Chapter 82 FALLEN.
\~~~LUCIANO MORETTI.
"So, you're saying... There has been no other sign of him around her after this?" I asked, tapping the photo with my thumb.
"Yes, sir," Viktor replied, his voice flat and steady.
"This is too random to be a coincidence, don't you think?" I pressed, feeling the familiar twist of suspicion in my gut.
Viktor nodded once, "I thought the same too, but there's no way she would have known him. Marco is not someone you easily get access to like that."
I nodded back, my eyes dropping to the two pictures in my hand again. One showed Talia, laughing with a glass in her hand at a gala.
The other captured Marco Silvani, my sworn enemy, lurking in the shadows of the same room, his face half-turned away. They weren't together in the frame, but the timestamp and location matched perfectly. Same night, and same place.
Marco, the bastard who'd been second in command of the Italian Bratva before I seized control. He hated me with a fire that burned everything in its path. Not just for taking over, but for the blood I'd spilled to do it. Dozens of his men went with their loyalty tested and found wanting.
If Talia had crossed paths with him, even once, it could mean everything.
"Boss," Viktor said, his tone laced with hesitation. He shifted his weight just a fraction, the only sign of unease from the man who never flinched.
"Speak," I commanded, setting the photos down.
"I think it is time we do something about her." Blunt as a hammer, that is always Viktor for you.
Oh, God, not this again. I rolled my eyes and feigned ignorance, though we both knew exactly who he meant. "Who?"
"Your wife, Boss. I think it's enough. I am afraid you are..."
"Would you like a bullet in your skull?" I cut him off, my voice low and edged with warning.
He stood even more upright, puffing out his chest like he was ready for execution. "I would gladly take any amount of bullets you'd like to put in me. I'd consider it a gift, Boss."
"Ah, bastard," I muttered, scratching between my brows. This man was too uptight and stoic for his own good. At this point, I was starting to learn from him. I mean how to lock down every emotion until it hurts. "Hey, do you not have interest in anyone?"
"No," he said simply. "I only have interest in your well-being. With that being said, I'd like you to come to a conclusion on what to do with her, sir. She is an enemy, and you are getting too relaxed."
I pressed my lips together, breathing out through my nose to keep my temper in check. Pointing my index finger at him like a gun, I shot back, "Hey, how long have I been married to her?"
"If I am not mistaken, it's a little bit over five months. And if you'd ask me, that is a lot of time. You agreed to sort things out in two months and no more. So..."
"Shut up," I hissed, slamming my palm on the desk just enough to make the photos jump.
"You must think I am being played by her, right? But, do you know what I've learned?" Viktor shook his head, and I leaned forward. "Raina was a victim of her sister's treacherous plan, and her parents' greed."
"Ah... now, you trust her," Viktor breathed out, a rare hint of surprise cracking his facade.
"I am not saying I trust her," I countered quickly. "I am just saying that she is..."
"Have you fallen in love with her, boss?" The question hit like ice water.
"Viktor!" I snapped, my chair scraping back as I half-stood.
But the defiance in his eyes didn't fade. He held my gaze, unblinking. I smacked my lips, frustration boiling. I used to like this about him, how he'd pull me back on track, no matter the cost. It kept me sharp in this life of shadows and deals.
But now, with Raina tangled in it, for some reason, I hated it. It felt personal, and it was like he was prying into something I wasn't ready to name.
Have I fallen for her?
Bullshit.
No fucking way.