sixth sense to determine if he's lying. I marginally relax, deciding that I believe him.

He takes a wary step, but stops when my look turns murderous. "Aren't I allowed to leave this charming set of accommodations?"

"Not until I'm absolutely certain you're no longer a threat to my wife and child."

"Massimo," he starts to try to reason with me.

But I've already taken Nova's hand and am leading her out of the room and locking the door.

I stop her in the hallway, checking her over—her coloring and the look in her eyes. She's steady and strong.

Using my thumb, I rub along her jawline as she stares up at me. "Ready for what comes next?"

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