I'd chosen him over safety. Over certainty. Over the career I'd planned and the life I'd imagined.
I'd chosen love over everything else.
And standing there in his embrace, I knew I'd make the same choice again.
Every single time.
No matter what it cost me.
CHAPTER 24: SANDRO
MY INVESTIGATOR CALLEDthree days after the bail hearing with news that made my blood run cold.
"Vincent Paglia entered federal witness protection two weeks ago," Marcus said. "The FBI moved him to Phoenix under a new identity. He's been cooperating with them for eight months. Gave them everything they needed for the RICO charges."
I sat in my office at Inferno staring at the city lights. "Everything?"
"Transaction records. Organizational structure. Names of everyone involved in operations. Recorded conversations—he was wearing a wire for the last three months." Marcus paused. "He's their star witness. Without him, the RICO case is significantly weaker."
"Where in Phoenix?"
"Sandro—"
"Where in Phoenix?"
"I don't know yet. Witness protection locations are carefully guarded. But I'm working on it. Give me a week."
I hung up and called an emergency meeting with my partners.
They arrived within the hour. Matteo looked ready for violence. Elio looked calculating. Luca looked concerned but controlled. We gathered in the private conference room with the door locked and my security ensuring no one could listen.
"Vincent Paglia's in witness protection in Phoenix," I said without preamble. "He's been cooperating with the FBI for eight months. Wearing a wire. Recording our conversations. Giving them our financial records."
Matteo slammed his fist on the table. "That little bastard. I knew we should've handled him permanently when we had the chance."
"He gave them everything," I continued. "Transaction records. Organizational charts. Witness lists. He's the centerpiece of their RICO case. Without his testimony, they've got circumstantial evidence at best."
"Then we eliminate him before he can testify." Matteo's voice was cold. Flat. "I'll go to Phoenix myself. Find him. Make sure he never makes it to a courtroom."
"No." I kept my voice level. "We're not killing him."
"Why the fuck not? He betrayed us. Sold us out to the feds. He deserves—"
"He deserves to die, yes. But killing a federal witness creates murder charges on top of RICO. It proves we're exactly what the FBI claims we are—a violent criminal organization that eliminates threats." I looked at each of them. "We handle this legally. We destroy his credibility in court instead of eliminating him."
Elio leaned forward. "How do you destroy the credibility of a witness who has eight months of documented evidence?"
"We prove he was embezzling. That he had motivation to lie to save himself. That he was facing prosecution for his own crimes and cut a deal by manufacturing evidence against us." I pulled out the files we'd compiled on Vincent. "He stole two hundred thousand from us. That's documented. We show the jury he's a thief who's lying to avoid prison."
"That's not as satisfying as making him disappear," Matteo said.
"No. But it's safer. And it's what Emilio would want me to do."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "Since when do we make strategic decisions based on what your boyfriend wants?"
"Since my boyfriend saved us all by paying off Antonio Costello's gambling debts and giving him the freedom to tell the truth. Since my boyfriend has consistently pushed me to choose legal strategies over violent ones. Since listening to him has worked out better than doing things my way." I met Matteo's eyes. "I'm calling you off. Vincent lives. We destroy him in court instead."
Matteo looked ready to argue. Then he sighed. "You've gone soft since Emilio. But fine. We do it legally. For now."
