Sofia nodded. “He doesn’t lie. It’s one of those weird code things. Lying could make him lose clout with his clients and other sources.”
“That doesn’t make him right,” Tonio said. “People see what they expect.”
“And you?” she asked. “What do you expect?”
He met her eyes. Flicker—regret, calculation. Hard to tell where one ended.
“I expect people to protect what matters.”
“And does Senator Young matter to your family?”
His jaw tightened. “We deal with a lot of people. Doesn’t mean we trust them—or owe them anything.”
“But you’re not denying it.”
“And I’m not confirming Wraith’s grenades. You want answers? You come to me.”
“I am.” She didn’t raise her voice. “Right now.”
Silence fell. Rain and the ticking clock filled the room.
Tonio set down his mug. “You want the truth?”
She nodded, pulse hammering.
“Don’t ask questions you can’t handle.”
“I’m not asking about your family. I’m asking about you.”
He laughed, short and bitter. “You think it’s simple? I can’t shed myself like a coat. You don’t separate me from them. Most days, they are me.”
“I think you want me to believe you’re different. I don’t know what’s real.”
His jaw locked. “You want honesty?” He stepped closer. “Fine. My family’s empire? Built on blood and money. Half sold their conscience. The rest never had one. Things I can’t tell you. But I protect you. I tell you when it matters.”
“Then why hide it?”
“Because you’re the one thing I’m trying not to ruin. If you know everything, start pulling threads—you can’t put them back. Once you’re in, there’s no exit.”
“You don’t protect me by lying,” she said, her voice tight. “I thought we were past that.”
“We are past it. That’s why I’m telling you—stop. Keep digging, and everything blows apart. No putting it back.”
“It already is apart,” she said. “You’re just pretending it isn’t.”
“This isn’t about trust.” His voice snapped, then steadied. “It’s survival. My family’s name owns me. You can’t separate the man from what made him.”
He turned away, shoulders tight.
“I’ve killed for people I didn’t believe in,” he said finally. “Protected men who deserved a bullet. Keeping peace, keeping balance. That’s my world.”
When he faced her again, the armor was gone.
“So don’t ask if I’m lying,” Tonio said quietly. “Ask if this is the first time I’ve told you the truth.”
He stepped closer but stopped short, like a man awaiting judgment.
“You know our first meeting wasn’t an accident. What you don’t know—I was sent.”
