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“Good. I need to know the truth.”

“Then what?” I asked. It was another moment where I didn’t really desire to learn the answer, but as with a horrific vehicle crash on the side of a road, I just couldn’t keep from asking.

“Then I’ll do what’s necessary.”

“Meaning hunt and kill.”

“If required.” When Alejandro turned so cold, devoid of all emotion, he frightened me, but not for myself. I feared he’d make decisions that he’d come to regret.

I’d already made a single phone call to Marsha to see if she would help. My words had been selected carefully and Alejandro had been standing in the room when I’d made the call. It seemed he was suddenly forgetful about the fact I was a mafia princess.

Even thinking the words brought another shiver. I’d contacted my father after being given the okay, pleading with him to keep my little sister and brother safe. He’d laughed, acting as if he had the greatest army in the world. As expected. My father truly believed he would live forever.

“Why does everything need to end in death?” I asked almost rhetorically. My father’s answer had been because that was the way of things. It had felt like when he’d said, “Because I said so,” when I’d asked him questions as a child.

“It doesn’t, Carmella, but in this case, an entire empire is being silently auctioned to the highest bidder.”

“I understand.”

“There’s something else you need to know.”

He handed me a folded group of papers from his jacket. It took me a few seconds to open them, another ten to comprehend what I was looking at. “Don of the Santorelli Empire?”

“Signed and sealed.”

“You knew about this ahead of time.” I heard the accusatory tone in my voice and looked away.

“You mean of his death?”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t insinuating you murdered him.”

“Yes, you were. You’re right, but not about Don Santorelli. I’ve killed several men, all of them deserving of their fate. To be honest with you, I enjoyed snuffing out their miserable lives. Crime syndicates don’t employ upstanding citizens, Carmella. At least not usually. Even though you’ve done a damn good job of pretending you didn’t care about or learn anything regarding your father’s empire, you and I know better. This business is ruthless, brutal, and unforgiving. However, there is such a thing as respect. If that’s not followed then the world of syndicates would turn even more chaotic, the people involved little more than Neanderthal thugs. That’s not who I am and it never will be. I’m sorry if you think otherwise.”

The silence between us was more gut-wrenching than we’d shared before. “I wasn’t trying to insult you, Alejandro. I’m just…”

“Surprised?” he snorted. “Trust me. So was I when he told me. I assure you there won’t be a single man within the Santorelli organization who doesn’t think they’d be a better choice.”

“Now I can chide you about being wrong. You don’t see what I see, utter respect and loyalty in the men who serve under you. Maybe Don Santorelli knew you were the wave of the future. If so, he was a very intelligent and perceptive man. I’ll be right back.” Even with my hand on the door, I remained rooted in the seat, my nerves getting the better of me. My suspicions were becoming burdensome.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just…” I had to tell him what I was thinking. “What if the substance that killed Don Santorelli came from drugs in my medical bag?”

“Why would you think that?”

“I had some samples that I’d received just before this entire charade began. I’d forgotten to remove them.”

“The drugs you kept could be used as a poison?”

“Any drugs in the right combination could. I just… I don’t know how it’s possible because the bottles are all accounted for.”

“But you’re worried since you managed to drug my men.”

I looked into his eyes and he was already mentally debating the possibility. “What if it gave someone an idea?” I was certain he’d be angry with me for insinuating one of his trusted men would consider something so horrible.

He wasn’t. As usual, he was merely storing away the information.

“As you said to me before, let’s not jump to conclusions. But we do need to find out.”

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