Page 4 of The Forever One

Whoever killed Bruce.

“J, would you recognize who that is if you saw them again?” I point to the last one on my list, showing her my cell so she can read what I’m asking.

“Yeah, he’s currently in an incinerator after being cut into pieces. Don’t worry, Boss, I got him good.” The glimmer in her eye tells me she enjoyed it too, and I don’t blame her for that. I think I would’ve enjoyed flaying whoever laid their grubby hands on Bruce.

“Okay, I’ll cross that one off my list then.”

Having something to hone my focus on is helping.

Stefano’s phone pings just before a faint knocking sounds from the hall and he silently leaves the room, cell in hand, gesturing to one of the guards to follow him. We’re all on high alert, wondering who the fuck would be visiting. Anyone who ever comes into this house is already here.

Shortly after, Stefano is back and before he even has time to announce the newcomer, Elizabeth fucking Ambrosio shoulder checks past him and rushes toward us like she’s family. With sorrow swimming in her eyes, she’s the picture of worry and regret. Either she’s genuinely pained by what’s happened or she’s a damn good actress.

J growls beside me, Lina stands with her hands fisted at her sides, Gabriella raises a regal eyebrow, and my anger flares.

Storming toward her, I grip her throat and push Elizabeth against the nearest wall. She holds my wrists but doesn’t resist, defeat clear in her eyes. She is on my list, but she’s also question-marked because I’m not going to blacken my soul by taking my revenge on an innocent person. Although her innocence is yet to be proven, the fact I’m unsure of her involvement is keeping her alive. For now.

My anger is a living, breathing thing inside my body, and thoughts of killing people don’t seem as abhorrent as they once did. It’s as if my Volpe mask has some kind of haze over my brain, allowing me to turn off the humanity switch. But River Fox still lies underneath and I’m willing to hear out the red-headed bitch in front of me.

“Give me one good reason not to kill you right the fuck now.” My tone is full of venom, filtered only by my clenched teeth.

Her eyes are wide and she is having difficulty speaking through my grip on her, but I’m not letting up. Not yet. Bitch can struggle.

“I-I-I know”—she fights to swallow as her eyes begin to bulge—“how we can fix this.”

CHAPTERTHREE

RIVER

Iguess we now know why Stefano’s chip isn’t giving us a signal. We waited for a couple of hours trying to triangulate Enzo’s location, but the device wasn’t made for long-distance.

And by long, I mean, really fucking far away.

Like, four thousand miles away and across an entire ocean.

That’s right, Elizabeth confirmed that they were taken to the outskirts of Naples and that she was expected to fly out within the next day.

“They’ll want to prepare a ceremony for you and Marco.” Gabri’s words physically make me sick, but I push that shit down because… what, now?

“Ceremony?” I spit the words like they’re acid on my tongue.

Gabri turns to me, her soft gaze like a mother’s caress, and reaches out to comfort me. “The Ambrosios will no doubt be prepared for just about anything. But the good news is that if they want Elizabeth to leave now, it means Marco is still alive.” Those four words gift me the ability to draw oxygen into my lungs. She’s right, why would they want her there if he’s dead? This whole fucking scheme is a ploy to forcefully join their two families through marriage. Apparently, I put a dent in their plans.

Well, by the time I’m done with them, they’ll wish they’d settled for the dent because I’m about to total their lives like a tsunami on crack.

“Yes, but before we can proceed, they’ll want to…” She doesn’t finish her sentence, just darts her gaze to me before lowering it and sighing.

“Before they snuff me out?” I raise a brow and cock my head, daring her to say the words to my face. “Is that your job, Elizabeth?” Taking two steps toward her, I get right in her face. “Are you trying to befriend us? Give us crumbs of information so that we feel comfortable enough for you to kill me and get away?”

From the corner of my eye I see J step closer just as her hand reaches under her leather jacket, pulling out a huge fucking gun. I wish I could say my mask is on and that’s the reason I don’t even flinch when J points the end of the barrel right at Elizabeth’s temple.

Maybe I’ve watched too many mafia movies. Or maybe my imagination isn’t wild enough to understand the thousands of layers that exist within a mafia family, but whatever it is, I’m gradually becoming numb to the violence. Violence these motherfuckers brought to my doorstep.

The rules. The traditions. The power that goes along with a simple name. None of it makes sense, yet I get it. I get it and I won’t fucking let go.

“On your orders, Boss.” J’s words almost make me smile, which is admittedly fucked up.

With horror written all over her face, Elizabeth shakes her head vehemently. “MioDio, no. I could never… I would never… I’m a pawn in all this, just like you.”

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