Giulio merely stares back at me. “He’s the mole.” I don’t know if it’s his discovery or if he just needs to say it, but behind us, Emil responds.
“Yes, he is.”
Giulio looks to him and then to Constantin, but Dante is the one who speaks, asking the question we’re all wondering. “Why?”
“Most likely because he was not given the title of consigliere, and he was insulted.”PapáStefano’s voice has both of us turning. He nods to where the stranger and Emil have gotten the older man onto his knees. Constantin struggles, glaring atPapáStefano with utter hatred in his gaze. “He always told me you were an upstart who would be nothing but a detriment to the family,”PapáStefano continues. “I ignored those words, but it seems as if my decision to pass off the Family to Dante and make you his consigliere has made him betray everything he ever stood for.” He shakes his head at the man on his knees. “I am disappointed in you, Constantin.”
In response, Constantin utters something in rapid Italian that has everyone in the room—aside from me, of course, damn it, I should probably start learning the language now, I suppose—stiffening.
Then,PapáStefano turns to Giulio. “This will be my final order as your Don,” he states. Giulio steps toward him, and I smile as I watch him lift his gun. There’s no question as to what the order is. “Eradicate the traitor.”
Giulio looks back at me once, and I grin, wiggling my fingers at him. He shakes his head, but when he pulls the trigger, I feel the sharp jolt of a pop down to my bone marrow.
Panty. Melting.
I grimace at the blood splatter on the walls of the dining room. “That’s gonna be a bitch to clean,” I say.
To my surprise, it’s Emil who answers, appearing next to me as he, too, surveys Constantin’s body. “We have people for that,” he states. “And this is a safe house; no one lives here. After the meeting today, it will be thoroughly cleaned and then likely sold.”
I turn to him. “Just like that?”
He shrugs. “We may have an understanding now, but even so, it can no longer be used after today.” He grins, and damn, but he is a handsome man. Almost as handsome as Giulio—not quite, but close. “I’m sure some family will be quite happy to get the deal of a lifetime on this house. No one will ever know a man was executed here.”
Which makes me wonder… how many places have people died in and no one knows? Before I can voice the question, however, Giulio is by my side and glaring at Emil Cesari as he pulls me away from the man. I don’t resist. In fact, I’m more than happy to wrap my arms around my husband and nuzzle against him as Emil moves to talk to one of the men.
“I’m glad it all worked out,” I confess.
He bends and presses his mouth chastely to mine. “Me too,cara,” he murmurs before deepening the kiss. My nipples harden, and I stretch onto my toes to keep our lips pressed together. After a while, though, he pulls away, and I sigh.
“So, what now?” I ask.
“We’re going on a honeymoon,” he says.
Mean Daisy whispers something to me, and my smile widensat her suggestion.Great idea, I tell her. I’ll need some help to make it a possibility, but I’m pretty sure Giulio—with all of his,cough cough, connections—can make it happen.
Coolheaded bitch that she is, she smirks and fades into the shadows of my head, though I do have to wonder if she’s fading so much as she’s melding into the rest of me.
“Can I pick the place?” I ask excitedly, nearly bouncing on my toes. Giulio arches a brow. “I know exactly what I want to do for our honeymoon.”
“You—”
“Oh shit!” Giulio cuts his eyes behind him as if there’s a threat.
“What is it, Da—”
“Bianca is still with the car!” I smack my forehead. “Damn it. I need to text her.” She’s probably wondering if Otello and I are dead. I tip my chin up to meet Giulio’s gaze. “Do you have her number?”
He tightens his hold, but before he can answer, Emil appears next to us once again. “Leon will take care of the body along with a few of your soldiers,” he informs us, gesturing around to the mostly empty rooms. Several of the men I saw when I first came in are gone, and only Otello remains aside from the main Family members. “Now that your mole is gone, I plan to make an example of Ambrosi to solidify my power base.”
Giulio’s face morphs into a careful mask. He releases one arm from me and holds it out. “Thank you.” The words are stiff, making me press my lips together to stop from laughing as he appears like he swallowed a lemon right after saying them.
Emil smirks and takes his hand. “Yourpapáhas announcedthat he’ll be stepping down as head of the Luciani Family and that Dante will be taking his place. I’d like to set up another meeting in which we can sign a peace treaty between our Families and territories.”
“Why are you telling me?” Giulio narrows his eyes. “You should be talking to my brother.”
“I just mentioned it to him while you were…” Emil trails off for a moment to look at me, “soothing your wife.” His attention moves back to Giulio. “I thought it appropriate to let you know as well.” Emil turns and dips his head to me. “Hopefully, you won’t try to kill me the next time we meet, Signora.”
“That’ll depend,” I say honestly.
