Page 77 of Brutal Devil

“Or one of the other families, trying to sow discord,” Lucky adds. “Could be that word of the alliance between the Revellosand the Andrianis got out. Someone found out about the wedding and decided to make a move.”

“Fuck.” I set down my espresso.

We’re not any closer to an answer, and I can’t keep hiding Luna away from the world down here. Sooner or later, she’s going to have to emerge.

“We sent a security detail over to Amedeo this morning,” Rocco chimes in. “Three of our best guys. They’re reporting back to me.”

I nod. “Good. The sooner we can see his movements, the sooner we can rule him out or clip him.”

I take a bite of one ofZia’s pastries.Madonna, the woman knows how to bake.

Despite my show of goodwill last night, I don’t trust Amedeo the Animal Revello either. History has proven that if it looks like a snake and acts like a snake, it’s a motherfucking snake. But I’m not stupid. I know that I can’t make any moves without provocation, especially with our tentative alliance so newly formed. Amedeo’s no fool. He’s more than aware of this, and that’s just one more reason I’m suspicious of him.

“I vote for clipping him either way,” Saint says. “Never did like the bastard.”

I swallow another bite of pastry. “If only it were that easy. With the families newly aligned, we can’t risk starting a new war with the Revellos by doing Amedeo without proof that he’s the one behind Tomasso and Antonio.”

Saint knows I’m right. He nods and wolfs down a pastry in three bites. I wonder how many he’s already devoured. At least he’s not slurping cereal like a fucking five-year-old this morning.

“How’s other business?” I ask, changing the subject again.

Each of my brothers handles a different part of the Andriani family empire. Saint, aside from being my consigliere, oversees construction. As the figurehead of the family, I helm the legalcasinos we own. Scorpion controls the underground gambling operations we have going. Lucky runs the drugs.

It’s a new way of operating for the Andrianis, and one I put into place when I became don. Our father used to control everything with an iron fist. And while I would say he was a good don, he wasn’t necessarily the best businessman. He had too many things on his plate, and half of them fell off. None of the businesses were being run properly, and we were getting taken advantage of by middlemen.

I listen as my brothers give me a rundown of all our operations. Things are looking good for us. Our businesses are growing across the board, and we just had our strongest quarter yet. We’re in the best position we’ve ever been in.

All we need to do is figure out who’s behind these latest moves and take them down.

When my brothers finish their reports and I down the last bite ofZiaMaria’s pastry, I’ve made up my mind.

“We’ll give it another week,” I tell them. “One week of tailing Amedeo. One week of watching the Russians.”

After that, I can’t keep hiding Luna away in the safe house. It’s a bad fucking look for a don who just merged a new family into this one. If I can’t keep my own wife safe, how the hell am I going to run an empire?

And I’ll keep Luna safe if it’s the last thing I do.

Because I protect what’s mine.

Chapter 19

LUNA

It’s after two by the time I try the bedroom door and find it unlocked.

I woke up around noon, completely groggy and out of it after the epic sex sessions with Priest last night. He was long gone, his side of the bed empty, and I’m not going to lie, I felt a moment of acute disappointment arcing through me when I saw he wasn’t there.

Common sense quickly returned, along with lucidity.

I gave myself a pep talk as I showered.

So you had amazing sex with a gangster who happens to have a magical dick and is apparently a pussy whisperer. It doesn’t mean anything. Get over yourself.

Also, all that possessive, alpha maleness and the spanking?

Heat prickles over my skin as I tentatively step across the threshold. I shouldn’t like it, but I do. I did. It turned me on in ways I never imagined it could. And I want more, even if I know that’s a colossal mistake.

Anyway—my stomach growls—I need some food. I wander down the hall toward the eat-in kitchen, aware of the eerie quiet in this place. You’d never know that just above us, a huge casinois a hive of activity. I can’t smell the cigarettes or hear the whirring roulette tables or the slots.