Chapter 55 CAUGHT
GIOVANNI'S POV
"You have a sharp mouth, Arya Vitale," I said, watching the fire flash in her eyes. "It's one of the things I find most... intriguing about you."
"Don't," she warned, but I could see her resolve wavering.
"Don't what? Acknowledge that you're possibly the only person brave enough to talk back to me?" I allowed myself a small smile, even though the pain in my shoulder was making spots dance in my vision. "Most people cower. You snarl and it’s refreshing."
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I'm glad my suffering entertains you."
"Your fire entertains me," I corrected. "Your suffering…" I paused, something uncomfortable twisting in my chest. "Your suffering serves a purpose. Whether you believe that or not."
Before she could respond or I could say something else I'd regret, I turned and walked out of the study. My shoulder screamed in protest with each step, fresh blood seeping through the bandage, but I would be damned if I showed weakness now.
"Cazzo," I muttered under my breath.
Enzo was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and an expression that said he had heard at least part of that conversation.
"Not a word," I warned as I passed him.
"Wasn't going to say anything," he said, falling into step beside me. "But you know you're bleeding, right?"
"I'm aware."
"And you know you should probably be in bed?"
"Also aware."
"Just checking." He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Because it would be a shame if you died of stubbornness before we figured out who tried to kill you."
Luca was already back in my other study when we returned, he looked up as we entered.
"I've been making calls," he said immediately. "Reaching out to our contacts in Naples, Rome, even Sicily. No one knows anything about this new family. Or if they do, they're not talking."
I lowered myself into my chair carefully, trying not to wince. "That's not possible. You don't move into Italian territory without making some noise. Someone has to know something."
"Unless they're not Italian," Enzo suggested, pulling up a chair. "Could be Russians moving south. Or maybe the Albanians are expanding."
"The execution was too clean for it to be a random expansion," I said, studying the reports Luca had compiled. "They knew exactly where Rafael was. They knew we would be there and they waited until he was about to give us information before they killed him."
"Someone on the inside," Luca said quietly.
No one said anything at the implication.
If we had a mole in the organization, if someone had betrayed us to this new family…
"We need to assume we're compromised," I said finally. "No more meetings at the usual locations. And we stay in Italy until we figure out who these people are and what they want."
"How long are we talking?" Enzo asked.
"However long it takes." I met his eyes. "Weeks. Months. I don't care. Someone tried to kill me, and they're going to pay for it with everything they have."
Luca nodded, already making notes. "I'll coordinate with our people here. Set up new safe houses, and establish secure communication channels. What about the Vitale family?"
"What about them?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"They're still at the hotel.” Luca paused then cleared his throat. “We can't keep them there indefinitely without raising questions."
"Send them home," I said, ignoring the way my chest tightened at the thought of Arya's face when she found out. "Give them a week to say their goodbyes, then put them on a plane back to New York."
"And Mrs. De Santis?" He quipped.
"She stays with me obviously."
Luca gathered his things and left to make the arrangements, closing the door quietly behind him.
Enzo stayed.
I could feel him watching me as he debated whether to say whatever was on his mind.
"Spit it out," I said tiredly.
"I've been hearing things," he said carefully. "About how you've been treating Arya and what happened at that restaurant with her family."
"And?" I turned to him.
"And I don't like it." His voice was harder now. "I know what this marriage is. I know why you did it. But humiliating her in public and threatening to kill her family in front of her… that's cruelty, Gio.”
My lips curled into a snarl. "Mind your business, Enzo."
"You are my business," he shot back. "You're my friend and I'm watching you turn into someone I don't recognize. Someone your father would be ashamed of."
The mention of my father made rage flash hot through my veins. I stood up, even as my shoulder protested in agony, and faced him.
"My father is dead because of Robert Vitale," I said, my voice deadly quiet. "So don't you dare lecture me about what he would or wouldn't approve of. Everything I'm doing is for him.”
"By becoming just like the men who killed him?" Enzo pointed out calmly and I hated that he was right.
Before I could tell Enzo exactly where he could shove his moral superiority, my throat closed up and I knew I was going to act out of emotions.
“We'll continue this later.” I growled and stormed out of the room, but as I walked, I heard murmuring coming from down the hall.
I frowned, moving toward the sound despite the protest from my shoulder.
It was coming from Arya's room.
Who would she be talking to? The guards knew not to disturb her without my permission. The staff had been dismissed for the day after last night's chaos.
I approached her door, pressing my ear against it.
"I can't keep doing this, Marco. I can't keep pretending like everything is fine when he treats me like…”
Marco? My blood went cold at the name and I could feel anger bubbling in my chest again.
I didn't knock or announce myself. I just pushed the door open and walked in.