Silence follows as the men do the math.
"So the rat has to be Rivas," Alessio concludes flatly.
"Exactly," I reply.
Damiano lets out a low whistle. "That's why you haven't killed him yet. You want El Recaudador to think we don't know who talked."
"The Collector is waiting," I agree, "for us to make a move. To turn on the most obvious suspect."
"To fracture," Enzo adds quietly.
I nod once. "Yeah."
Damiano leans back, dragging a hand over his jaw. He looks at Massimo. Then at me. A slow grin forms on his face. "You want Alessio or me to turn to the Collector," he figures, "because you accused one of us of being the leak."
Massimo nods once. No hesitation. "It's a dangerous gamble."
That's an understatement if I ever heard one. Alessio huffs out a breath, somewhere between a laugh and a threat.
"Dangerous?" Alessio mutters. "It's fucking insane."
"Which is why it'll work," Damiano cuts in smoothly. He pushes off the table, rolling his shoulders like he's already gearing up for it. "I'll do it." The words leave his mouth too casually. Making it sound more like he's volunteering for a night out, not walking into a snake pit.
Alessio takes the bait and scoffs immediately. "The fuck you will."
Damiano grins, sharp and easy. "Relax. I've got the charm for it."
"You've got a death wish," Alessio shoots back. "Big difference."
"Same outcome," Damiano shrugs.
I watch them. Listen to it escalate. On the surface, it's a fight. Posturing. Ego. Underneath? It's something else. It always is with us.
"I'm the better choice," Damiano continues. "People expect me to be unpredictable. Reckless. It fits."
Alessio leans forward, narrowing his eyes. "No. It fits too well. Which means they'll question it."
"They'll question you breathing," Damiano fires back. "That's not exactly a strong argument."
Alessio's lips curl. "At least I don't smile while walking into a bullet."
Damiano's grin widens. "At least I don't look like I enjoy it."
"Gentlemen," Enzo murmurs, but there's no real heat behind it. He's watching. Letting it play out. Massimo says nothing. Neither do I. It's between Alessio and Damiano.
Damiano has nothing tying him down. He turned his back on his family and is nearly done with his revenge. No girlfriend. Nothing is holding him back. Which makes him dangerous. Not just to others. To himself, too.
My eyes shift to Alessio. Different story. Same result. His old man beat anything soft out of him before it had a chance to grow. His mother left before he was old enough to understand why. No family. No roots. Nothing but us.
Even with us, there's a line he won't cross. Doesn't let anyone cross. He doesn't get close. Not really. Doesn't believe in it. Doesn't trust it. Still, we're the only thing close to a family he's got. He'd die before he let anything touch it.
"I'll do it," Alessio says again, quieter this time. More dangerous. "I don't have anything to lose."
Damiano snorts. "Yeah? Join the club."
Alessio's eyes flick to him. Cold. "You think you don't?"
That lands. For a second—just a second—Damiano's grin falters. Then it's back. "Better me than you," he says lightly."You're too obvious. You'd stab the Collector five minutes into the conversation."
