Page 68 of Brutal Devil

“The families are united like they once were and should have been. The overwhelming majority of the Revello family wants to put the past behind us. Tomasso getting clipped has them spooked. They’re looking for our protection.”

Scorpion whistles through his teeth. “So it’s over, then, and without a shot fired.”

I wish I shared my younger brother’s optimism in this situation.

I shake my head. “I don’t know about that.”

“But you just said Amedeo ceded power to you. The Revellos want to join forces.”

“They’re scared. Amedeo says he’s got his guys working on proof that the Bratva was behind Tomasso’s shooting.”

“The Bratva?” Scorpion’s skeptical. “There’s no way. Their hits are never this messy.”

I don’t disagree with him, and if anyone knows the Bratva, it’s Scorpion. He’s got a guy who’s high in their ranks that he can trust. He keeps the identity of his mole a tight secret, but I’m reasonably sure it’s Dimitri Sidorov, also known as Palach, or in English, Executioner.

“What did your guy have to say about Antonio and his boys?” I ask next, thinking about our cousin.

What happened to him was beyond messy.

And the note that was left behind, directly threatening Luna…

My blood runs cold at the memory, followed swiftly by rage. No one dares to threaten my wife without swift and brutal retribution.

“My guy says that wasn’t them either,” Scorpion says. “He might have a lead on it, but he has to get his ducks in a row before sharing more.”

“And you believe him?”

There’s a pause. “He’s never lied to me before.”

“But you aren’t sure if you believe him,” I dig.

“Jesus, I don’t think I believe anyone. Not one hundred percent.”

“You believed Vittoria,” I remind him.

Vittoria Barone is the daughter of another high-profile family here in the city. Scorpion fell hard and fast for her, but she did him dirty and it fizzled.

“Don’t fucking remind me,” he growls. “I told you I never want to hear her name again.”

It’s my way of pointing out that his judgment hasn’t always been stellar. I’m a prick, and I know it. But I’m not convinced the Bratva connection of Scorpion’s is telling us the truth.

“Easy. Forget I mentioned her. She’s long gone. I heard she married what’s-his-name…”

“Vito Antonelli,” Scorpion mutters.

Antonelli’s a nasty piece of work. From what I understand of what happened between my brother and the Barone girl, she and Antonelli deserve each other.

“That’s right,” I say, calmly picking up my gun and returning it to its holster.

I feel naked without it.

“Why the hell are we talking about this?”

“Because we need to be sure we can trust your fucking Bratva guy,” I snap. “This is some serious shit we’re in. As the newly anointed don of the united Andriani and Revello families, I can’tlet what happened to Antonio and his boys or Tomasso Revello go unanswered. Heads need to fucking roll. But I want to make sure they’re the right heads.”

And that’s the thing. I don’t trust Amedeo. The Animal was willing to murder his don and the don’s consigliere just so that he could usurp the throne. Everything, from the plot against Tomasso and Squeaky, to Amedeo’s uninvited presence at the wedding, makes him suspect.

It hasn’t escaped my notice that Amedeo could have attended the wedding specifically to throw suspicion away from himself. He was a guest, standing relatively close to Tomasso when the shot went off. He was calm and even friendly at our meeting tonight. A rational man, so willing to practice forgiveness and humility, wouldn’t arrange for his don to get clipped at his daughter’s wedding. He wouldn’t have my cousin and his boys whacked so brutally. No, it must have been the Russians.