Page 144 of Madness & Mercy

“So… what, your whole job is just to sit here and watch me all day?”

Enzo nods like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Yeah. Those are the orders. But honestly, I don’t mind the break from cracking skulls and digging graves. Vacation days don’t exactly pile up in this business.”

I snort. “I’d take cracking skulls over sitting around doing nothing.” I tilt my head. “Can’t we just drive to wherever Nico and Luca are?”

He smirks, like I’ve just told a particularly funny joke. “And go against my boss’ orders? I look suicidal to you?”

“At least tell me where they are.” I lean in, lowering my voice. “Be honest… they’re going afterSilvio,aren’t they?”

His posture goes rigid, that easy smirk of his gone like a light switch.

“I fucking knew it,”I snap, more to myself than him, already stalking toward the door. “That son of a bitch. How could he go without me?”

Before I can yank the garage door open, Enzo steps in like a damn brick wall. “He’s protecting you.”

I laugh, cold and bitter. “I don’tneedprotecting.”

He plants himself square in my path again and pushes me back. “Boss disagrees.”

I shove him hard enough to make him stagger. “I don’t give adamnwhat he thinks. I’m going.”

Three steps later, I’m in the garage, grabbing the Maserati keys with a pulse roaring in my ears. I know exactly where they are, and I’m going after them.

“Nico’s an idiot,” I spit, already moving toward the car. “I know Silvio, he doesn’t. We could’ve had a fucking plan. He could’ve used me as bait, drawn that bastard out, ended this once and for all. But no, Vitale’s gotta play hero and charge in headfirst. They’ll be outnumbered. This isn’t brave, it’s suicide.”

Enzo’s hand twitches like he’s about to grab me, but I’m already halfway to the Maserati.

“If you’re dead set on this,” Enzo growls, ripping the keys out of my hand, “then I’m coming with. And we’re not taking your goddamn Maserati.”

“Fine!” I snap, stomping after him toward a blacked-out Benz SUV. I throw myself in the passenger seat as he slides behind the wheel. The engine roars, and we tear out of the estate, shrinking fast in the rearview.

“You know where we’re headed?” I ask.

He nods, his eyes sharp on the road. “Yeah. They said they had it handled. But if you’re right, if Silvio’s got them cornered, I’m not just gonna sit on my hands and watch.”

His grip on the wheel tightens like he’s ready to rip it apart. “I’m not letting them die without a fight.”

All I can think as we race toward what might be the end is:

Nico, youbastard. You better not fucking die on me.

CHAPTER 22 – REVENGE

NICO

Silvio Romano, you’re a fucking dead man.

Luca and I pull off the highway after an hour-long drive that felt like a fuse burning toward the inevitable. The GPS dies at a rotting warehouse on the outskirts of town, a hulking carcass of rust and broken windows, crouched under a lone streetlight that blinks like it’s on its last breath. It’s the kind of place you disappear in and never crawl out of.

Silvio’s been clever enough to scrub himself off the grid, but not clever enough to stay out of our reach. We know exactly where the bastard’s holed up tonight, and I’ve been counting down the seconds until I can press a barrel between his eyes.

We kill the engine a block away, letting the darkness swallow us whole.

The Romano family’s been draining mine for decades, and Silvio’s the venom in the snake’s head. He’s been hunting for a way to bury me for years. I just didn’t think he’d sink low enough to hire a hitman to do it.

And not just any hitman.

The one I can’t get out of my head.