Page 31 of Confession (Constantine Brothers #2)
TWENTY-SIX
Quinn
I think it goes without saying that I’m still pissed at Vitali, but I’m starting to see past my anger enough to understand where this is coming from with him. It’s pretty obvious, really, and he basically said it during that argument in the sitting room. He doesn’t want to lose anyone.
He’s lost a lot of people. He’s terrified of it happening again. He’s much more comfortable risking himself.
The problem is, I am not comfortable with that, and I’m not at all happy that he’s walking into the DiMaggio club without me. Yes, he has Roman with him, and, yes, Sasha and I will soon be in position. And, yes, fuck, okay, it’s a good plan.
But I hate it as much as Vitali hates having the rest of us here.
There’s a certain irony to standing at Arete’s hidden door tonight after Vitali stopped me from approaching it a few nights ago. But it’s different tonight. I’m not alone. Vitali and Roman are already inside, and Sasha is right behind me.
Alesso is in front.
Looking up at the camera, he knocks on the door.
“How in the …” the guard mutters as he opens the door. Alesso pushes his way inside, sending the man stumbling. It’s easy for me to get my gun to the man’s head.
Sasha sweeps in, holding hers on Alesso.
“We’re on the same side,” he reminds her.
“Not really,” she replies.
I force the guard into a chair, where I gag and tie him. My head’s on a swivel, alert for any movement in the smoky room where a card table sits under a hanging light. The room is empty except for us.
Alesso goes to sit at the table. He holds out his hand expectantly, and Sasha gives him his phone. With the guard secure, I go to loom over him as he brings up the security feed from the main part of the club.
My relief when Vitali appears on the screen must be obvious because Alesso looks up at me.
He sneers, “You actually love him.”
Alesso is about fifty, decently handsome but arrogant in an unpleasant, empty way. He’s nothing like Vitali. But then, no one is.
Alesso adds, “He’ll never love you back. He likes your dick, that’s all.”
It’s funny to think I would have once agreed with that, but I know better now. I also know better than to waste my time arguing with Alesso DiMaggio.
I don’t even say the things I might. How he’s the one that only like the dick, not the person. He never cared about Leo, though they fucked off and on even when Alesso and I were using each other.
That all seemed so normal to me back then.
“Or maybe it’s your ass he likes?” Alesso guesses, still trying to get under my skin.
“Enough,” Sasha says. “None of this matters right now. You’re getting what you want, Alesso. A shot at your sister.”
“And you’re getting what you want: our civil war.”
She shrugs. “It won’t break my heart.”
Alesso looks at me again. “I will come after you, you know. Once I’m done with my sister. This peace of ours is temporary.”
I snatch his phone from him. He’s of no consequence to me except for the threat he poses to Vitali.
If Alesso survives the night, I’ll deal with him later.
All I care about right now is Vitali, and I watch through the security feed as he, with half a dozen guns pointed at him and Roman, takes a seat across from Gavino and Cecilia.
It makes my heart hammer in my chest. It makes me want to burst in there and start shooting. But I wait for his signal.