Page 43 of Unworthy Ties
“You come to me on your knees, and I might consider sharing. Otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll be standing in the dark with only your anger for company.”
“Fabrizio,” I growled, gripping the phone tighter. “This isn’t a game. I’m not asking for a favor; I’m demanding your cooperation.”
“Haven’t you heard?” His tone oozed arrogance. “Everything is a game, Rocco. And right now, you’re losing.”
I pressed my jaw tight, the storm outside echoing the heat rising in my chest. “You don’t get to play games with me,” I snapped. “This isn’t about power. It’s about her. Gabriella’s safety. You want terms? Fine. Name them. But I will not wait while someone threatens her.”
Fabrizio chuckled, slow and deliberate, like he had all the time in the world. “Ah… so noble, so infuriating. Very well, Rocco. I’ll dig. But remember, every favor has its price. And you—” He paused, letting the words hang in the air like smoke,“—will owe me more than you realize.”
I ended the call before I could say anything else, heart hammering with a mix of fury and unease. Calling him had been necessary, but that didn’t make it any easier. Every second I relied on Fabrizio, I risked giving him leverage—leverage that could cost me more than just my pride.
But Gabriella… Gabriella was worth it.
It wasn’t long before Fabrizio called back. I hadn’t expected him to summon me to his mansion in person, but the tone of his voice gave away his eagerness to toy with me, to draw me into his web. I could almost hear the smile in his voice as he announced, “Meet me at midnight, Rocco.”
Midnight. The hour alone made my jaw tighten. I should have said no. I should have stayed away, kept my distance. But Gabriella’s safety didn’t allow hesitation.
I parked a few blocks away and approached on foot, keeping to the shadows. Fabrizio’s place was a fortress, just as ostentatious as I remembered. It was lined with marble pillars, wrought-iron gates, and guards who looked far too comfortable with power. He wanted me to feel small, cornered, aware of just how much leverage he held.
The door opened before I even knocked. A butler gestured for me to step inside, his face devoid of warmth, a mere sentinel in the sprawling castle of Fabrizio’s ambitions. I crossed the threshold, the air thick with a scent that was equal parts luxury and menace.
I followed him to a lavish sitting room where Fabrizio lounged, a glass of whiskey in hand, that insufferable smirk plastered across his face. The shadows danced around him, accentuating the sharp lines of his features, and for a moment, I felt the weight of every decision I had made pressing down on me.
I didn’t sit. I stood a few feet away, fists clenched at my sides, eyes locked on him. “Cut the theatrics,” I said, voice low and controlled. “We both know why I’m here.”
Fabrizio chuckled, swirling the whiskey in his glass as if time itself moved to his rhythm. “Ah, Rocco… always so blunt. I like that about you. It makes the game more interesting.”
“Name your terms,” I said, not wanting to play Fabrizio’s ‘games.’
“You know Dino Barbato, of course.”
I paused. We had two Dinos, and I could never remember their last names because they were near identical. The one that came to mind first was the taller one, the one who is far too extroverted for my liking.
“The tall one or short one?” I asked.
“Well, he’s six and a half feet tall, so unless you have a taller Dino than that, he’s the one I’m referring to.”
“What of him?” I said, cracking my knuckles in irritation. He was an asset to Ettore, but God damn him for getting me in this situation.
Fabrizio leaned forward, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Dino has been poking around places he shouldn’t be, and his curiosity is getting me into some…trouble.”
I narrowed my eyes, the irritation in my chest twisting tighter. “What kind of trouble?”
“Nothing for you to worry about,” he said, waving his hand. “I just need you to put a stop to it. You are higher in command than him.”
I paused, the weight of the situation pressing down like a vice. Whatever this “trouble” was, Ettore had likely set it in motion—and if he wanted it done, failing meant more than a simple oversight. It meant blood, betrayal, and the chaos that could tear the family apart. As much as I cared for Gabriella, her safety didn’t give me the luxury of gambling with our position. One misstep, one slip of information… and everything we’d built could come crashing down around us.
“No deal,” I said, turning towards the door.
“I thought you’d say that,” he chuckled. “Which is why I prepared some bonus information for free.”
I froze, the door handle cool against my palm. A voice inside me screamed to leave, to walk away and not look back, but a darker curiosity wrestled with my instincts. I turned slowly, bracing myself for whatever bait he was about to dangle before me.
He leaned back, his eyes gleaming with triumph. “You’re working with the Salvaggio boy, yes? What if I told you I could solve that problem, too?”
My pulse spiked, every instinct on high alert. How the hell did he know? The only people who knew about Maximo were Felix and Dino, and they’d sooner get their hands chopped off than tell anyone. And yet here Fabrizio was, leaning back with that infuriating grin, like he’d been waiting for this exact moment.
He was everywhere. He knew everything.Fabrizio didn’t just have ears; he had eyes in places I didn’t even know existed.
