Page 30 of Crimson Reign

"I've been watching you for weeks," Matteo continues. "The change in your behavior. Your sudden interest in the old wing of the estate."

"The camera feeds you disabled?" Matteo takes another step. "I had backups installed when you started spending so much time in this wing."

Julian's eyes dart frantically between Matteo and the tunnel entrance. I inch around the desk, my focus entirely on Fiona, waiting for an opening.

"Lower your weapon, Julian," Matteo commands. "It's over."

For a moment, everything hangs in perfect, terrible balance. Then Julian makes his choice.

He swings the gun away from Fiona toward Matteo, and I move.

I cross the distance in three quick steps, driving my right palm up under his extended arm while my left snatches Fiona from his grasp. The gun discharges, the bullet embedding itself in the ceiling as Julian stumbles backward.

Matteo is on him before he can recover. One moment Julian is struggling; the next he's on the floor, Matteo's knee pressing into his chest, gun pressed under his chin.

I turn away, cradling Fiona against me, murmuring soothing words as her cries gradually subside.

"Get him to the warehouse," Matteo tells Valentino. "I want to know everything."

Hours later, I sit in my room. Fiona is finally asleep in her little bed beside me, which I asked to be brought to my room after her illness and despite my exhaustion, I can't sleep.

The door creaks open and Matteo enters quietly. His knuckles are bruised and blood dots his shirt. Our eyes meet, and neither of us speaks.

"Did he talk?" I finally ask.

Matteo nods. "Eventually."

I rise from my chair, moving to stand beside him. "Tell me."

"It's worse than we thought. The Caruso have infiltrated the Commission itself. Three of the nine members are blackmailed or bought. Massimo is planning to assassinate the remaining heads at the next meeting."

"When?"

"The feast of San Gennaro. Tomorrow night. All Commission heads will be there."

"Can't you warn them? Cancel the feast?"

He shakes his head. "If we cancel, we tip our hand. If we warn individual members, word could get back to Massimo."

"So what do we do?"

"The feast goes on as planned. It's our best opportunity to present the evidence and eliminate everyone involved. This ends tomorrow night. One way or another."

Sighing deeply, I make my way to the bathroom and bring back a dampened towel, cleaning the blood from his knuckles.

"This isn't your fault," I say quietly.

"Julian was one of my most trusted men. He was here, with access to you, to Fiona."

"You can't control everyone's choices. Your instincts saved us today."

A noise from the bed interrupts us. Fiona is awake, staggering.

Matteo lifts her gently into his arms. "Hey, little one. You should be sleeping."

Fiona studies his face, then reaches out, patting his cheek with her tiny hand.

"Papa," she says clearly.

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