Page 96 of Of Lies and Shadows

But the bastard smiles anyway. That same smug, infuriating smirk that tells me he knows how badly I want to hear it. Knows how deep my need runs to make sense of her, ofus.

“I’ll help you smoke out your rat.”

I scoff. “Why would you do that? You feel like a Forzi now? And why should I trust you?”

“A Forzi? No, hardly, but I never felt like a Vescari either. Whether you believe it or not, my loyalty is to Francesca, and despite her stubbornness and her justified fear and hurt, she loves this family. I also think that whoever this person is who’s conspiring is a danger to her, and I can’t accept that.”

That shakes me out of whatever annoyance I feel for the man in front of me. “Danger? I protect what’s mine.”

He nods, not denying what I already know—that she’s mine. “You do,” he says. “But you’re only a man. And if the danger comes from beside you, how can you make sure she won’t be the one who pays for it?”

The idea of Francesca getting hurt because of me sends something violent crawling under my skin. My hands curl into fists atmy sides. I want blood.Needit.

“So know this,” Bruno continues. “You can count on my loyalty. But it won’t be to your name. It’ll be to hers.”

I don’t remind him that her name is mine now. That this loyalty, given not out of fear or title but love, means more than anything he could’ve offered me directly.

“That’s enough for me,” I say, my voice flat but sure. “So, what do you propose?”

“Put me at your side,” he says without hesitation. “Trust me. The traitor’s craving power, and this? Me, next to you? He’ll hate it.”

“You think it’ll rattle him?”

“I think it’ll scare him. He’s worked hard to stay invisible. But power breeds ego, and ego gets sloppy when it feels threatened. And the Vescari?” Bruno’s eyes harden. “They’ll see your move as a shift in the game. A crack they can push through.”

“You said the Vescari were not involved.”

“I saidMorididn’t do this,” Bruno corrects. “I never said Salvatore didn’t.”

I arch a brow. “Go on.”

Bruno sighs, like the weight of what he’s about to say costs him something. “Mori’s a pawn. Useful for laundering money, sure, but he’s nothing without someone pulling his strings. Salvatore’s always known how to stroke the ego of small men to get what he wants. I think he’s running two plays. Mori only sees one.”

“And you think someone on my side is helping him?” I ask, though the thought has already rooted itself deep.

“I don’t think.” His gaze sharpens. “Iknow. Someoneclose to you was promised something—power, position, maybe even a title. If you put me at your side, Salvatore will see it as a shift. He’ll see instability. And he’ll reach out.”

“To recruit you.”

“To test the waters. And when he does…” Bruno’s expression is all grit and certainty. “I’ll get the name.”

I stare at him for a long beat. My jaw clenches, and my pulse is pounding. I love this plan; I just hate that it came from him.

“You suspect someone already, don’t you?” he asks.

“I do.” The admission tastes bitter. “And if I’m right… it’ll make a fool out of me.”

He nods. “It’ll make you question everything. But it’s better than being blindsided.”

“I hope I’m wrong,” I mutter. “More than I can say.”

“It’s okay.” He shrugs casually. “We wouldn’t want you to make another snap judgment and ruin a life you didn’t understand.”

The jab hits its mark. Francesca.

I let it go. Barely. “Come to my office tomorrow,” I say instead. “Fulvio can handle the kids and Francesca. You’ll shadow me through a few meetings—show face, stir the waters.”

Bruno raises an eyebrow. “Like a prized poodle?”

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