Page 85 of The Proposal

I could kill this fucker right here, right now, but I want answers first. I need to understand why. The more he talks, the more everything starts to click into place.He was behind it all.The drugs were just the beginning of his plan. His ultimate goal was to erase us all so he could take over the family businesses.

I’m guessing that’s how those fuckers down in Melbourne got involved. The only way he could pull it off and still save face was to bring in someone else to do his dirty work:the Mortellis.Our men would never have stood by him if they knew he was behind the execution.

My nostrils flare as I embrace that shadow of darkness deep inside me, the fire igniting in my soul with a fury I canbarely control. The cold realisation that the man my father treasured for his entire adult life was the same person who orchestrated his murder is almost too much to comprehend.

A feral growl rumbles in the back of my throat. My grip is unrelenting as I watch his body start to jerk, his chest rising and falling with desperate, ragged gasps for air. The struggle is evident in the wild flailing of his lower arms and legs, which are the only parts of him not tied down. I wait until he’s on the brink of losing consciousness before finally letting go.

His head falls forward as he coughs and splutters, trying to get air back into his lungs.

I give him a moment before reaching behind me and pulling out the gun that I stuffed into the waistband of my trousers, then hold it to this side of his head. “Start talking motherfucker.”

“Why would I do that? You’re going to kill me either way.”

“True,” I say with a nod. I won’t sugarcoat this for him; he knows the score. “You do get to choose how you die, though. Quick and easy or long and painful.” I lean close to his ear, speaking softly so only he can hear me. “I hope you choose the latter because by the time I’m finished with you, you’ll be begging for a fucking bullet.”

I draw back, and the defiance I see in his eyes only fuels my rage. He may have been able to manipulate my father at times, but not me.

He also doesn’t realise that, unlike Papa, I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. I’d never ask someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself.

With that thought in mind, I straighten and lower the gun until it’s pointing down at the floor. Edoardo smirks, thinking he’s shaken me during our little stare-off.

He couldn’t be more wrong.

I love when people fuck around and find out because I live for moments like this.

I don’t even hesitate. The finger I hold on the trigger of the gun shifts slightly as I put a bullet straight through his foot.

The shot echoes around the vast emptiness with a sharp, deafening crack that rips through the still air, bouncing off the walls and floor. I don’t even flinch as my predatory gaze remains on Edoardo as I watch his face twist in agony; the scream that follows cuts through the tension in the room like a knife.

I’ve summoned all my men here tonight to witness this because I need them to see what will happen to them if they decide to be disloyal to theFamiglia. I’m also keen to know if Edoardo had any of them help him. This shit will end tonight, one way or another.

“Talk,” I growl.

“Fuck you, you little cunt.”

I shift my gun to my other hand and clock him in the face again. This time, I hit him with enough force that it dislodges one of his teeth, which he spits from his mouth a few seconds later as more blood trickles down his chin.

I turn and face the rest of my men, eyeing each one individually before I speak. They all look pissed off and angry, not frightened or guilty.

“I’m going to ask this once and once only: were any of you in bed with this traitorous dog?”

I give them a moment to speak up, but I receive complete silence, so I turn back to Edoardo. “Did any of these men help you?” I study his eyes to see if they stray and give anything away, but his gaze doesn’t falter; it remains fixed on me.

Eventually, he raises his chin. “No,” he states, but it’s followed by a smirk to try and throw me off. This man has proven he’s not to be trusted, so I’d be a fool to take him at his word.

He’s being way too cocky, considering the circumstanceshe now finds himself in. “Was it just the Mortellis, or does it go deeper than that?”

When he doesn’t answer, I turn towards Romeo, who’s standing a few feet away. “Pass me those,” I say, nodding towards the bolt cutters.

Edoardo thrashes around in his seat, but it’s no use; he’s tied to the chair in two places. His chest is strapped to the back, pinning his arms from the elbows up, and his upper thighs are bound to the base of the chair.

“Was Stefano involved?” I ask, reaching for his hand.

“That double-crossing fucking snake. The biggest mistake you ever made was getting into bed with that cunt. I hope his daughter’s virgin pussy was worth it.”

The second he mentions Arabella, my anger spikes to a dangerous level. Searing white light shoots behind my eyelids, my vision blurring as every muscle in my body tightens. The world narrows to a single, burning focus …him.

My knuckles turn white as my grip on the bolt cutters tightens. Romeo’s words from earlier flicker through my mind. “These come in handy if you ever feel the need to bash someone’s skull in.”

---