His lips tilt up. “I have the feeling that he would have survived without my help.”
Maybe, but I won’t forget it anytime soon. “We can’t stay much longer. I need to get back.”
I can’t forget the chaos I left behind me. A dead soldier – atraitor– and I have no idea why. I sent Vincent and Tony back when I arrived to help Danny with clean-up, Vincent in particular needed to support the younger intake, but I have my own responsibilities to fulfill.
“I’m ready when you are.” Then he hesitates. “Have you seen the message?”
I frown. “What message?”
“From our esteemed leaders.” His tone is faintly mocking as he retrieves his phone from his pocket, flicking through and handing it to me. I read through swiftly, confusion filling me. “A campus social? Why?”
He shrugs. “Apparently, to foster better relations among the Cosa Nostra. Not like it’s the first time.”
Maybe not, but the timing couldn’t be any fucking worse. Although, with theil bacio della morteremoved, at least I have a chance at surviving it. “Wonderful. Can’t wait.”
As we’re leaving, my own phone goes off. Pausing, I dig around, finally locating it in my back pocket. My heart sinks when I see the name. “Sorry. I need to take this.”
“I’ll wait in the car.” He walks away from me as I slide my finger across the screen.
My voice is strained. “Papa.”
“Carissimo.” His voice is clipped. It seems to be that way more often than not at the moment. The social calls seem to have stopped altogether, everything purely business. “Did you see the message?”
“About the social?” I take a seat on the wooden bench outside the main hospital doors, glancing around. “I did. It sounds delightful.”
Truthfully, I’d rather have my nails pulled out one by one, but I doubt he’d appreciate hearing that.
“Excellent. I’ll be there the following day. All of us will.”
I straighten. “That is… unexpected. May I ask why?”
My father grunts. “You can, but all in good time,carissimo. I assume the Fusco girl is taken care of?”
“Giovanni Fusco has been managed.Il bacio della mortehas been lifted.”
Silence. It goes on for so long that I pull the phone away to check the connection in case it’s dropped.
“Caterina,” he says finally. “That is not what I ordered.”
Ice. That’s what washes over me at that moment. “You wanted him managed—,”
“I wanted himbroken,” he snaps. “I ordered you to use the sister. Managed isnot good enough.”
My hands begin to shake. Abruptly, I stand, turning one way and then the other, my feet eating up the distance as I pace. “Papa, this is not necessary. We have agreed—,”
“I do not care what is necessary!” His roar echoes down the call, so much that I have to yank it away from my ear. “I gave you a fucking order, Caterina. I expect it to be followed.”
It feels as though the ground has been ripped out from under my feet.
I had it handled. It wasdone.
But it’s not enough for my father.
He wants blood. Rosa Fusco’s blood, and he will not settle for anything less.
“You have until I arrive,” he says in a low tone. “Matteo will be attending with me. And if you cannot do what needs to be done, Caterina, then I am certain he will be only too happy to carry out the orders of hiscapo.”
My eyes squeeze closed. I take a breath, trying to think, trying to come up with anything, anything to push away the decision he leaves me with.
