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Silence.
I look to Marialena. “Did anyone else touch you?”
“Other than your cousin?” she says coldly. “No.”
Cristiano ducks, but he’s too slow. The first punch knocks out teeth. The second leaves him winded and doubled over. The third has him on his knees vomiting blood.
There are grave consequences if I kill him, but God I wish I could.
Federico stands to the side, his gun poised. “Where are the rest of them? I want all the Rossis here, immediately.”
“You won’t get away with this,” Romeo says. “Doesn’t matter what you do to us. We already know what you did. We know how you set her up. You could kill every one of us here, and my family will hunt you down. I’ve already alerted the Montavios, and they’re assembling now.”
“You of all people should know no one levels accusations against me without suffering, Rossi. But if you’re unconscious and unable to talk, you’re no use to me, so I’ll let this slide with a warning.”
Marialena glares at me. “You set me up, Salvatore,” she says, and her voice breaks. “How could you? Howcouldyou? I thought you were better than that.”
“I have no idea what the fuck any of you are talking about.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and ignore the stabbing pain in my temples. I feel as if my head will explode. Outside the room, I hear our guests arriving, cars parking, the distant sound of glasses clinking.
Her voice wavers. “You told us you were marrying Castellano’s daughter. You tookmeas punishment because I interfered. That woman I rescued was not Erica Castellano, and you know it.”
I don’t speak at first. The Rossis may take this as an admission of my guilt, but I have no idea what she’s talking about and need to hear the entire story before I piece together who’s at fault here.
“Who told you that?”
“Don’t tell him anything.” Mario speaks up.
“To what end?” I ask him. “You’re leveling an accusation against me that would start a war. You’ve tried to take my bride from me, another act of war. I’ll do what I have to. So will you. But before we put half our families six feet under, I deserve some fucking answers.”
“It’s unlike you to play dumb,” Marialena chides. I hate the way her eyes brim with tears, as if she’s gutted that I betrayed her. It’s getting harder and harder to hold my temper back. I want to hold her to me and shake her at the same time.
“Who. Told. You?”
“You have investigators,” Romeo says. “And so do we.”
I turn to Mario. “Your wife, then?” I know who they are. I know every one of their roles. The momentary widening of his eyes corroborates my suspicion though no one speaks.
“You leave my wife out of this!” Mario wrestles with the guard that holds him, and reaches for his gun with his cuffed hands.
I spit out my words, so angry at whoever’s done this to us, my hand shakes on my weapon. I cock the pistol. “Drop your weapon and ask her where she got the information.”
“We’re not playing into this, Capo,” Romeo says. “We know what your—”
“And I know your family was responsible for my father’s death!” I turn to face him. “I have every right to demand you give Marialena to me based on that knowledge alone. You know I’m entitled to retribution. You know what I have to do.”
Romeo’s gaze registers nothing but cold calculation. He knew, then. “So that’s why you set us all up. That’s why you manipulated us. Why not state it up front? Why the convoluted games?”
“I don’t play games, Rossi.”
“But you do!” Marialena yells. Her voice trembles as she turns away. “You told me you loved me.”
And I meant it. I fucking meant it.
Mario lunges at me. Someone shoots a gun. Someone else screams. I grab for Marialena, jerk her to me, and push her beneath me as Romeo attempts to do the same. We each have one of her hands as if we’re trying to tear her in two.
“Let her go,” I tell him. “She’s mine.”
“I’m no one’s!” she screams, and wrenches her hand from Romeo. I reach for her, drag her over to me, and hold her to my chest. I restrain her with one arm and train my gun on the others.
