"Luca," Roman warns, but I'm beyond reason.
"You have three seconds before I paint this wall with your brains."
"He said," the man chokes out, "he said he was saving him! That the kid needed to be rescued from monsters!"
My finger tightens on the trigger. "What?"
"He kept saying the boy deserved better than to be raised by a killer."
I look over my shoulder at Roman. “Does that mean anything to you?”
He shrugs. “No.”
I release Santa, who crumples to the floor.
No one would save him from being raised by Elena. She’s not a killer. But I am.
“I have two ideas.”
“Which are?” Roman asks.
“Gio Sarto?—”
“Dom’s man?”
I nod. “Yes. He believes I killed Umberto Vitale. The other is Blackwood, who approached Elena just last night.”
“That mother fucker. I really hoped he’d give up. It’s bad enough that Dom has that agent, Ricci, on his ass.”
I grab Santa by his hair, forcing him to look at me. "One last chance. Did he say where he was taking my boy?"
I raise my gun, finger tightening on the trigger.
Santa's whimpering turns to full-blown sobbing. "He didn't say! I swear to God!"
"Then you're useless to me," I snarl, pressing the barrel harder against his temple.
Strong hands suddenly grip my shoulders, yanking me backward. Marco appears at my side, his face grim as he steps between me and my target.
"Not like this, Luca," Marco says, his voice low but commanding. "He could still be useful.”
I don’t see how. He’s soaked in booze and piss.
"He's a witness. The only one who's seen the man with Rocco."
"I don't care," I growl, but I know they’re right.
"Killing our only lead could hinder finding Rocco," Marco reasons, his calm cutting through my rage. "We need him alive, for identification, for testimony if needed."
The logic penetrates my fury and I step away.
"We'll make him talk," Roman promises, his eyes cold as he glances at the trembling Santa. "There are better ways to get information than a bullet." He waggles his brows. “I’ve got a bat.”
"Fine. But when we find who’s behind this?—”
"That kill is yours," Marco assures me. "No one touches your son and lives."
Marco and Roman are handling Santa, but he’s useless.
