“You didn’t see what you thought you saw.”
“So you think I’m stupid?” I take his gun and then I grip him by the back of his coat and lead him out of the kitchen.
There’s a closet just outside where I’ll stash him until I deal with Victorio.
“What are you doing?”
“If you have to ask me, then you’re the stupid one.” I open the closet door and shove him in. He spins around, his hands up like I’m robbing him.
Before he can say anything, I shoot him square between the eyes.
I shut the door and move quickly back to the shadows, waiting to see if anyone heard the shot.
Sure enough, Victorio hurries around the corner. “Woah, Luca… What’s going on?”
I turn my gun toward him. “You tell me. I just saw your friend meeting with Alexei Ivanov and then with you.”
Victorio has the good sense to look worried. But he quickly recovers, his expression smoothing into something casual. "Luca, this isn't what it looks like?—"
"Save it." The good thing about betrayal is that it kills any good feelings you might have had for someone. A few minutes ago, the thought of killing my friend was untenable. Now? He’ll be dead before the day is done. "I heard enough."
Victorio shifts his weight, preparing to run or fight. "We've known each other since we were kids, Luca. Let me explain."
"You'll explain." I remove all weapons from him, a gun and knife, and then push him toward the back stairwell. "Just not here."
“The others will look for me."
"They'll find what's left." I can’t fucking believe it’s come to this. "We were brothers once.”
"That's why this will hurt you more than it hurts me," Victorio replies.
"I wouldn't count on that."
As we’re about to reach the back stairs, Alessandro rounds the corner from the other direction. “What the fuck is going on here?”
“I found two moles.”
“Don Dante, you know I’d never?—”
“Save it,” I snap.
Adriano appears behind Alessandro, his eyes wide with surprise to see me with a gun to Victorio’s back. "Luca?"
“Marco is dead in the closet after I found him handing over info for a shipment on Tuesday. Then he came back and reported to this shithead.” I glance at Adriano. “You’re in their sights, little brother. You need to watch your back.”
“Is this true?” Alessandro asks Victorio.
I glare at him. Is he really questioning me? I don’t let Victorio answer. I simply push him through the door and down the stairs to the little room we use to get information and dispose of nuisances and threats.
I shove him inside. "Sit."
He complies, and I secure his wrists to the chair arms with zip ties as Alessandro and Adriano enter the room behind us.
I reach for the tools laid out on the small metal table, choosing a small blade. I slide it under Victorio’s fingernail.
“You fucking really going to do this?” It’s the first real sign of fear I’ve seen from him.
“Luca—” Alessandro starts.
