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The smile is well off his face now. His mask has slipped, and I see the man he is beneath—hateful, dangerous. His jaw is clenched, but he says nothing.
He turns and walks away, leaving me alone on the path, my fists clenched and my heart racing.
Perhaps, he's the one person I hate more than Enzo. And what is Enzo doing, having him as an advisor? This man is nothing but a scheming bastard and I know he has something to hide. Enzo needs to be protected from him. I need to let him know what a snake Adriano is.
I catch myself in time and put a stop to that train of thought. What business of mine is it if Enzo dies or gets hurt? What do I care? Besides, he’s a snake too, birds of a feather, and I should do well to steer clear of him, no matter what happened last night.
9
Enzo
The warehouse is a dark smear against the night. The air is heavy with salt and oil. My blood’s still roaring from the fight of minutes ago, adrenaline powering my every move. My knuckles are bruised, and the gun is heavy in my hand as I point it to the barely breathing man on the wet floor. Unblinking, I pull the trigger.
I haven't had a wink of sleep since I left Fina trembling on that table last night, her pussy dripping with my cum, her moans burned into my skull. She’s why I’m off, why I want this over, why I’m itching to get back to the manor, even if I hate admitting it
It surprises me. I've never been one to rush a job and go home. I like to be thorough in my work, be it in dark alleys and boardrooms. But right now, I’m restless, and it's because of her. That damned woman. She has impaled myself on my mind. So much so that whenever I close my eyes, it's her I see. She's dominating my thoughts.
Matteo’s beside me, shouting orders as our men haul crates we just ripped back from the Gallos. They had come prepared. A pity we'd come better prepared.
The job is done. It's quick. It's effective. It's bloody. Bodies are slumped on the concrete. A few of the men had escaped, and some of the men are hot on their heels. This place is a bloodbath. I rock on my heels, wishing my men would go faster.
I haven't seen her since I left the manor last night. My wedding night and I'd left her for a mission.Why does it nag me?It's not like she expects anything from me. We'd both made it clear what we wanted or didn't want from our marriage—except for the surprise sex we hadn't at all factored in. But I can't seem to shake the thought that I should be back in the manor, under the sheets with her, holding her against me while I murmur sweet nonsense to her.
Save for the mind-blowing sex, we can barely tolerate each other. What will we be talking about? More sex positions to explore? The sizzling attraction that I know even she doesn't deny feeling? I need to tether myself back to reality and stay grounded.Fina is trouble.
I reach down, gripping the cold steel of my gun and the sharp and metallic scent of blood pulls me back. This is my world, not her. She'll never be mine in the true sense of it. The sex we had was nothing. It's nothing. The more I have it ingrained, the better.
Nico, one of the men that had come on this mission with us, jogs over. His face tight as he flicks nervous eyes to me and Matteo. There's trouble. I nearly groan. At which point exactly do I go home?
“Signor Mancini, we got a problem,” he says, his voice low, his eyes on Matteo like he’s afraid to speak.
There's a rumor going about in my crew that Matteo is the most feared, even with his charm. I wear my fierceness as a shell on the exterior, and with me, what they see is what they get. But with Matteo, his charm is deceptive. Underneath is something brutal, so I understand Nico’s prejudice.
My instinct flares at the look in his eyes. “Talk,” I snap, sliding the gun into my holster.
He leans in, his breath sour with cigarettes. “Caught one of their guys alive. He talked.” His eyes refuse to meet mine.
“And…?” I inquire.
“He says there’s a traitor in our crew. He's been feeding the Gallos our routes, our deals.” The words douse me in cold water. It burrows deep, igniting my rage. A traitor. In my house. Mymen are my blood, they'll never think to betray me. They know the reward for betrayal. But apparently, someone's been stupid enough.
“Who?” I growl, stepping close. My voice is a threat.
Nico shakes his head, sweat gleaming on his brow. “He didn’t know a name. Just said it’s someone close.”
My jaw locks, my mind spinning—Luca, Marco, Matteo? No, not Matteo. He’s my brother in all but blood. I rule him out immediately. He'll never betray me. Even with my life on the line, I'll swear to it.
“Get him to the safehouse,” I say, my voice icy. “I’ll deal with him.” Nico scrambles off, and I turn to Matteo, who’s watching, his face blank. “You hear that?” I say, eyes narrowing.
He nods, slowly. “Yeah. Fucking rat in our ranks.” His voice is steady, but I know there's barely contained rage beneath his calm demeanor.
“Come on, then,” I say to Matteo.
We move out. Throughout the drive through the city, my head’s a mess. A traitor in my ranks. I replay every deal, every hit, wondering what’s been sold and how far this goes. The Gallos have been too sharp, their moves too clean, and now I know why. Someone I trust is bleeding me, and it’s a wound I can’t ignore.
I light a cigar, the smoke harsh, curling in my chest, but it doesn’t dull the anger. Matteo glances over, his voice careful. “You thinking it’s one of the core guys?”
I grunt, staring out the window. “Could be anyone. I’ll find him, and he’s done.” He nods, but his silence feels heavy. I know he’s wondering who I suspect. I know he's wondering who it could be.