Page 130 of Bellini Bound
My husband stiffened. “Excuse me?”
“You assumed I was working with the Russians because the money I used to pay off my debts came from an offshore bank account in Moscow. And while I wasn’t directly working with them, the person who had my balls in a vise was.”
Enzo took a threatening step forward, his voice going lethal. “Who the fuck were you working with who is in league with the Russians?”
“Everything from the ambush on Gio’s SUV to the money stolen from the casino last year to the fire at Matteo’s house to the warehouse sale was orchestrated by Dario.”
“Son of a bitch!” Enzo roared, his voice echoing off the concrete walls.
That name triggered something in the back of my brain. “Wait, did you say Dario?”
My husband’s head whipped around. “What do you know about him?”
“There was this patient by that name who came into the ER a few months back. It was the strangest thing. His chart didn’t have his last name listed, and he kinda brushed me off when I asked for it. He seemed way more interested in the details of my private life than he was in answering any of my questions pertaining to his condition. And then when the doctor went to perform an ultrasound on him, he vanished. Never saw or heard from him again.”
“That fucking snake.” Enzo scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “The reason he refused to give you his last name, Allie, is because it’s the same as ours, and he knew it would have been reported back to me that he’s back in Chicago.”
My eyes bulged. “Wait, what?”
“Dario is my father,” Enzo confessed on a heavy exhale. “And thanks to yours, I’m learning for the first time he’s been working with our enemies to systematically attempt to pick off my cousins. Because if they’re out of the picture . . .”
The pieces fell into place. “He’s next in line.”
Enzo snapped his fingers. “Exactly. Though I would put a bullet through his skull before he ever got the chance to take over as Don.” Turning to my dad, he asked, “Why the fuck was he working with the Russians?”
My father collapsed onto the threadbare mattress. “He needed a scapegoat to cover up his scheming, and they accepted that role with the promise that they could expand the skin trade in Chicago—start hosting underground auctions—once he took charge.”
That’s when I lost it. “You were helping someone facilitate human trafficking?”
“We were about to lose everything!” he cried. “So when Dario came to me and said he’d not only wipe the slate clean but start paying me if I helped to take out his nephews, it was impossible to turn down his offer.”
“My whole life, you preached the importance of doing the right thing and following the letter of the law.” Disillusion colored my words. “This entire time, you’ve been nothing but a hypocrite, only enforcing justice when it suits your needs. You disgust me.”
“She’s summed it up quite well, don’t you think, Logan?” Enzo chimed in.
Dad grunted but smartly elected to remain silent. He’d dug the hole deep enough already.
“This is where we say goodbye.” My husband began to usher me toward the door.
From behind me, Dad called out, “For what it’s worth, Allie, I am sorry.”
I spun around so quickly that I got lightheaded and swayed on my feet. Thankfully, Enzo was there to provide a steadying arm around my waist.
“You’resorry? How fucking dare you try to assuage your guilty conscience with a meaningless apology?Sorrydoesn’t do a damn thing to bring back my baby.”
My father reared back as if I’d struck him across the face, but there was no satisfaction to be had in delivering that parting blow.
“Can we go now?” I asked my husband.
“Yeah.” He nodded, and we left the tiny cell. Once the door was bolted behind us, he peeked back through the glass window. “It’s your call. What do you want me to do with him?”
“He took a life from us, Enzo.” It was as simple as that.
Turning to face me, he searched my eyes. “I need you to be certain. In my world, a life for a life is the law. There won’t be any room for interpretation this time around. I have no mercy left to give.”
I nodded my understanding. “Do what you need to do, but I don’t want to know the details.”
“Consider it done.” Stepping toward me, he lifted me into his arms. “Close your eyes. It’s time to go home.”
