Page 81 of Doll's Eye

“I would offer to stick around to assist in any way, but I’m afraid they’ll sis their enforcer on me.” That catches my attention. “They’ll send whatever other mercenaries they can muster up to come at you guys, which I know you can handle, but you won’t be able to shake their ultimate weapon.”

“And you can?” I arch an eyebrow.

“I’ve been studying her for years now. It’s best to know your competition well.”

“Her?” He nods once, and I cast him an appreciative glance. So, Russia’s most infamous assassin is a female. I snort when Alessia immediately comes to mind.

After we finished our drinks, I sent him on his way with what I could give him. Then out of respect, I plan to meet with Tullio in person to update him on the latest with his lovely sister.

We’ve been on great terms for the last few years, and I’d like to keep it that way. We’ll once and for all become family in the very near future.

“Massimo. How are you?” Tullio says as I take a seat in his office the next day.

“I’ve been better.” More so now. “I’m here to let you know that I have Alessia.”

“Excuse me?” He leans forward with a deep frown on his face.

“Do you know what your sister has been up to over the years?”

He sighs and rubs at his eyes, looking aged and overworked. “I have a feeling I won’t like it,” he mutters.

I recap on the last two and a half days, from Komodo’s impromptu visit to Alessia’s new profession to the attack on her and to the part where she almost killed herself in the car accident.

“How the fuck didn’t we know what she was doing?” he spits as he paces on his feet. Then he comes to a stop facing me. “And why the fuck am I just finding out? You needed to fucking tell me as soon as you knew!”

I keep my cool. “There wasn’t time, Tullio.”

“Cazzata! A phone call would have sufficed!”

“My mind was a little preoccupied.” I couldn’t focus on anything else but getting to her in time.

“Where is she now?”

“Home.”

“Thisis her home. I want her here.”

“No,” I don’t skip even a fraction of a beat. “She’s perfectly safe with me.”

“She’s my fucking sister, De Luca. She isn’t yours anymore. You gave her up, remember?”

Exhaling, I stand to my feet and button my suit jacket. “And you did too.” If I don’t extricate myself from this office soon, I will lose all self-restraint and elicit every bit of resentment I’ve had towards him since he talked me out of going after her as soon as we let her go. “We were wrong sending her away the way we did. Because of that, she almost got herself killed.” She did try to warn us all, as did Santino.

“I want to see her,” he says more calmly, giving in and consigning his sister over to me.

“Sure. Come by tomorrow.”

“No, I want to see her now.”

“She’s resting. Tomorrow will be better.”

“De Luca,” he growls. “I need to see for myself that my sister is safe.”

“I think you should be worried about the safety of your mother and the others first. They could be planning to get to her through them.”

His eyes widen slightly as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to him yet. “Cazzo.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do. Otherwise, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I excuse myself and head back home.