Page 31 of Immaculate Corruption (Romanoff Bratva)

My grip on the gun is crushing and my palm is starting to ache. I adjust it. Just a tiny motion, but Ennio looks like he’s about to piss himself.

He’s a coward.

But that still doesn’t mean he deserves to die.

I take a deep breath. “Where is your father?”

Ennio clenches his lips together harder until they begin to go white. His attempt at being brave, I guess.

I step forward, gun pointed at his forehead. “Ennio, listen very closely to me. You need to answer my questions and do it quickly. I don’t want to have to kill you.”

“But you will anyway,” he says in a surprising show of courage. “If I tell you, you’ll kill me and then go after him. If I don’t, you’ll kill me and then go after him. At least if I stay quiet, I won’t betray my father.”

AmI going to kill him? The fact that the question even crosses my mind is maddening. This should be easy. So fucking easy. I’ve killed people for far less. If they get in my way, I end them. It’s not pretty or right, but it’s business. It’s my world. It’s what I know.

Now, suddenly, I’m hesitant.

Because of Arya.

Love is a weapon. It slices through the most tender parts of you. It brings you to your knees.

A scenario plays in my mind of some unknown assassin standing in front of my son one day, threatening his life because he wants to get to me. It’s entirely fictional, but I feel sick anyway.

Arya was right. I can’t keep them safe. I can’t protect Lukas from my world. From my life.

I can’t fucking do it.

One half of my brain is descending into a thought spiral of self-loathing and pity. The other half is trying to figure out what in the hell to do with Ennio D’Onofrio.

I take a breath and ask him again, “Where is your father, Ennio?”

The man shakes his head. “I won’t say.”

Without hesitation, I lower my gun and pull the trigger. Shooting him in the knee.

Ennio cries out and drops to the ground, clutching his leg.

“Hands up!” I hiss. “Or I’ll shoot you again.”

Whimpering, he slowly lifts himself up on one leg, the other bent awkwardly beneath him. He’s leaning back on the security equipment for balance and his forehead is drenched in sweat. Blood trickles down his ruined leg.

“Just kill me,” Ennio begs. “I won’t tell you anything. I’m useless to you.”

I consider it for a moment. I need to get out of here. I’m running out of time.

Then I realize… he isn’t completely useless.

If Giorgio feels about his son even half of what I feel for mine, Ennio could be quite useful indeed.

“Take me to the elevator,” I order.

Ennio frowns. “W-what?”

“Elevator. Now. Don’t even think of calling for help.”

Ennio hesitates for a moment and then begins hopping towards the door. I follow close behind, the gun pressed against his back.

He leads me through the lobby area to a metal door on the other side. He enters in a code and then opens the door with one of many keys on his keychain. The door opens onto an elevator shaft.

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