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All eyes areon me as I’m escorted into the warehouse.

Sergio and his men look like they’ve seen a ghost. Milos looks on the verge of passing out. Il Diavolo and his crew of men do what I need them to do—play their role and go along with the plan being executed.

So far, it’s all gone like I had planned.

I’ve even confirmed with Gavino that Portia is in the building. She’s being closely watched from her hiding spot, just in case things go left and we’ll need to get her the fuck out.

It’s all a delicate balance to strike.

At any moment, one of these game pieces might make a move that ruins everything. Sergio could decide he’s done with verbal sparring and open fire on the whole warehouse. We’d immediately retaliate, and the next thing we know, it’ll be a full-on bloodbath.

Milos might do or say the wrong thing, forcing Il Diavolo’s hand.

Portia could reveal herself… which would probably almost be enough to make my heart stop. I need her to stay hidden; I need her to play spectator so she sees what I have planned.

With her own two eyes and ears, she’ll realize Il Diavolo and I are not the same person. She’ll realize I have no mafia affiliations and she’s been sorely mistaken.

Then she can drop her suspicions and open herself up to being mine again.

All while I also throw Titus, Sergio, and the rest of the Tucos off my trail. Once they’re convinced Rafael Calderone has nothing to do with Diavolo and the Belluccis, they’ll back off. I can fight them from behind my mask while also putting an end to the hits they’ve carried out against my everyday-businessman alter ego.

I play it cool, like Rafael Calderone is known for being. Even in the most high-pressure business negotiations, even when I was a man with barely two cents to rub together, I’ve always kept calm and collected when facing off against other men.

An easy smirk spreads onto my face as I peer around at the room. I’ve got at least two guns pointed right at me. Sergio and his guys look sorely tempted to add to that number.

Il Diavolo regards me from his throne, Maurizio doing a phenomenal job cosplaying me. He comes across cold and composed from behind the devil’s mask. I made a good choice selecting him over Adagio; he would’ve been more theatrical with it. Also, his golden brown hair would’ve been a dead giveaway.

“Good evening, gentlemen. You said you had some business you wanted to discuss?”

Sergio glances from me to the throne, then back again. “What the hell’s he doing here? What is this?”

Il Diavolo lets both statements hover in the tense air, still measured and nonplussed. Then, in a tone that’s deeper and emphasizes his Italian accent more than usual, he finally speaks.

“Mr. Calderone is here because I asked him to be here. It’s time to finally address the way things will be from this point on,” he explains calmly. “Your family has defied us one too many times.”

“Defied you?” Sergio responds, his wide mouth dropping open for a harsh laugh. “That’s rich! You’re the ones who’ve stolen our product! You’ve taken over some of our territory! You think you get to rule Newport like some overlord?”

“Our new product has been released. You will find something new to sell, and it will be outside our territory,” Il Diavolo says plainly. “You foolishly believed you could use some of our business partners and take over our market. That will be ending once and for all tonight.”

“This is a setup! You fucking set me up.”

Sergio’s no longer talking to Il Diavolo. He’s rounded on Milos, giving him a hard shove to the ground. He curls a fist and hovers over him like he’s tempted to start beating him up.

Milos holds up his arms to block these potential hits, quaking on the spot. He’s as pathetic and cowardly as he’d been weeks ago when we visited him in the club office at U4EA.

“You knew he would be expecting us!” Sergio roars, gesturing to Il Diavolo and his men. “You brought me here on purpose!”

“I… I didn’t know… I… I swear…” Milos stammers.

Poor guy.

He’s telling the truth.

But I couldn’t trust Milos enough to tell him what was happening and why. He’s double crossed me before, even entertaining the idea of partnering with the Tucos. He had to remain in the dark as he brought Sergio and his crew here.

“W-when they gave me a… a tour the other d-day… it… it was a full ware-warehouse,” he continues, tripping over every word. “I didn’t know… he’d… that he’d be ex-expecting us…”

“LIAR!”