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“What do you need?” Niccolò asks with a grim look.
“Do you still have informants within the Chicago Bratva?”
His jaw clenches as he nods. “I do. I’ll contact them. Whoever took out Raul learned from the Demons, Elio. They’ve learned what happens when you keep it close to your chest.”
Bragging about what you’ve done only leads to war, and these fuckers aren’t ready for that yet, hence why they’re keeping it close to their chests. Assholes.
“Do it,” I say through clenched teeth. I know that I’m asking the man to go to the depths of Hell to make that call. His daughter got mixed up with the wrong crowd. She got addicted to drugs and her life was taken too early. He’s grieved a fucking long time for the loss of her, and he’ll continue to do so until the day he dies. He also feels a lot of guilt for what happened. She witnessed him killing a man, and it broke something inside of her. She was fourteen and one of the sweetest girls you could ever meet, and seeing her father, a man she adored, as a murderer, completely destroyed her.
“You got it. Raul was one of us and we need this shit done.”
“Appreciate it,” I murmur as we wait for Rocco to join us. Today has been a meeting for the entire Famiglia. Every made man had to be in attendance. There was a lot on the agenda for Rocco to talk about, including my upcoming nuptials and the expansion of the Famiglia into Missouri.
Rocco and Dario walk toward us, my youngest brother grinning. That can only mean one thing. Trouble is on the horizon. I like to think of Dario as my personal fortune teller; his mood dictates what’s about to happen. And my brother loves death and destruction.
“Elio, you’re with me. Niccolò, I take it you know what we need?” Rocco says, and Nic nods. “Let me know if you have answers. We need to find out who killed Raul before they get too comfortable and come after another one of our own.”
Niccolò takes a step backward. “On it, boss. I’ll call you when it’s done.”
“My wife isn’t happy, and neither is Ade,” Roc tells me once we’re alone.
“Who told them?” I ask, wondering when it was announced to anyone outside of the men.
He holds his head high and stares at me. “I did. Meet me back at the house. Jade and Ade have a fucking list of shit they need you and Teagan to do before the wedding. Including setting a fucking date.”
He’s pissed, and I can’t help but smirk. I don’t have to listen to the bullshit whining that I’m not doing what I’m supposed to. Thank fuck it’s not me who’ll have to put up with their constant questions.
“Don’t fucking smirk,” he growls. “Wait until they descend on Teagan, asking her for shit, and then that smirk will be wiped off your face.”
I shrug. “Let them,” I say as I move toward my car. I don’t care what they do, as long as they put her off that ridiculous idea of those two homeless women moving into my fucking apartment.
“Elio,” I hear my sister-in-law growl as soon as I enter hers and Rocco’s house.
I flash her a smile. “Yes?” I ask with a raised brow, wondering what the hell her panties are in a twist for.
“You’re getting married, and your sister and I haven’t even met the woman yet.”
I stare blankly at her. “Have you met any of the women that I’ve fucked?”
My sister scrunches her nose in disgust. “No, and I really don’t want to either. But you’re getting married. Surely that means you're serious about her?”
My sister has felt the pain of this world a lot more than others would in their lifetime, and yet her pure and innocent views still remain. She went through the roughest patch when our sister died. The bomb that exploded in hers and her husband’s house killed Viviana instantly and left Ade with a deep scar on her cheek, one that has remained as a constant reminder of that day.
“Addie,” her husband, Hayden, says, calling her over to where he’s sitting with their daughter, Vivi-Anna, in his arms. “Maybe this isn’t like that and could be to do with work?”
The anger in her eyes makes me smile. My sister rarely gets angry, and when she does, it’s a sight to behold. “Pensavo che tu, fratello mio, fossi migliore di nostro padre,”she spits in Italian. (I thought that you, my brother, were better than our father.)
Rocco doesn’t check his tone when he fires back at her. “No, sorella. Ricorda con chi stai parlando. È una decisione di Elio. Non farmi arrabbiare.” (Don’t, sister. Remember who you are talking to. This is Elio’s decision. Do not anger me.)
Ade takes a step back, and her husband tenses, ready to defend her if need be.“Mi dispiace. Ma devi capire che è da pazzi, fratello. Non lo capisci?”she asks, her voice softer than it had been. (I’m sorry. But you have to see that this is crazy, brother. Surely you see that?)
She’s worried, and I understand that, but going against Rocco isn’t the way to do it.
“Va bene. Ma, Adelina, mia sorella, è una decisione di Elio. Non la mia e non la tua.” (It’s fine. But, Adelina, my sister, this is Elio’s decision. Not mine and not yours.)
Ade nods.“Mi dispiace,”she says to him with a smile, and turns to me.“Congratulazioni. Non vedo l’ora di conoscere la mia nuova sorella. Dimmi com’è?”(I’m sorry. Congratulations. I can’t wait to meet my new sister. Tell me, what is she like?)
Jade holds up her hand. “I love you, Ade, but could someone please translate?”
