If it were anyone else, the blow I redirect toward the person who approached would have knocked them out completely. But clearly, Teo was expecting my reaction and he ducks cleanly out of my way.
“The fuck, man,” I grumble as I pull my earphones out.
“I called your name like five times.”
At the entrance to the gym, Donatella leans against the doorframe. Her pitying expression is the same one that has haunted me these last two days.
Now Teo has one to match.
For fuck’s sake.
“What do you want?” I snap as I return my attention to the punching bag.
“The Guild thinks you killed Claudio Lazzaro.”
I expected as much. The incident at theCandelabrahad been a public one. Those who hadn’t been in attendance had still found out all the gory details within hours.
“Then, remind them that Lazzaro conspired with the Cartel to kidnap Bellini.”
There had been numerous accounts of the Cartel’s presence as they wreaked havoc, so there was no debating that much. Not to mention, Alessandro had them squealing the truth in less than twenty-four hours.
Lazzaro had recently become very involved in the Cartel. Though he wasn’t high up enough in the Guild to account for all the information breaches, he certainly played a part in leaking some of the information.
Teo and Donatella shared a glance. “Some are…still sympathetic toward Lazzaro’s intentions.”
My next punch slams into the bag with enough force to unhook the thing entirely from the ceiling. We all watch as it slams into the far wall and slowly begins to roll back to us.
“What do you mean?” I say as pleasantly as I can.
Teo levels me with a firm look. “Some of the old guard are anxious that you killed someone from your father's list over a woman—a woman that you conspired to obtain and humiliate Lazzaro with.”
“Don’t fucking sugarcoat it,” I reply sarcastically.
“It might be best if you showed your face,” Teo continues, unperturbed. “To alleviate these concerns.”
I turn on him in irritation. “And say what? That was actually Bellini who shot him in the back of the head?”
“I meant maybe double down on the ‘he was working with the Cartel and also probably the rat’ thing, but sure, I guess.”
I don’t bother replying as I pick up the bag and hang it back up.
“We need to do damage control here. You know what they’re like. One sniff of blood and those sharks will descend on you.”
I keep throwing out my punches, keeping a steady rhythm.
“Marco is here. So is Martino and Dante. They want to discuss the attack in more detail.”
One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.
“They’re worried about you, Rocco. I’m worried about you.”
Two, two, three. Two, two, three. Two, two, three.
“Fuck it. I know where she is.”
My punch misses the bag entirely.
We stand in silence while I wait for Teo to continue. But when I turn to look at him, he’s staring at me with crossed arms. He’s going to wait for me to ask.
