Page 122 of Veil of Obsession

I blink. “What?”

He steps forward, rain streaking down his face like sweat. “Youinvitedthis. You made space for her. You let her in.”

“She didn’t do this,” I lie.

“You think I’m fucking blind?” he snaps. “The moment she showed up, things started falling apart. Dead bodies piling up in my city. I let that go on for far too fucking long, and then you decide to play hide and seek with that crazy bitch instead of telling us you fucking found her. You chose her over the family—ourfamily—and now look.”

My fists clench. “You think this is her fault?”

“Iknowit is.”

I take a step closer. “You don’t know shit.”

“I know our Ma isdead,” he spits. “Becauseyoubrought a fucking target to our doorstep.”

Valentina tries to tug at his arm. “Eli, don’t…”

But he’s not listening. “She was having dinner. She was laughing. And now she’s in a goddamn body bag.”

“You think I wanted this?” My voice cracks. “You think I knew this was going to happen?”

“You think that matters?!” he roars.

The world snaps. I throw the first punch. His head jerks to the side, his lip splitting open.

He barely blinks. Then he swings back. His fist connects with my jaw, and my head whips to the side. The sting brings everything into focus.

We don’t hold back. We brawl like boys who were raised in blood. Like sons of a man who taught us pain before patience.

Fists land. Rain splashes up from the pavement with every step, every hit. Eli grabs my collar and drives me backwardagainst a light pole. My ribs scream. I slam my elbow into his shoulder and twist.

We fall. We’re on the ground, fists swinging, grunting, snarling like animals.

“Enough!” Matteo’s voice cuts through the storm. He grabs me around the chest and hauls me back. “Lucio,stop.”

Valentina pulls Eli away. He struggles against her grip, bleeding, breathless, furious.

“You’re choosing her over us,” he gasps, pointing at me like he doesn’t recognize me anymore. “Over Mara. OverMa.”

“I’m not choosing?—”

“You alreadydid.”

Silence stretches. The rain doesn’t stop. Neither of us breathes right.

Then Eli straightens and shrugs Valentina off.

“Give her up. Or you’re fucking dead to me.” His voice is quiet, but I’ve never heard anything colder.

I stare at him. His eyes don’t blink. Don’t soften.

“Do you understand me?” he growls. “Dead.”

He turns and walks away. Valentina lingers just a moment longer, her face crumpled. She looks at me like she wants to say something, but she doesn’t. She follows her husband into the rain.

Matteo lets go of my jacket slowly. We stand there. Just me and him and the city.

And the hole Ma left behind.