He shook his head, refusing.He whimpered in pain.The finger between the vice was already crushed, bloodless.
“I can’t say it...please stop!”he sobbed.
“Was it D’Angelo?”Salvatore suddenly interjected — and I let go of the vice to glare at him, stopping him in his tracks.
I stared hard at Salvatore.This was my problem.Not his.Not theirs.My anger throbbed behind my ribs.
“I...I do...don’t work for him anymore...he died years ago,” Igor whimpered behind us.
I stopped glaring at Salvatore and turned toward Igor, my eyes wide at his revelation.My mind spun — it didn’t make any damn sense.Salvatore’s eyes met mine for a brief second before he turned away and walked back to Igor, probably pressing him for more answers about D’Angelo.But I wasn’t focused on the questions — only on what I’d just heard.
That son of a bitch was dead.
For years, I’d refused to chase revenge, convincing myself I was done.But deep down, I still wanted it.Before I found out Ariana was alive, I spent years tracking D’Angelo — watching, waiting for the perfect moment to end it all.But after learning she’d survived, I told myself I wouldn’t touch that family again.Salvatore kept the files on them, though I never once opened them.If I had, I’d have known this fucker was already rotting six feet under.
And now?Now I was furious.I wanted his death — by my hands.
How the fuck did he die?
“Salvatore!”I barked, storming out of the basement.
He followed quickly, footsteps echoing behind me.“What the fuck are we supposed to do with him?”he asked once we were out in the hall.
“I don’t give a shit about him,” I said sharply.“Release him or kill him.”I rubbed my chin with my finger, mind racing.“When I told you to bin those files — did you do it?”
Salvatore’s smirk was immediate.He clapped a rough hand on my shoulder.“You know,” he said, “for a boss, you’re pretty damn stupid sometimes.I hardly ever obey your orders.”
I glared at him, jaw tight.
“No, I didn’t bin them,” he admitted, a grin spreading across his face.
“Good.Thanks.”I slapped his cheek lightly, more as a warning than gratitude.“Get them to the office.I want to look at them.”
“Alessandro, there’s something else,” Salvatore said, stopping me before I could walk off.I turned, waiting.
“She hasn’t been let go.We transferred her to the hideout.Go and see her.”He patted my shoulder again like he was trying to motivate me.
I furrowed my brows and looked down, a heavy sigh escaping me.I should’ve known he wouldn’t actually release Ariana — not after realizing who she was.
I didn’t respond.I just walked away.Because even if a part of me wanted to see her again...I knew I wasn’t ready.
