Page 123 of Red Retaliation

“Because ofthis...” Del shoves his phone in my face.

Blinking away the threat of what’s lurking in my eyes to expose the new weakness I can’t afford to show, I stare at the screen.

‘Tributes roll in for Edoardo Bristoni, (68), found dead by his wife this morning - 17 November.

Emergency services attending the scene ruled out foul play, attributing the unexpected death to suicide.

This is not altogether surprising to those close to Mr Bristoni. Sources said, “Edoardo has struggled immensely since the death of his eldest son, Roberto, earlier this month.”

Edoardo Briston’s well-established and renowned jewelry business has temporarily closed to allow the family to make sense of this second tragedy...’

“It’s a blag.” Liam reads the article over my shoulder. “Another bullshit ploy to throw us off the scent.”

Del looks as shocked by the news as I am. “The Bristonis wouldn’t shut up shop because of us being on their tail! It must be true, therefore I think we should return to the Scorpio Lounge and regroup.”

I put my head in my hands, my rage making itself known via my trembling fingers. Is it true or not? Is Bristoni dead or is Liam right?

Fuck, I can’t think! For the first time in my life, my pain over Arianna’s disappearance and what might be happening to her renders me incapable.

“Drive to the Scorpio Lounge,” Del instructs Oscar, taking charge because he knows I can’t right now.

Oscar glances at me for confirmation. “Just do it,” I manage to mutter. It’s wasting time, I know it is, but I need to think. In the time it will take to return to base, I must decide what to do, and I’d better be able to function and come up with the goods by then.

But regardless of what I concentrate on, all I see within my mind is Arianna being violated by my enemies, which solidifies the working parts of my brain and slices through my insides with an infected, rusty knife.

The blinder here is that unless this news item is fake, whoever has taken Arianna isn’t the enemy I thought responsible.

And if it’s not them, then who the fuck is it?

CHAPTER

90

Red

STORMING INTO THE Scorpio Lounge, my head is not where I want it to be. I’m lurching from one thing to another, my thoughts spiraling, and I’m no further forward with what to do.

I swipe a shelf full of spirits from behind one of my bars to the floor; the satisfaction of the bottles exploding and showering me with shards of broken glass, short-lived.

It doesn’t help dampen my rage, fear or hatred.

“Stop!” Del grabs my arms and pulls me away. My strength is usually that of an ox, and I’d normally resist attempts to restrain me, but right now it seeps from me like I’ve sprung a leak.

“I need to find her.” My voice sounds robotic. It’s all I’ve said the whole journey back here.

My brothers are at a loss about what to do with me.Everyone’sat a loss what to do with me. No one’s seen me like this before.Ihaven’t seen myself like this before. But then I’ve neverfeltlike this before. Never have I needed someone in order to breathe; to function; toexist, like I need Arianna.

And I need her for all of those things.

“Just calm it down, mate,” Del repeats, his hand on my shoulder. “Steaming in on anyone and everyone will do more harm than good. Trust that we’ll do everything we can to get her back, but we must tread carefully.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” Burning with pent-up rage, I suspect no one here is that bothered that Arianna’s not here. Whoever hasher - whether it be Bristoni men, Galvatore himself or a fucking random who I haven’t factored into considering, could already have hurt her, touched her, killed her...

And all to get at me...

Bile rising up my throat, I stumble forwards and grab one of the few remaining bottles of spirits that I haven’t smashed. I clumsily unscrew the top and take a long gulp, needing the burn of the fiery liquid to remind me that I’m still alive.

“Bruv!” Liam wades through broken glass, his feet slipping in the wet mess. Righting himself, he stumbles over to where I stand. “I’ve just found this. It was shoved under the back door.”