Page 27 of The Fractured

“Now that you’re here, we can discuss last night.”

“Isn’t that what the device is for? So I don’t have to discuss what was said?”

“Yes, but it’d be helpful to know the layout of Antonio’s house, the club, who you saw, and what you saw.” He pulled out his chair but gestured to the empty one in front of me. “Take a seat.”

“You know some of us aren’t rollin’ in it, right? We need money to pay bills.”

“Doesn’t Antonio pay you enough?” He sat down, raising his brow in a way that meant he knew better.

“The Den burned down. I haven’t won fight money in months. And he hasn’t had any work for me… I’m relyin’ on work at the garage and shouldn’t be missin’ shifts right now. I’ll come back later.” I turned to leave and got as far as the door.

“Fine by me. It’ll give me time to have a chat with immigration.”

The only thing Lily shared with this man was the color of her eyes and her curiosity. Except while she paired her curiosity with empathy, Mark’s curiosity was driven by the need to find justice regardless of who he dragged down to get it.

My grip was tight on the door handle as I paused, grinding my jaw. There was no escaping this until I had done what was asked. Every little thing, every fucking time. I reluctantly turned around, pulled out the chair with a little too much force, and then dropped into it.

“Good man. Now…” Mark pulled out a notepad and pen. “Tell me about last night.”

I told him about Castello di Vetro’s interior and the basement below. With each new piece of information Mark heard, he wanted it dissected, asking question after question about where the stairs, exits, and windows were. Or how many people could the club hold compared to its basement. The conversation then shifted to the plans Antonio had for his kids.

“Antonio plans to…teach his kids a lesson?” Mark asked.

I sighed tiredly, rubbing at the subtle ache forming between my eyebrows. We had been talking for a solid two hours, and my phone had several missed calls from my garage boss. “They fucked up a few years back and now they’re angry he cut their inheritance. Antonio sees them as a threat.”

“And he believes it was his kids who burned down his club?”

My leg was already beginning to bounce with irritation, but I kept my voice calm, disinterested. “Yes… Haven’t we talked about this already?”

“Yes, but I want to make sure I have all the facts straight…” He glanced down at his notes again and shook his head as he inhaled. “This is one roundabout way of punishing his kids when he doesn’t have all the evidence that it was them.”

“That’s what Roxy is for. Build some kind of relationship with Gabriele and bring back information to Antonio.”

“Maybe we should’ve gotten her in on our investigation too. Gabriele does have sisters.” I could see the plan forming in Mark’s eyes.

“Not happenin’.”

“Just a thought.”

“Are we done now?”

He ignored me. “Has Antonio told you about any of his more detailed plans? Is there anything else we should know about him? Any new weapon deals? Drug trafficking?”

“He plays it close to the chest, and I do what I’m told... He hasn’t brought up any other jobs for me other than this one with his kids.”

“And if you don’t do as you’re told?”

“Develop a thick skin?” I pulled my hand through my hair and leaned back in my seat. “Antonio likes makin’ examples of people who wrong him. There’s always gotta be somelife lessonwith everything he does.”

Mark watched me for a beat. “I imagine you’ve witnessed a few of those life lessons.”

I cocked a brow. “Isn’t that what I’m facing charges for?”

“I meant directed at you.”

I shrugged and rubbed a hand across my stomach where a bruise from Vince’s brass knuckles sat. “Sometimes… You learn pretty quickly not to fuck up when you’re working for Antonio.”

“Right…” He directed his attention to his files.