“They’ll take what we give them,” I say flatly. “Remind them where the real power lies. If they want more, they can earn it by proving their loyalty.”
Marco and Dante exchange a glance but don’t argue.
The phone in my pocket buzzes, and I pull it out, glancing at the name on the screen.Enzo Moretti.
“Pull over,” I tell Dante.
I answer the call. “Enzo.”
“Luca,” comes the reply, smooth but with a hint of unease. “We have a problem.”
“Define ‘problem’,” I say irritably.
“There’s been movement in the south,” Enzo says. “The Rossi family is testing boundaries again. They’ve sent men into territory that isn’t theirs.”
“How many?”
“Enough to make a statement,” Enzo replies. “They’re not trying to stay hidden. They want us to know they’re there.”
“How do you suggest we handle it?” I ask.
Enzo pauses, his voice lowering. “Before we get to that…there’s something you should know. I’ve been looking into Antonio Russo’s death, like you asked.”
My breath slows, my fingers tightening around the phone. “And?”
“It wasn’t just gambling debts, Luca,” Enzo says grimly. “Antonio was helping us. For years. He fed us information on the Rossis, kept us ahead of their moves. His debts were real, but that wasn’t why he was killed. The Rossis found out what he was doing.”
The revelation strikes like a hammer to my chest. Antonio Russo—a man I’d dismissed as weak and self-serving—had been working for us, and he paid the ultimate price for it. “Why didn’t we know this sooner?” I ask, my voice deadly quiet.
“They covered their tracks well,” Enzo admits. “And let’s be honest, no one looked too deeply. Everyone assumed it was the debts.”
Anger flares hot and fast, twisting through me. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to think clearly. Antonio’s death wasn’t just a loss, it was a message. A strike against the Salvatore family, one that I obviously failed to see.
“Do the Rossis know I’m aware of this?”
“No,” Enzo says. “Not yet.”
“Good,” I reply. “Keep it that way. We’ll use that to our advantage when the time comes.”
“What about Valentina?” Enzo asks carefully.
“What about her?” I say, though my mind is already racing.
“She’s his daughter, Luca. If she finds out…”
“She won’t,” I cut him off. “Not until I decide what to do with this information.”
Another pause. Then Enzo says, “Understood.”
I hang up.
“What’s the news?” Marco asks, watching me carefully.
“The Rossis are testing us again,” I say flatly.
“Anything else?” Marco’s voice drops, his tone wary.
“No.”
