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“Did you?” I ask again. I get no answer from him.
“Get up.” He commands.
“Answer me. Who–who is she?”
“Someone who needed my help.” I manage to look in his eyes, and I don’t see the darkness in them. For the first time. I see good.
Chapter Twenty-Three
TOMMASO
My attention is divided between the road and Ella. Why isn’t she saying something? She is staring outside the car’s window, as if avoiding any eye-contact on purpose. I grip the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white.
The hum of the engine fills the car, drowning out any attempts at conversation. An awkward silence envelops us. I glance over at her, hoping to catch a glimpse of her eyes but she avoids my gaze. What if it was too much for her? I made a grave mistake by taking her with me. The shock in her eyes was unmistakable.
"Ella," I say softly. "You okay?"
“Mhm,” she murmurs. Her eyes flicker toward me for a brief moment before returning to the passing buildings outside. She looks so fragile, lost in her own thoughts. I feel weird.
“Gum?” I offer her the packet of trident from the center console. She nods and takes one but I notice her hand quiver a little. Talk to me, please.
“Cold?” She just shakes her head. Shit. She will always see me as a monster. What if I’ve only made it worse. Instead of convincing her otherwise, I proved that I am everything she thinks I am. She doesn’t say a word as we get out of the car and walk towards the elevator.
As soon as the door opens, she makes her way to the bathroom. I can hear her rinsing her mouth. I take my jacket off and wait for her in the guest room. She steps out after a bit, her eyes holding a storm of questions. Just talk to me. I motion for her to sit, and she does, her gaze fixed on me.
“You said the woman needed your help, so you did what you did? Right?” I nod slightly.
“There is a purpose each time you… torture… somebody?’ I nod. Where is she going with all this?
“When you gave the restaurant owner at Spago a beating, you had a reason for that?” She fidgets, averting my eyes.
“I did, yes.” She looks confused.
"Why– what?"
“Spago comes under my territory and like other business owners, the owner of the restaurant owed me a due fee. But he gave it to my rival clan. I had to send a message.”
“The beating was a message?” I notice her quiver.
“Yes, and a warning. For my rival, Mauro, who is threatening to wage a war against me. He tried to mess with the territories. It was unacceptable.”
“Was it necessary?” She looks away again.
"At times, it is, yes. But it wasn't haphazard with the owner. My men followed a method. Enough to warn him, but not enough to cause any lasting harm. Just a few bruises." She narrows her eyes at me.
“And this man you tortured, was he from the… rival clan? What did he do?” she says after a moment of silence. I take a moment before responding, knowing that my explanations need to be carefully worded.
"He was Mauro’s man, yes. He was spying on my men patrolling the restaurant, probably planning an attack. And… he was holding an innocent woman hostage.” Her eyes widen, a mix of shock and empathy in them. I continue, needing her to understand.
“I know people from Mauro's clan. They are stubborn. And he had to be dealt with the hard way, if I wanted to find out her location." She says nothing. I see a conflict in her expression.
"The woman's life was at stake, Ella. If I hadn't acted decisively, she could have died." Still nothing.
"I had to be ruthless to get the information I needed. It's not a decision I take lightly, but in my world, sometimes there's a thin line between good and bad. Sometimes there isn’t any at all."
"Is this some kind of power play?" She asks with a confused look on her face.
"It's not just about power. It's about survival. If I don't establish myself as someone not to be trifled with, they'll see it as a weakness." Mauro will see it as a weakness. She leans forward. I see her processing, trying to make sense of everything.
