Chapter 29: Massimo

Damn it to hell…

The last thing I wanted to do was leave the fundraiser so soon. I said an hour tops because I didn’t want to be in the same room with Riccardo for too long when I didn’t need to be.

Little did I realize that trouble would come knocking at the door.

When Emelia went to talk to Riccardo, I went to see Tristan, then I got a call from Manni about Bill Taglioni, another one of my enforcers. A guy who used to work the streets with Pierbo.

The minute Manni said Bill’s name I knew he was dead. I just knew it. Hearing Manni confirm it made my blood boil.

We left and I saw Emelia home, then my brothers and I headed to the place where they found Bill.

Bill runs one of the bookie offices downtown. That’s where the men found his mutilated body over an hour ago.

The soldiers are already outside when we get there.

When we step inside, I smell it.

Blood.

Fresh blood.

Manni is standing by the door to the office where they keep the safe. The expression on his face is grim.

“In here, Boss,” he says pointing inside.

“Thank you,” I answer and move past him. My brothers follow.

As soon as I step through the door I regret it, and even with the shit I’ve seen in all my years, my stomach turns upside down.

On the sofa is what remains of Bill. I’m not sure what should get to me more: the fact that half his head is hacked off, or that it’s just his torso propped up against the black leather. Or maybe it should be seeing the other half of Bill on the floor in a pool of blood.

There’s blood everywhere.

On his chest is a fucking note.

Stop looking for me.

Piss me off and more will die along with you…

That’s all it says. It’s enough. It’s a message for me.

A threat on my life and others.

“Fuck…” I hiss.

“I’m sorry,” Tristan breathes.

I look at him. “No. This isn’t you.” This is what rocking the nest means.

This is just more to add to it and more will die, along with me, if I don’t stop looking.

This threat is real. I take it very seriously, but giving up the search for Vlad isn’t an option I’m gonna take.

The defeated look in Tristan’s eyes is what grips me and wills me to continue. More and more I feel bad for him. More and more I find myself imagining what it must be like to be in his shoes. He wants vengeance for what was done to Alyssa. It won’t bring her back but it will mean something to him. I can’t give up for that reason, because I’d do the same thing if I were him.

I now have a woman I feel deeply enough for that I would do the same.

Days later I sit on the terrace and watch Emelia on the beach. We’re getting married in a few days. In a few days it will be official. She’ll be my wife and I will be her husband.

She’s far away, but I know she can sense me watching her.

Things have been weird between us again because of me.

I made it so. I’ve been distant on purpose. As if that will help me feel less for her.

Idiot.

The joke’s on me. I concocted this plan to get my enemy’s daughter, and this is what happened to me. I look at my bride-to-be and confliction filled my soul. I’m conflicted and caught in emotions I never thought I’d have.

I turn when the shuffle of footsteps catch my attention. It’s Tristan. He sits on the chair opposite me and looks out to the beach too, seeing Emelia.

A gentle smile washes over his face briefly. “I see you took my advice…” he states.

“You tell me many things; which advice are you talking about?” I ask, playing stupid. I’m like a fucking teenage boy.

“Massimo, I’m not in the mood for shit. I’m not.” The smile recedes from his face. “You know what I’m talking about. You started changing when you realized what she was. But you know what, the who and the what are the same thing. You weren’t wrong when you said that. It’s just how you see it. She’s Emelia, and she’s a woman you’re falling for. Doesn’t matter whose daughter she is.”

“Tristan—”

“No, I’m being serious here,” he cuts in. “Of all of us, I think you hated Riccardo the most because it was you that found Ma in the river, and you blame him for that memory. It’s enough. We blame him too, but it’s never going to be the same for us. We didn’t find her. And it wasn’t us that Riccardo held a gun to at Ma’s funeral. It was you. Then there was what he said at the funeral, blaming Pa for the hard life Ma had. Riccardo was the man who took everything from us, and you included Ma in the mix.”

I’m listening and he has me speechless.

“I’m here to tell you to stop looking for Vlad,” he adds. “I want you to leave me to do it. You saw the message. The man is serious as fuck. That message was for you, Massimo. This has gotten out of control. We can’t find Vlad, and he’s gotten to two of our best guys. I don’t want you putting your life, or your girl’s life, at risk for me. I’ve never seen you like this with anybody. It would break me all over again if you lost your girl the way I lost mine. So leave it to me.”

I stare at him long and hard and shake my head. No way in hell am I allowing him to go after Vlad by himself. I’d lose him, and I can’t let that happen.

“No,” I say.

“I’m telling you to stop.”

“And as boss and your brother, I’m saying no. I always back you up the same way you’re there for me.”

“You can’t drag people you care about into this,” he argues.

“She’s already involved, Tristan. It’s already too late,” I point out.

He knows I’m right and I hate that I am.

“What the hell are you gonna do? Continuing is reckless and careless.”

“For Alyssa, it’s not,” I answer, and appreciation comes into his eyes.

“I’d do the same for you.” He nods with conviction.

“I know. That’s why I’m gonna ask you to get Emelia somewhere safe if something happens to me.” That is what it’s come to. There’s no other way around it.

It will be the best thing I can do for Emelia.

Even if I let her go now and continue my pursuit of Vlad, she’d still be in danger just for knowing me.

Guilty by association once again; a different monster this time.

Me, her husband-to-be.

Not her father.