Page 59 of Weaponized

Anthony is about to open his mouth when I cut him off. “Anthony can stay. Just tell us what’s going on.”

Gianni twitches a little. “It’s about Gráinne. I don’t think you want him here.”

Every muscle in my body tenses. “Is she okay? What happened?”

“No. No. It’s nothing like that.” Gianni runs his hand through his hair. “Fuck.”

Anthony has turned silent but has taken a seat next to me on the sofa. We both look at Gianni. He swallows and I’ve had enough.

“For fuck’s sake, Gianni. Spit it out. You’re freaking me out.”

He sighs. “Okay. I’m gonna tell you some stuff. Things I found out about her.”

I feel my stomach hit the floor. “What stuff?” I growl. Honest to God, if he’s fucking with her, I’m going to kill him. I mean that in the literal sense.

“Just let me finish and show you what I’ve found before you try to punch me in the face, okay?” He must see the murderous look on my face.

I say nothing and Anthony prompts, “You better just start talking.” His eyes are narrowed on our friend, and my leg is bouncing. I don’t predict what he’s about to say.

“So, she’s been seeing Theo Nicopolis,” he rushes out, and I fly out of my seat. “Wait, just listen. Listen!” Gianni pleads as I start pacing. “I saw them together about a week ago and—”

“A week ago?” It’s Anthony who shouts it. I’m just walking back and forth, back and forth. Because he’s wrong. He has to be.

“Let me fuckin’ finish, Ant. There’s a lot more. And I knew Luca wouldn’t believe me if I didn’t have some proof.”

“Tell me,” I growl.

“So, after I saw them kissing the first time—”

“Thefirsttime!” Anthony is incredulous.

I stop pacing. He’s fucking lying. Motherfucker. I’m going to end him. There is no fucking way.

“I started following her. I found out some other stuff in the process.”

I have frozen solid in the middle of the room. I’m glaring at him. Silent. I can feel the rage building.

“Look, I don’t have a lot of proof about Theo exactly. But we’ve been working with the Greeks lately, right? So, I straight up asked him. Hetoldme that he’s been with her. Said that he thought you guys weren’t exclusive or whatever.”

I make a noise of some sort and Gianni rushes on. “Wait, okay. Let me do this.” He picks up his phone, taps in a few things, and puts it on speaker.

“Abruzzi? What do you need?” The gruff voice on the other end of the line sounds annoyed.

“Hey, Theo, sorry to bug you. I’m trying to track down Gráinne O’Toole. It’s important, but I don’t have her number,” Gianni says quickly, eyes on me.

“So? Get it from Luca.” I breathe out a sigh of relief at Nicopolis’s response. A tendril of doubt was beginning to weave its way into my chest when I heard Theo’s voice on the other end.

“I can’t find Luca,” Gianni tells him. “I know you have her number, man. Can you just text it to me already?”

“No can do, man. I don’t give that shit out. If Gráinne wanted you to have her number, she’d have given it to you.”

Wait. Theodoeshave her number? I can feel my heart pounding against my breastbone like it wants to break free.

“So, she gave you her fucking number but you won’t share it?” Gianni spits at him while looking at me.

“Yeah, asshole. She did. Now fuck off.” And with that, Theo ends the call. I start to feel a little dizzy. There has to be a good explanation for why she gave him her phone number. There has to be. Only she never mentioned it. Fuck. Just fuck. I focus on my breathing. In. Two. Three. Out. Two. Three.

“I’m sorry, brother,” Gianni says to me. The pity in his voice is gutting me. “But, there’s more. After I saw them, like I said, I kinda followed her a little over the past week. I overheard some things.”

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