Page 82 of The Bonventi Hitman

He traces my lower lip with his thumb, his gaze fixed on my mouth. “Now you understand, Bella. What I'm willing to do for you.”

GABRIEL - 31

Isit in my car outside for a moment, having just left Sofia with Lydia. I am about to put on the biggest show of my life. Enzo's brother, Gio, called to tell me Luca has been killed—"whacked in our own warehouse."

The signature: two bullets to the head.

I need to show up and act shocked, just like the rest of the guys.

As I drive, I remind myself that Luca was a piece of shit and not a very good captain. I've had to clean his mess up more times than I can count, and Sofia—she was mine. He never should have tried to get in the middle of what's mine.

Still, with all this said, I can't ever let Enzo find out the truth. Despite our history and what he's done for me and I for this family, he couldn't allow me to live if word got out—he'd look weak, and no don can look weak.

No, no one in the family must ever know. A lot of things I'll take to my grave as a mobster's vow of silence, or as we say—omertà. However, this, this will be the biggest.

She's worth it. Her very presence ignites me, and if anyone ever touches her—a destroyer of worlds is what I'd become to them.

I pull up to the warehouse and see the men gathered around Gio's car. Enzo is nowhere to be found.

"What the fuck happened?" I ask, getting out of my car.

"Gabriel," Gio says and places his hands on each of my arms as if to shake me. "I'm sorry, your capo has been hit. Fucking Siberian got him."

The men move out of the way for me to walk over and see Luca lying right where I left him.

"Those sons of bitches," I say, looking down. "I'll kill every last one of them."

Gio nods. "You'll have your chance. Don't fucking worry about that."

Just as Gio starts ordering his men to remove Luca, my phone buzzes in my pocket.

It's Enzo.

"Hello?"

"You there?"

"Yes."

There is a long pause.

"I need you to come over right away."

"Let my brother take care of it."

I get a little nervous.

"Everything—" I say and am cut off.

"Come now," he says and ends the call.

I turn to look at Gio. "Enzo needs me. Said you can take care of it?"

Gio nods. "With a heavy heart. Those cocksuckers will burn in hell for this."

I shake my head and take one last look down at Luca. It'll be the last time I ever see him. And after today, no one will ever see him again; that's how it works.

No one ever finds a dead mobster's body.