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“What? That’s ridiculous,” I argued nervously, hating the ring of truth in his harsh tone.
“Is it? Think. Who would want him out of the picture? Who would gain the most from his death?”
No. He couldn’t mean mynonnowould kill his own son.
“There’s always been a bit of a rivalry between the Hubers and the Russos. They’re connected by marriage but not blood. But it was the rivalry between the Russo and Venetti families that really caused a rift. Dominic Venetti disowned his daughter when she married her American boyfriend Alaric Huber because Alaric’s mother was a Russo. Catherine Venetti lost her inheritance.”
My eyes blinked, fighting to comprehend all he was telling me. Two Catherines. A Russo and a Venetti.
No one ever told me any of this. Not even mypadre. Did he keep that secret because of shame? Or did mynonnodemand it?
“When you say we took him out,” I began, taking a step back as I mirrored his movement, “Did you mean you killed him?”
He smirked. “No. I was too young back then.”
“Then who? A Tripoli?”
“We’ve always been loyal to Salvador Russo. His family and mine share roots in Sicily. When Sal asked us to eliminate the Huber line, we accepted, eager to help.”
Dio mio!What madness! “Why?” I croaked, horrified, still not understanding how such a deadly pact could be made.
My father was dead, but all of his siblings were still alive. None of them had been harmed. Yet.
Merda!Porcia. Someone tried to kill her in Texas. A death threat had been sent with my picture to mynonno. Both of us had been targeted. Were my uncles also targets and I never knew?
“But it’s been years,” I whispered. “My father died when I was fifteen.” I didn’t see the connection.
“Sal ordered Anthony’s death first, but it created a few unforeseen complications when his will was read.”
My head began to spin with all the deceit spoken by a murderer without remorse. A Tripoli murdered my father—Carlo’s relative. Rage burned inside my heart.
“What’s so special about Anthony Huber’s will?” I needed to know why, to understand how blood could be spilled and how family could turn their backs on one another.
Carlo snickered. “You really don’t know.”
Irritated, I narrowed my eyes. “No.”
“Despite Dom Venetti’s dictate, his wife set aside a portion of her wealth for her daughter.”
Wow.
“When Catherine came to America, she accessed the money and pulled it from any accounts associated with her family. Although cut off from the Venetti name, she thrived. I heard she invested a portion of her money in the stock market, and now it’s millions.”
Millions. Plural.
My knees almost buckled. “I,” I began but couldn’t seem to form words. My heart throbbed in my chest, and I almost sat down. “It’s mine?” I finally asked to clarify.
“Every fucking penny.” A sneer lifted his upper lip.
Wow.
“And now, I’ll have what’s owed to me. I played my part. My family remained loyal. We did what Russo asked.” His lecherous gaze slid over me. “I’ll take you and your fortune, preferably fucking you in front of your pathetic fiancé.”
“Never,” I spat.
“Do you know what happened to him?”
“The fire, yes.”
