“Look. Salvatore… please,” she asks, placing a hand on my arm.
"You shouldn't be here."
“I know, I was heading to my room after you left, and your phone kept ringing and then this message came. I went to hand it to you but you were talking to your brother and Nico, and then I saw them. I saw them dragging someone… here. I looked at the phone and saw her messages for you to please let him go. I knew it was her brother.”
“Lisa?” Vladimir says. “Please don’t let her see me like this,” he says.
"Salvatore, he was protecting her, he’s telling the truth, you have to let him go, please." She steps forward, her voice shaking but determined. "You can't just... You can't kill him."
The room goes silent. My men exchange glances, uncertain. No one speaks to me like this. No one challenges my decisions, especially not in front of others.
"Some crimes," I say slowly, "are only punishable by death."
"No." She shakes her head, moving closer despite the warning in my eyes. "Salvatore, this is a man's life. Please. Just consider—"
"Consider what? That he betrayed us? That his actions nearly got my men killed? That every person in this organization is watching to see how I handle disloyalty?"
"I understand that, but everyone doesn't have to die." Her voice rises, passionate and fierce. "Every crime doesn't have to be punishable by death. There has to be another way."
I stare at her for a long moment. My men are watching. Vladimir is watching. And this woman, this infuriating, magnificent woman, is standing in my torture chamber,pleading for mercy like she has any idea what that word costs in my world.
"Outside," I say finally. "Now."
She hesitates, glancing at Vladimir.
"He's not going anywhere," I add. "Outside, Valentina."
She turns and walks out, her spine rigid with defiance. I follow, closing the warehouse door behind us, putting distance between us and listening ears.
Valentina stands with her arms wrapped around herself, waiting.
"Valentina." I keep my voice low, controlled. "I know you're not used to this world. But this is a part of it. A necessary part."
"I get it, okay?" She meets my eyes, and I see she's struggling, not to understand, but to reconcile what she knows with what she believes. "I understand that you have rules. That there are consequences. But there has to be a line somewhere. Not every solution has to be permanent."
"He's a traitor."
"He's also a human being who made a terrible choice. A father, and a brother who people love. That means he’s not as bad as he may seem. This man’s sister begging, pleading for his life, that means something. " She steps closer, her hand reaching out to rest on my chest. "What were his crimes? Exactly. Tell me."
I exhale slowly. "He tipped off a family about a shipment. Location, timing, security details. Because of him, we lost two million dollars in product and three of my men ended up in the hospital."
"Was anyone killed?"
"No. But they could have been."
"But they weren't." She presses her palm flat against my heart, like she's trying to feel if there's still something human beating inside me.
"Salvatore, if you kill everyone who wrongs you, eventually there won't be anyone left. Fear is a powerful motivator, but so is mercy. So is giving someone a chance to make things right."
"And if he can't make things right? If he betrays us again?"
"Then you've lost nothing. You were going to kill him anyway." She tilts her head, a spark of something clever lighting her eyes. "But what if you gave him a chance to be useful instead? He was feeding information, which means they trust him. They think he's still their asset."
I go still.
"Use him," she continues, warming to her idea. "Feed the other family false information through their own rat and try to get your stuff back. Bankrupt them slowly instead of waging open war. By the time they realize he's been turned, you'll have taken everything from them. Their money, their territory, their reputation."
She pauses, searching my face. "And if he even thinks about betraying you again, you can still… do whatever you have to do. But wouldn't it be more satisfying to watch your enemies destroy themselves?"
