“We don’t really need an audience for this. Maybe you could wait outside.” He’s looking at Xavier and crew, but Mario waves his hand.
“Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my children.” Gabe arches an eyebrow before he schools his expression. Well, at least I wasn’t the only one blindsided by that kernel of information.
He turns his attention back to me. “Maybe you’d like to sit, Ms. Russo.” He gestures to the seat behind the desk. Frowning, I take it, wondering what he wants from me.
“I’m sorry to inform you that your brother was in a car accident this afternoon. Just a little over two hours ago, his car hit a tree on the road between Banebridge and Suncity. A car stopped to assist, but before they could, your brother’s car burst into flames. There were no survivors.”
I blink, trying to comprehend exactly what he’s telling me. Suddenly, the shocked silence erupts into a flurry of sounds. Vienna and Suzy both burst into tears, and Mario starts to shout.
“My niece? Casey? What about Casey?” he demands, and Gabe turns his attention to him as I close my eyes and lean back in my chair, savoring their reactions, my relief almost all encompassing.
“I’m sorry. Like I said, there were no survivors. We did some investigating, and we know your niece was traveling back from Suncity with Mr. Russo. That’s why I allowed you to be here for this.”
Mario’s face turns red, and he bellows, picking up a glass from the side table and hurling it at the wall.
Agent Fisher pulls his gun from his holster and aims it at the furious man. “I suggest we all take a moment and think about our next actions.”
“Is that really necessary?” Xavier steps forward, glaring at Agent Fisher. “He’s obviously in shock and not a danger to anyone.” Xavier puts himself between Mario and the nervous agent.
“Put your damn weapon away,” Gabe snaps at Agent Fisher, who sneers at him but complies.
“Do you need us to come in and identify their bodies?” Ben has his arm wrapped around Suzy, comforting her.
“No, the bodies were burned beyond recognition. We will have our coroner use DNA evidence to identify them. If you could both provide a hairbrush the two parties may have used as soon as possible, it would be appreciated.”
“The baby,” Vienna sobs inconsolably. Tristan and Colton are wrapped around her with tears streaming down their faces.
“You don’t seem too upset.” Agent Fisher has been splitting his attention between me and the still raging Mario, who Xavier is whispering to quietly, trying to get him to calm down.
I blink at his accusation, shocked that he would have the balls to call me out. “You’ll have to excuse me, Agent Fisher, but I’m afraid after the loss of my boyfriend and my uncle Lorenzo, as well as having to turn off Uncle Mickey’s machine earlier this week, I think I have actually reached my breaking point. I’ve mourned more this week than I ever have, and now I have my last remaining relative to mourn as well. I have no tears left to cry, because if I do, I may never stop,” I tell him, my voice wavering with emotion as I stand up and grab a bottle of whiskey, pouring a large amount into the glass Mario didn’t hurl in his rage. I toss back the whiskey, enjoying the burn, and he scoffs.
“We are investigating the circumstances of the crash to establish that there was no foul play involved. As you yourself said, there have been a lot of deaths this week, and the thing all of them have in common is you.”
“What are you suggesting? Do you want me to hurl this glass against the wall like he did?” I point at Mario, who seems to have recovered and is glowering at me. “What would that do? Would it bring back Gio? Would it bring back Sage? No, all I can do is mourn and move on.”
“You really are a stone-cold bitch, aren’t you?” That shaky accusation comes from Vienna, and I turn my attention to her, raising an eyebrow.
“I never said I was anything different,” I reply flatly, and she flinches and looks at me like she never even knew me. Well, I guess that goes both ways, sister.
“We will leave you to your mourning then. Just bring us that DNA sample as soon as you can. We can’t release the remains until they are officially identified,” Gabe says.
“One of us will stop by in a day or two,” Dean assures them as he opens the door and escorts the agents out, making sure they don’t take a detour through the mansion.
The door closes behind them, and Mario rushes at me. “What did you do?” He slams his hands down on the desk and leans over, trying to intimidate me, but I just reach below the desk and pull out a Glock, sliding it onto the desk in front of me. He flinches, and it brings me the utmost satisfaction.
“What do you mean?” I ask, keeping my face blank. “Why do people keep asking me that?”
“You know very well why, damn it. Why? You killed your own brother for what?”
I gasp and clutch at imaginary pearls. “How could you say such a thing? I loved my brother.”
“You did, but he broke your trust and betrayed you, didn’t he? And nobody betrays you without paying. Isn’t that right, Tori?” I turn my attention to Xavier, who is standing next to Mario and blocking my view of everyone else in the room.
I shrug. “Maybe that’s a lesson you should take note of, Xavier, but I deny having any involvement in today’s tragic accident, and I resent the implications.”
Sam tries to step forward, but there’s the sound of quick movement, and I see Tristan and Colton block his way.
“You’re a fucking monster. You not only killed your brother and his fiancée, but also their unborn child. How could you? Do you have no regard for life at all?” Vienna lunges at me now that the other two are distracted, but Xavier quickly wraps his arms around her and clutches her tightly to his chest.
