Page 69 of Titan

I’d told her that before we left, but maybe she’d forgotten.

“Okay.”

She opened the car door. I got out too, thankful she hadn’t thought to insist on staying in the car. I needed her where I could see her. The fear of losing her was driving me to fucking distraction. However, I also needed to remain focused in order to deal with the situation inside.

I walked around the car and took hold of her hand. She stared down at our joined fingers with wide eyes.

“I hate to ask this of you, but I need you to stay quiet while I do this. It’s for your protection and safety, okay?”

She nodded. I drew us to a halt right outside the door and cupped her face with my free hand. She leant into it like my affection was exactly what she needed.

“We’ll talk after this and I’ll take you home, I promise.”

“I know.”

I dropped my hand from her face and pulled her inside. She followed me without question. We walked down a short corridor before striding through a pair of double doors into the warehouse itself. It was situated near our headquarters. We used it for our interrogations.

Edric was standing just outside of the pool of light where three men were sitting tied to chairs. There were a few of our men dotted around, watching them. We’d selected a few trusted individuals to help us deal with this issue. They’d all been sworn to secrecy and had been directly assigned to Edric. I still hadn’t chosen a newcapodecina, so Salvatore was taking care of the rest of our men himself. He was more than capable of it, but eventually, I would have to appoint another to reduce his workload.

Edric turned at the sound of our footsteps. His eyebrows shot up when he saw I had Theia with me. I stopped in front of him, watching his eyes dart between us.

“Uh, Gil, who is this?”

“Take care of her and give me your gun.”

“What?” he hissed, keeping his voice low.

“Do not try my patience, Edric. She ismine,and I expect you to take care of her while I deal with them.” I put my hand out. “Give me your gun.”

His eyes bugged out behind his glasses at my no fucking nonsense tone. He slid his hand under his bomber jacket and pulled out the gun I knew he had holstered underneath it. I’d left mine in the glove compartment, not wanting to scare Theia by getting it out in front of her. I took the weapon from him.

“Which one is Alvin?”

“The one with the bear tattoo on his arm.”

I nodded at him before turning to Theia. Her blue-grey eyes were wide as saucers. I didn’t have time to soothe her or sugar-coat what was about to happen next.

“Stay with Edric.”

I released her hand and stepped around my best friend into the ring of light. My eyes scanned the three men, who all looked battered and bruised. I spied the one with the tattoo sitting in the middle, so I raised the gun and without a word of warning executed both of his “friends” with a shot right between the eyes. The gunshots echoed around the warehouse. The man in the middle, Alvin, flinched and looked left to right.

“What the fuck?” he barked the next moment.

I walked right up to him and placed the barrel under his chin, tilting his head up.

“I’m not in the mood for interrogation tactics or games. You’re going to tell me where the fuck those missing shipments are, or I will make your last hours on earth miserable. And trust me, there is a reason why people fear the name Villetti in this town. You may not have realised who is in power now and that’s okay.” I leaned closer. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, Alvin, but it’s really not. Nevertheless, I’m Gilberto and I used to be Gennaro Villetti’s executioner. Now, I’m the boss, so I suggest you decide real fucking fast which way you want to play this.”

Twenty Four

Theia

The sound of the gun going off was still echoing in my ears, even as Gil started talking to the man in the chair. I flinched at the noise and the scene in front of me. Two men were dead. Killed by the man I’d become obsessed with. I’d always known Gil was dangerous but seeing him be the mafia boss was an entirely new experience. I had no idea what to think or feel about it.

“So, what’s your name?”

I jumped at the sound of the voice next to me. My head turned towards Gil’s friend. Edric didn’t look anything like how I imagined him when Gil had told me about his best friend and second-in-command. He was tall and lanky, with chestnut hair and hazel eyes behind a pair of wide-framed glasses. The other men in the room looked far more like they belonged in the mafia. They were in black suits and ties. Edric had a few buttons undone on his rather colourful shirt underneath a green bomber jacket and he was wearing beige chinos.

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those silent types, like Gil. I swear he’s a fucking nightmare to get anything out of.”

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