Page 19

“He can say it to my face.” My stare is unwavering.

Rocco stiffens. “Greco also says the Volkovs are offering protection.”

Nico glances around the room. “The Volkovs offer chaos and weapon deals and more bodies in alleys than necessary.”

A loaded silence descends as Enzo stands and drifts closer to us. His voice stays steady. “I don’t want blood between cousins. I want loyalty. If Tomas is scheming, I need eyes where he thinks he’s safe.”

Rocco gulps loudly, and Vito’s gaze flicks to him. He shakes his head, warning his friend not to give anything away. Smart of Vito. The job Enzo has for them isn’t for the lily-livered, and if Enzo suspects neither of them can pull it off, he’ll probably ship them off to the hinterlands somewhere.

Vito folds both hands into stacked fists and rests his chin on them. “What exactly do you need us to do, boss?”

“You’ll pretend you hate me.” Enzo walks around the table toward the pair. “You’ll complain. You’ll drink with him. You’ll listen. And then, you’ll tell us everything.”

Rocco nods. “And if he suspects?”

Enzo suddenly halts before he spins toward me with a wide grin. “That’s where Marco comes in.”

Their attention shifts to me, and I let a small smile show. “You call me. Day or night. I’ll get you out of danger and take you to one of the safe houses.”

After Rocco and Vito agree, Nico sends them off with instructions and burner phones. A few moments later, Nico and I head out too.

On the ride back, Lucia returns to my mind, as she does every time I stop moving long enough to think.

Her palm cracking against my cheek. Her mouth yielding against mine. The way she told me to stay away, though her body screamed for more.

My life so far has taught me to compartmentalize. I have a box in my mind for almost every problem, but unfortunately, Lucia doesn’t fit into any of them.

I want to explore more of the feelings she triggers, but the Volkovs sniffing around her means that whatever exists between us could get dangerous fast. As always, every instinct I have leans one way. She’s a complication, and men like me don’t do well with liabilities.

Soon, we arrive back at the villa, and I walk the corridor that leads to my quarters while rolling the tension out of my shoulders. Before I can enter my room, though, Sophia and Izzy corner me.

The friendship between these two has been almost as big a change as Enzo taking charge of the family operations in the last six months.

Izzy used to be Enzo’s lover, and even though they broke up years before he met Sophia, I’d have sworn there was always that tension between them, especially before Enzo fell in love with Sophia, when the other woman was a prisoner in the villa. It was the risk of Sophia being pawned off to her death by Gabi Jr. that started Enzo’s coup, but in the end it was Izzy finally letting go of her feelings for him that secured him the throne.

Izzy had been ostracized after that, as even capos and dons who chose Enzo’s side didn’t want her in a seat of power. Sophia had glued herself to Izzy during the crisis and they’d become best friends…and a constant thorn in my flesh.

Sophia smiles too sweetly, and Izzy appears entertained.

Trouble.

“We spoke to Dr. Romano again.” Sophia smooths her cardigan, her voice a singsong croon.

My chest constricts. “And?”

“We booked you a house call.”

My gut tightens into a hard knot, and the breath catches halfway inside my chest. “What do you mean?”

Izzy grins. “Congratulations, Santori. Your doctor will be visiting your quarters personally.”

“Wait…” I wheel away from them, trying to ignore the cold flush spreading through my torso. “That wasn’t necessary.”

Sophia tilts her head. “You reopened your wound.”

“And you bandaged it.”

“Marco, you need proper medical care before it gets infected.”