"Crocodile tears." I watched his blood seep through his pants, mixing with the blood dripping from my arm, pooling on the carpet. "Save your devoted father act."
I paused, then added, "Julian still hasn't figured this out. He really thinks you love him more, that he's your chosen heir. He doesn't know he was just a dog you raised to trip me up. After all these years, he can't even see that. Tell me, isn't he an even sadder fool than me?"
Carmine said nothing. He kept his head down, pressing hard on the gunshot wound, breathing heavily.
"You're just like your mother," he finally forced out through clenched teeth. "Crazy in your bones."
"You're right." I nodded absently.
Forty-seven minutes later, the sound of Julian's cane striking the floor echoed from the hallway.
He came alone. No guards. He dragged his broken leg into the study, his cane hitting the floor with each heavy thud. He walked slowly, but his eyes swept the room lightning-fast. The blood on the floor, Carmine's ashen face on the couch, the blood-soaked bandage on my arm, and the gun in my hand.
"What do you want?" Julian's voice was tight. "Enzo, I've been keeping my head down lately."
"Chloe Bennett," I said. "Was it you?"
"That woman who ran crying from your wedding?" Julian's mouth curled. "I knew she was connected to you. A woman that beautiful, pregnant, showing up at your wedding crying like that—even a blind man could see it."
"Answer the question."
"Wasn't me," Julian said it cleanly. He sat down in a chair, leaning on his cane, his broken leg stiff and straight. "The day shedisappeared, I was in Brooklyn nursing this leg you ruined. You think I could sneak off to your secret villa in the middle of the night?"
I studied his eyes, watching for any microexpression.
"But I know where she is."
My heart slammed against my ribcage. The world went silent for one second.
Still alive? Chloe was still alive!
"What did you say?"
"I had someone tail her from the wedding," Julian tilted his head, that calculating look making my stomach turn. "A woman who could make Enzo Falcone lose his composure at his own wedding—that's your biggest weakness. So after she disappeared from your villa, my men followed Valentina's people to the airport."
Valentina's people.
My nails dug into my palms. All the puzzle pieces clicked into place. Valentina let Chloe go. From beginning to end, it was Valentina.
"Where is she?"
"This information isn't cheap, brother." Julian dragged out the words, his tone sickening.
I stood up. The chair scraped harshly across the floor. I walked to Julian and pressed the gun barrel to his good leg's kneecap.
"Do I look like I'm in the mood to negotiate right now?"
Julian looked down at the gun, then up at my face. I don't know what he saw there, but it made his pupils contract. He licked his dry lips, voice dropping half an octave.
"I want your position. All the power, all the territory, all the business. Everything. You leave New York. From now on, the Falcone family has one head. Me."
Carmine's head snapped up from the couch. "Julian!"
Julian ignored him, just stared at me.
I pulled the gun back from his knee and straightened up.
"Deal."
