Page 40 of Twisted Throne

So much for not getting involved.

I washed up and changed quickly, then headed downstairs to Angelo’s office, resisting the urge to return to Gia’s room as I passed her door.

“Come in,” Angelo called when I knocked.

I closed the door behind me and Angelo gestured to me to take a seat in the leather chair across the desk from him.

“Carlos filled me in on what went down last night, but I’ll require your full report,” he said. “A shame that Emilio got away.”

There was a cold anger in his eyes, matching my own. It left me feeling alert and calm at once. Angelo and I are much alike, cold in the crisis and affable later, or not at all. And because we’re so similar, I know exactly how deadly he can be when someone threatens his own.

“The fault was mine, Angelo,” I replied. “I will find him.”

“Yes, you will.” He leaned back in his chair, confident that I would get the job done. “It’s time to deal with the traitor, be it Alec or someone else.”

“We have the hit planned for the three shipments coming to Sabitino at the docks tomorrow night,” I said cautiously. “But what if we changed targets at the last minute?”

“Hmm… so we tell Alec it’s a go for the docks, then hit the new target instead,” he mused, his heavy gold rings flashing in the light as he steepled his hands together.

“And if Sabitino beefs up his security at the docks in expectation of an attack that never comes, we’ll know exactly where the information came from,” I replied.

“What would be the alternate target?”

“I know that the Lucas have had issues with Sabitino in the past,” I told him. “Carlos helped Leo Luca with a small issue with the cartels a while back. I already took the liberty of having him call in the favor in exchange for information on the location of one of Sabitino’s weapons warehouses. It’s across town from the docks. I can have a group ready to go on your word.”

Angelo thought for a long moment, hands folded calmly on his desk. Then he nodded in decision and met my eyes.

“Very well, I’ll inform Alec of the fictitious operation at the docks tomorrow night. I’ll tell him to keep the location to himself due to the leak,” he said. “ Take Alec, and Carlos with you to check out the shipments at the docks. Ricky will take the rest of our men to hit the weapons stash.”

“Understood,” I said, rising to my feet. I turned toward the door, but his voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Wait.” He motioned for me to sit back down.

I eased myself back down onto the chair, my entire body tensed and on alert.

“There is very little that goes on here that I don’t know about, wouldn’t you agree?” he said.

Fottimi,he knew about me and Gia.

“Si, Angelo,” I replied, voice emotionless.

His eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard you and my daughter have become rather attached to each other.”

“We have,” I answered evenly. I might be a fool right now, but certainly not enough of one to lie to Angelos’ face.

“Is there a reason that I’m hearing this from anyone other than you?” he asked sharply. He continued without waiting for an answer. “You’ve been part of this family for years,” he said. “I trust you with my business, but should I trust you with my daughter?”

“Yes,” I answered directly.

Angelo stared at me for several seconds, then nodded his head.

“See to it that I can,sottocapo,” he said, then waved his hand at me in dismissal.

***

I stood in the hallway outside of Gia’s door. She hadn’t responded to my knock, so I opened the door and let myself inside, stepping into the sitting area. There was no sign of her, but as I moved further into the room I heard the shower running in the bathroom, and Gia’s soft, clear voice rising over the water as she sang. Something so over-the-top that it had to be Broadway, but her soft, clear voice turned it into something smooth and intriguing.

I opened the bathroom door, the steam drifting out in lazy swirls. I could see her shadow through the frosted glass of the shower stall in a blur of curves.

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