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He stares at me for a moment, as if he’s sizing me up, as if he somehow has a magic ability to tell if I’m lying.
He gestures up the stairs and his eyes linger upward. “Let’s go then…” he says before he begins his stumbling ascent up the steps.
I know as soon as we get to the top, there’s going to be some hell to pay.
“What the fuck are you doing here?!” Luigi spits, immediately rounding on me.
“Where the fuck is she!?” Frankie roars, coming around the bar with a baseball bat.
“Madam Rosa has her…”
“No shit!” Luigi cuts. “Like we hadn’t already figured that out…”
“No one knows where she is!” Frankie interrupts.
“I know where her hideout is…” I sigh. “But I feel like this is a trap…”
“Why?” Luigi asks, crossing his arms, his gaze dead set on me.
“Because she’s trying to make an example…” I mumble. “Out of me…”
“You’re going to need to speak up…” Frankie barks. “I’m old and can’t hear shit that you’re saying.”
“She wants to kill Aria,” I growl. “So why hasn’t she done it?”
“How do we know she hasn’t?” Alessandro blurts.
“Because she would want it to be public. Her goal is to take over your territory. They want to hit you while you’re mourning…”
“That’s pretty fucking sick…” Frankie muses. “I mean, I’d do it too, but still pretty fucking sick.”
“So, they’re wanting you to come for her?”
I nod. “They’re expecting me to come…”
“And not us?” Alessandro laughs. “You mean to tell me we’re supposed to trust that.”
I shrug. “I have no idea if she is expecting you or not…”
I was ruminating on her. I know that I’m in over my head. It’s no secret that Madam Rosa is usually two steps ahead. She’s got the sharpest mind of anyone I’ve ever met. She’s the true villain. The best villain, in fact.
She’s a villain that doesn’t lose.
“But we’re going to go in, guns blazing…” I say sternly.
Alessandro chuckles softly at first and then belts into a full-blown laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”
I shake my head. “It’s the only plan there is…”
“How about you let us make some of the decisions here?” Alessandro questions, his expression one of taunting. One of anger.
I can’t say that I blame him.
I’m angry too.
But I’m also hurt.
It’s a dicey and shitty situation.
