Page 24 of The Mafia's Second Shot

He doesn’t say anything, and I take his silence as dismissal. Without another word, I turn and leave, my heart pounding in my chest.

That night,I find myself wandering the halls again, unable to sleep. My mind is a whirlwind of doubts and fears, of anger and longing. I pass by the kitchen and hear voices—low, urgent, and unmistakably tense.

I stop, pressing myself against the wall as I strain to listen.

“You’re sure it’s him?” one voice says, the words clipped and hurried.

“Positive,” another replies. “But if we move too soon, it’ll blow everything wide open.”

“What choice do we have?” the first voice argues. “He’s already put us all at risk. The boss doesn’t need to know.”

My stomach drops. They’re talking about the traitor—about keeping something from Cooper. My heart races as I try to piece together what it means, but before I can hear more, the sound of footsteps sends me retreating down the hall.

I don’t stop until I’m back in my room, the door locked behind me. My hands tremble as I lean against the door, my mind spinning.

Someone in this house is working against Cooper, and now I’m not sure who I can trust.

18

COOPER

The dim light of the basement flickers overhead as I lean against the cold concrete wall, watching as my men drag Dante Martinez into the room. His wrists are bound, his face bloodied from the fight it took to bring him in. He glares at me with a mix of defiance and fear, his chest heaving as he struggles to stand upright.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, boss,” Dante spits, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Bringing me in like this. After everything I’ve done for you.”

I step forward, my boots echoing on the floor. “Everything you’ve done for me?” I echo, my voice low and dangerous. “Let’s talk about what you’ve donetome.”

Dante doesn’t flinch, but his jaw tightens. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Rossi,” I say simply, the name slicing through the air like a blade.

His eyes widen slightly, just for a fraction of a second, but it’s enough. I’ve been in this business long enough to recognize the look of a guilty man.

“You’ve been feeding him information,” I continue, my tone cold. “Details about my operations. About Zoey.”

“I didn’t—” he starts, but I cut him off.

“Don’t lie to me,” I growl, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him close. “You gave him her name. You made her a target. And now you’re going to tell me everything you know, or I swear to God, you won’t leave this room alive.”

Dante’s defiance falters, replaced by something closer to desperation. “It wasn’t supposed to go this far,” he says, his voice trembling. “Rossi... he promised it would just be a couple of shipments. A few locations. He said he wouldn’t come after you directly.”

“And you believed him?” I ask, my voice rising. “You believed a man like Rossi wouldn’t take every advantage he could?”

“I didn’t have a choice!” Dante snaps. “He had my family, Cooper. My wife, my kids. He said if I didn’t cooperate, he’d?—”

I shove him back against the wall, disgust churning in my chest. “And what about Zoey?” I demand. “What about the people in this house who trusted you? Did they deserve to be dragged into this?”

“I didn’t know he’d go after her,” Dante says, his voice breaking. “I swear, I didn’t know.”

I take a step back, trying to rein in my fury. Dante’s betrayal is a wound I didn’t see coming, and the more I think about it, the deeper it cuts. He wasn’t just one of my men—he was someoneI trusted, someone I relied on. And now, because of him, Zoey’s life is in more danger than ever.

Hours later,I’m in my office, staring at the file Marco handed me. The details Dante gave us are damning—locations of safe houses Rossi has compromised, names of men I thought were loyal but might not be. And worst of all, a clear indication that Rossi’s sights are still set on Zoey.

I hear the door creak open and look up to see Zoey standing in the doorway. Her arms are crossed, her face pale but determined.

“You’re brooding again,” she says, stepping inside.

“I’m thinking,” I correct, though my voice lacks conviction.

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