Page 33

Chapter 33

Eden

I'm already on extra edge due to Amazu's odd insistence on being in my office. When Ohith calls me about the information Vito shared with them about the tattoo on my attackers were also found on some Czech mafia soldiers, that pushes my 'on-edgeness' up to what I think is my maximum threshold.

That is, until Massimo walks into the bar and requests to speak with Gus and me in my office.

Is he going to grill me about Vito? Threaten me to stay away from him?

No, he wouldn't do that with Gus present.

The three of us going into my office could still look suspicious, but I'm unwilling to chance having this conversation anywhere else.

Gus looks at me with concern as we enter my office with Massimo, and I shut the door. "What's going on?" he demands. "Is there a development about last night?"

"Take a seat, Gus," Massimo offers like it's his goddamn office, but I curb my annoyance.

I stalk around my desk and sit in the chair, motioning for Gus to sit and relax. Then, I level Massimo with my frigid, resting bitch face. "Take a seat, Massimo," I throw his words back at him.

The corner of his mouth twitches, and he sits. His big body engulfs the chair as he relaxes back and interlinks his hands over his stomach.

"You can speak freely with Gus here."

Now that the initial panic has subsided, the logical part of my brain knows that Massimo wouldn't have asked Gus to be involved in the meeting if he planned to warn me away from Vito.

He eyes me closely. "Do you currently have or have you ever had any connection with the Czech mafia or the Mancini crime family from Boston?"

Well, that's direct and to the point.

Gus stiffens, looking from me to Massimo. "That sounds an awful lot like an accusation, Massimo. Ed, do you want me to get Frank?"

"Easy, Gus," I say calmly. "And no, Massimo, I don't have a connection with either criminal faction."

"Could anything from your past be indirectly connected?" he presses.

He knows about Ohith and Axin and is likely referring to that. I frown as I consider. Ohith and Axin's main work as the highly sought professional clean-up team was in this area. I know they didn't work on the East Coast, nor would they involve themselves in cleaning up the messes of criminals involved in human trafficking. I know they would never help get rid of the bodies of people who'd been heinously violated or do anything to aid criminals like that. They may not be 'good' men, but they have some standards and morals.

"No," I answer with confidence.

"What the hell is going on, Massimo?" Gus barks in his hoarse, raspy voice.

Regardless of Gus's obvious worry, Massimo doesn't answer as he studies me. "You know about the tattoo and the link to two Slovak soldiers?" I nod. "That tattoo is also linked to a businessman named Manuel Morales."

I also know this from what Vito told me earlier, but I keep silent.

"He was involved in the threat against my sister-in-law, Sophie."

Gus sucks in sharply at the connection. But I know more connections must have been discovered if Massimo is here, having this conversation.

"Morales also has a connection with Silvestro Mancini." He pauses, and his dark eyes move between me and Gus. "This part doesn't leave the room." He only resumes after we nod. "Mancini was spotted with another of our enemies in our territory."

Meaning that whatever's happening with the Santoros is somehow connected to last night's attack.

Gus sits rigid in his chair. "Why the hell hasn't a Chamber meeting been called, Massimo? We need to escalate protocols if there's an increased threat against Ed."

Massimo somehow knows that I know all about Vito's suspicions about the Chamber. His face turns cold and dark, but he gives a subtle nod to warn me off sharing that with Gus.

Which I have no intention of doing, anyway.

"Thank you for informing me about these links, Massimo. We'll take it from here."

"Ed." Gus snaps his head to me. "You can't be serious. This needs to be addressed. You're at increasing risk, kid."

Massimo's phone rings, and he frowns after glancing at the screen. "My apologies; I need to take this." He stands and answers, " Mamma , is everything okay at Sophie's ultrasound?"

I watch Massimo walk out the door, and my eyes move to the security monitor on my desk. Gus is trying to convince me that we need to notify the other Chamber leaders as I watch Massimo on the phone. His tension decreases rather than increases as he talks to his mother, and I return my attention to Gus.

"We have it handled, Gus." I shoot down involving the other Chamber leaders without telling him why. "It will look bad if Gilly's and Santoro business are overlapping."

He snaps his mouth shut with a frown. Then he leans his elbows on my desk, regarding me with concern. "If it comes out that you didn't disclose this overlap, that will look bad as well, Ed."

I relax back in my chair, resting my right ankle on my left knee. "It's my call, Gus."

He rubs his hand over his gruff face. "I'm worried about you."

"That's the guilt talking." I inwardly wince as I half-gaslight him. His guilt is talking, but he cares about me and is worried. And I'm using that to twist his attention away from poking too deep into why I don't want to involve the other Chamber leaders.

Massimo comes back into my office. I raise my brows in surprise, as I thought he would've just left. I'd gotten the sense that he'd told me all he came to tell me.

"My, uh, mother insisted I say hello to you from her."

A smirk tugs my mouth. The large, ruthless Don—who controls a vast criminal empire—does his mother's bidding. It's fucking adorable. They really are the mafia version of the Brady Bunch . They're close-knit, loyal, and loving.

I can't let Vito lose that .

I won't, I vow.

I know I promised Vito I'd be careful, but I also know I'll break that promise in a heartbeat if I have to choose him over myself.

I can't have him.

No matter that Vito vowed he'd find a way for us to be together— really be together—I don't see how we can without him having to give up his family. So, if I have to sacrifice to save him or any of his family members—because I know they mean the world to him—I will.

" Mamma also asked me to thank you once again for the gift after our father's funeral," Massimo said, referring to the wooden cube Aiken had made. He looks at the interlinking wooden pieces inlaid on the wall behind me, then back to me. "She carries it with her everywhere."

I place my hand over the bullet on the leather strap around my neck that's hidden under my shirt, feeling the gift Tommaso had given me after Aiken's death. "Tell Gina I say hello." My voice is thick with emotion.

Massimo dips his head. "Stay safe, Ed." Then he leaves my office.

Gus's green eyes are keen as he regards me. "You okay?"

No.

Massimo's message about the cube has brought all my complicated feelings about Aiken bubbling to the surface. I'm having trouble keeping it together.

This, on top of what happened last night, my lack of sleep, and Vito—the forbidden love that's been doomed from the start—and the possibility that he could lose everything, including his life—is too much right now.

"I just need a minute, Gus." I blink, trying to force back the well of tears that want to push forth.

Concern etches his rugged face, but he rises. "Take all the time you need, Ed."

The door clicks shut behind him. I stand up from my chair and brush my fingers over Aiken's artwork inland into the wall. The smooth interlinking pieces of wood are cool to the touch.

I miss my brother so goddamn much, it's a physical hurt.

I've never found anything else that Aiken created; only this piece and the wooden cube I gave Gina.

Aiken always loved puzzles. When Fenton and I were young, he'd give us things to solve—riddles, metal wire puzzles where we had to get the ring off, or wooden shapes he crafted that we had to figure out how they fit together.

Just like the wooden inlay behind his desk and the cube he made.

His love of puzzles and meticulous nature were evident in his succession planning—the triggered email, the details to piece together, and the revelation of the successor.

Too bad his biggest puzzle is the one of his death.

I stand and rest my head against the cool wooden panel on my wall. "Talk to me, Aiken."

But just like I did to him all those years, he remains silent, and my plea goes unanswered.