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I laid perfectly still, trying to regulate my breathing so she thought I was asleep. There was no chance of ‘sleep’ being my friend tonight when my body was this excited that she was in my bed. I stared at the wall, praying my resolve to not turn around and stare at her was strong enough to last through the night. I wouldn’t be able to hold back, pillow wall or not. And me trying to come onto her was not what she needed tonight. She needed to feel safe. She needed comfort. That is the only reason I watched that ridiculous film for her. To help her take her mind off my fucking vile cousin, Dante. Every time I closed my eyes, the image of him on top of her played in my mind and I snapped my eyes open again. I meant what I said. The moment I am Don of the South, I will slit his throat.
My phone vibrated on the side table and I quickly reached for it, praying it didn’t wake her. I leaned up a little to peer over the pillows to find her facing the windows and motionless. The soft rise and fall of her shoulders and the sound of her breathing indicated she was in a deep slumber. I pulled the covers off me and sat up, opening the message from Fabi.
Outside your room. Urgent.
I sighed, rubbing my hand over my head, and went back into the dressing room for the bedroom key I had hidden in a pair of trainers. As I walked past her side of the bed, I paused to admire her for just a moment. Her raven hair was cascading out behind her on the pillow and her full lips were parted. She looked like an angel sleeping so soundly.
I made my way to the door and cracked it open to see Fabi leaning against the bannister. Shimmying out of it, but keeping the door slightly ajar, I gave him a look that said, ‘What the fuck is this about?’
“Dante sent the video to Diego! Boss wants you to send it to Giovanni to get the shipment and Sergio back,” he whispered.
I stepped out onto the landing, my face stone-cold with anger. “What?!”
“Diego thinks it will be enough to scare Giovanni into submission.” I ran my hand down my face as Fabi folded his arms over his chest. Fuck. “It will work.”
“Or it will backfire! Buccini sees what happened to his sister and loses his mind. Thinks to hell with this, I am going to war,” I growled.
“Or that,” Fabi shrugged. “That is why you are the best person to do this. Diego was going to allow Dante to send it himself and threaten Giovanni, but I managed to convince him that it would be better coming from you.”
“Cazzo, thanks for that,” I gritted my teeth, but I knew he was right. Dante had no tact or skill in negotiation, whereas, I at least might have a glimmer of hope in not fucking this up completely. It was bad enough that Giovanni would see that video, but if he spoke to Dante after, it would be catastrophic.
Fabi held out a burner phone to me and I snatched it from him. I pressed play on the video and saw red once more when Este backhanded Elenora’s face. Fucking hard. Thank fuck, I shot the fucker. I didn’t even know that had happened as well.
“It cuts off before you enter the room. For some reason, Dante hasn’t told Diego what happened between you and him.”
“Because he knows he is in the fucking wrong,” I hissed. “Diego ordered him to scare her and make it look genuine for the camera. Not actually assault her!”
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. This was the last thing I wanted Giovanni to see. No brother should see this happening to his sister. But I knew Diego's mind. I had given my word that Elle wouldn't be harmed as long as Buccini cooperated. He fucked up and there had to be a consequence, otherwise he would see through it all. The retaliations would continue. The war would start. And everything would be fucked.
"I know you hate this, but if you don't do it, Dante will," Fabi said, watching me carefully as he leaned against the wall with his arms folded.
Feeling physically sick, I pressed send to Giovanni with the message, Ring me. We need to talk.
I only had a few minutes to calm my own fucking anger and pull down the emotionless mask of underboss before the phone started vibrating in my hand. I glanced up at Fabi and nodded.
“Buccini.”
“What the fuck was that you fucking asshole? You swore you wouldn’t fucking touch her as long as I complied. I gave up fucking VENICE.”
“You are right. I did say that. But you also said you would stay out of Barbieri business and there would be no retaliation. How is Sergio?”
The phone went silent. I waited. I still couldn’t believe that this dick risked his sister’s life for a revenge shipment.
“You are lucky I stopped my cousin before he went too far and had his fun with her, Buccini. You have twenty-four hours to return my shipment to me along with Sergio’s head.”
“You fucking piece of shit. That shipment was ordered before you even took Elle. It wasn’t part of our deal. I can’t help it if a dealer wants to change suppliers,” he roared down the phone, but I could hear the panic in his voice. He knew he fucked up. Whether it was true or not, he knew he had some part to play in this.
“Like I said. Stay out of Barbieri business, do what we ask and we will play nice. Now you know I am not fucking around, Giovanni. If you care about your sister, you will take this as a warning and listen.”
“Where is she? Let me talk to her. I want to know if she is okay.”
“It’s late. She’s asleep. I will send you a picture. Shipment and Sergio’s head. And right now, she may not want to speak to you.”
“What?” His voice was so low and gravelly that I barely heard him.
“She knows her punishment was because you didn’t follow orders, Buccini. You are not her favourite person right now,” my own anger at him for doing anything that resulted in Elle being put in danger was coming through, but I hid it behind hostility.
“I will fucking kill you, Alessio. I swear to god. Mark my words, I will kill you when this is all over.”
