Damiano blinks. "What?" he turns toward Alessio. "No—wait, what?"
Alessio doesn't even look at him at first. Just pours himself another drink. Like he didn't just derail the entire plan.
"Sorry, boss," he says, finally glancing up. "I'm out."
Damiano lets out a disbelieving laugh. "No. No, you don't get to do that," he says, pointing at him. "I had a whole argument ready. I waspreparedto fight you on this."
That earns a faint smirk from Alessio.
"Sorry, bro," he says smoothly, lifting his glass. "It's all yours."
Damiano just stares at him. Offended. Confused. A little betrayed.
Massimo doesn't react immediately. He looks from one to the other. Then sharply to me. "Explain."
I set my glass down. No point dragging it out now. "Audra used to run with an MC," I say. "Black Canyon Reapers." That gets immediate attention. Enzo shifts slightly. Damiano frowns.
Massimo's gaze sharpens. "And?" he prompts.
I glance at Alessio once. He doesn't look at me. I get the hint. "Audra saw a woman there," I continue. "Years ago. One she described in detail."
"Who?" Massimo grinds out.
I don't hesitate. "Alessio's mother."
Damiano exhales slowly. "Fucking hell…"
Enzo goes still. Massimo leans back slightly, studying Alessio now through the dispassionate eyes of a Don, not a friend. Assessing him as an unknown variable, not because he wants to, but because he has to.
Alessio finally meets his gaze. Dead calm.
Massimo states, "She walked out eighteen years ago."
I shake my head. "Audra saw her six or seven years ago."
That's the part that matters. That's the part that changes everything. Massimo's fingers tap once against the arm of his chair. Thinking. Recalculating.
"If that's true," he says slowly, "that changes a few things."
"That's not a coincidence," Enzo adds quietly.
"Which also ties her directly into cartel circulation," Damiano mutters.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Massimo's gaze shifts back to Alessio. "Do you believe her?"
I stiffen; they better not doubt Audra. Alessio doesn't answer right away. His jaw tightens slightly. Barely noticeable. Finally, he nods, "I believe she thinks she saw something real."
Not a yes.
Not a no.
I let it stand.
Massimo watches him for a long second. Then nods once. Decision made. "Then this just became more than business." His gaze hardens. "This is getting personal." That lands differently. He looks between all of us. "Which means we don't rush it," he continues. "We don't make mistakes."
He pauses. "But wedomove." His eyes settle on Damiano. "You'll take point."
