Page 97 of Savage Saint
"Angelo? You still there?" Arrow's voice pulls me back.
"Yeah. Keep digging. I want everything you can find. Mission files, known associates, anything. And find out how deep this neurotransmitter tech goes."
"There's something else you should know," Arrow says. "If she is the Red Widow, and if she has that receiver in her skull, there's a good chance she was sent to you deliberately."
"As what? A spy? An assassin?" The words taste bitter.
"Both, maybe. The Chicago Wilki have been disgruntled with Dante making the businesses legitimate. That and the factNicolosi has been visiting Chicago for years... What better way to take you down than to plant their deadliest weapon right in your bed? Everything points to her being hired by Nico to get rid of you guys," Arrow states, their voice flat but urgent. "From what I'm seeing, she's not just a weapon—she'stheweapon. The end game. You finding her in that container? That wasn't an accident."
I catch my reflection in a nearby window, a dangerous smile spreading across my face. "Interesting."
"You don't seem concerned," Arrow observes, worry evident in their tone. "Angelo, this isn't just some girl you picked up. She's literally one of the most dangerous assassins in the world."
My smile doesn't falter. If anything, it grows wider, sharper. "I'm aware."
"Are you? Because from where I'm sitting, you're acting like I just told you she snores in her sleep, not that she's been sent to murder your entire family."
Arrow's concern is unmistakable, but my mind is already racing with possibilities. My Butterfly… sent to kill me. The irony isn't lost on me. The woman I can't stop thinking about, the one who's wormed her way under my skin, was meant to be my executioner.
"The device in her neck. If it's there, it controls her?" I ask, mind racing with worried thoughts. The thought of anyone controlling Kasia makes my blood boil. No one should have that power over her. No one but me.
"Most likely. But, Angelo, until we know more—"
"If we activate that transmitter..." My voice trails off, the implications clear. I picture Kasia's eyes going blank, her body becoming a puppet to someone else's commands. The idea of losing her to Jerzy's control makes my chest constrict painfully.
"How do we get rid of it?" I demand.
"An EMP could fry it, but there's a risk of damage to surrounding brain tissue," Arrow explains, their voice clinically detached. "The safest option would be surgical removal. The device is likely located at the base of her skull, possibly near the brain stem."
I trace my fingers over the base of my own skull, picturing Kasia's delicate skin, the soft wisps of hair that curl there. The thought of someone cutting into her, even to help, makes my jaw clench.
"I've got a medical degree," I say, already mapping the procedure in my mind. "I could do it myself."
"You're not serious," Arrow says, their voice rising in pitch. "Angelo, that's brain surgery. One wrong move and you could paralyse her. Or worse."
"I don't want anyone else to touch her." The words come out as a growl. "I don't want anything inside her that's not me. No one else can leave a mark on her."
A heavy silence falls between us. I know how I sound. Possessive, obsessive, dangerous. I don't care.
"Can you block the signal for now?" I order, my tone leaving no room for argument.
Arrow sighs, the sound of rapid typing coming through the line. "I can try. But it'll be tough without the serial number. I suppose I could work something out with the device that triggers it. Create a jamming field or something."
"Good, get it done."
"I'll need to send some equipment to your place."
"Fine. But not a word to my brothers. Not until I've figured this out."
"Angelo, think about this," Arrow pleads, their voice softening. "She's not who we thought she was. She's—"
"She's not our enemy," I interrupt, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. The image of Kasia's face when she wokefrom her nightmares flashes through my mind. Raw, vulnerable, broken. Not the face of someone playing a part.
I should feel betrayed. Used. But all I can think about is Kasia's face when she broke down in my arms. I've seen enough liars in my life to know the difference. Whatever she was sent to do, whatever she might have been before, she's fighting it now. Fighting for herself.
The words that follow feel like a vow, a claim, a threat, all in one: "She's mine."
Arrow falls silent for a moment. "You know I'm loyal to you, Angelo. But this... this is beyond risky."
