Page 76 of Accidental Alliance

For the first time since they dragged him into this room, real fear cracks through the old man’s defiance.

Not fear for himself. A man like Giovano has long since made peace with pain and even death.

That has, and will always be, the inevitable conclusion for a consigliere of a once powerful family.

Men like him do not survive the collapse of an entire bloodline without learning how to look at their own impending gravesite and give it the finger in response.

No, this fear is purely for Isabella.

Alessio sees it too, and satisfaction curls through his expression slowly. “I’m sure having her here to witness this will help soften that mouth of yours. Perhaps even get you to talk about what we’ve found in the correspondence between you and Davide.”

His fingers tap the file twice behind him.

My heart stutters in my chest and the room tilts for half a second as everything inside me shifts dangerously.

The thought of Isabella being dragged here as Matteo is left behind screaming for her, or worse, brought too, makes my stomach roll violently.

I won’t be able to handle Isabella’s face when she sees her uncle bound and bloodied in front of her. Giovano will try to straighten in the chair despite the pain because he will not want her to see him broken, but that won’t matter. She will see what has been done to him.

And if Giovano does not give Alessio what he wants?

Then she will watch him die.

Before I can stop myself, I push away from the wall and drop my arms back down to my sides. “We don’t need to involve her.”

Alessio drags his gaze back over to me slowly. He looks almost amused, but his eyes are black glass. “And why not?”

My mouth opens to argue, because she has already lost enough and I will not allow you to use her grief against her like a tool until she breaks, before I stop myself.

If she walks into this room and sees what we are doing to the last living connection to her father, she will never look at me again without seeing the monster she already has accused my bloodline of being. I cannot stand there and watch her break. It might actually kill me.

Alessio’s mouth curves again at my silence. “All she’s been doing is sucking up resources since she’s been here. Guards, food, medical attention. Your attention.” His eyes narrow on the last two words. “We might as well make use of her, even if it’s someone else’s pressure point.”

The thing about Alessio is that he knows how to make cruelty sound practical. He takes horror and dresses it in logic that no amount of arguing against can make it sound less so.

Revealing my ever growing underbelly that has become Isabella Russo will not only be detrimental to me but to her as well.

My brother’s cruelty toward Isabella will force her to have a front row seat to whatever depraved actions he plans to take in order to punish her uncle for refusing to cooperate.

My hands fist at my sides. I can feel my father’s stare on the side of my face the longer my silence continues. It’s heavier than any gun held to my forehead before now.

Giovano snarls weakly. “Keep her out of this.”

“If you still have affection for your niece, then her presence should provide you with ample encouragement to start talking.” His gaze lands on me next. “And if she has been telling the truth about her involvement, or lack thereof, with Davide, then perhaps seeing the man who no doubt helped her disappear exposed as a traitor will clarify certain loyalties.”

He strains against his bindings again. “She has nothing to do with this!”

“Then prove it,” Alessio says.

“I would rather die.”

He leans closer to Giovano, his voice touched with amusement. “Yes. I believe you would. Shall we test that?”

“Enough,” I snap.

He straightens slowly, twisting around to look at me, his brows pulling together in confusion.

My father’s eyes narrow out of the corner of my eye, his entire body turning to face me. I feel the entire room pivot toward me even if most of the men in here hardly move from their statuesque positions.