Page 51 of The Silent Night Stalker
He freezes as he turns to face me, his eyes explode wide, and his jaw drops. “What? How the hell do you know this?” Then denial creeps in, and he starts to pace in front of the prone man. “No. Impossible. He would never do that to me. He wouldn’t kill Enrique, especially without Alfonzo’s approval.”
“He would, and he did.”
Enzo stops in his tracks and fists his hands tightly at his side, not looking at me. “How do you know this?”
“I overheard them at the fight. Remember my reaction when it was over? That wasn’t just me getting triggered. I was having an anxiety attack when I overheard them speaking. They were hidden between cars, talking about you. They don’t know what to do with you because you keep pushing to find answers about Enrique.”
His eyes land on mine, and they start to water. I can tell he believes me, but he isn’t ready to admit it yet. You can see the doubt creep into his soulful black eyes. “But… why? It… doesn’t make sense.”
“It does. Enrique was dating Carmen, who’s the daughter of Alfonzo’s enemy. It’s causing more of a strain between the two warringfamilies. Alfonzo ordered Mario to take out Enrique to protect his business.”
I take a risk to my very being and walk over to Enzo, where he knelt in front of Mario. He’s angry and intense right now. Although I trust him, I also know he can seriously hurt me. That perpetual fear of getting hit always lingers in the back of my mind from years of abuse. It doesn’t help that my stomach and face still hurt.
I run my fingers through his silky hair. “I don’t know much about the criminal underground world, but I know men like Alfonzo will protect his business above all else. Everyone is expendable.” I kneel next to him, and since he hasn’t lashed out at me yet, I press my lips to his cheek. “They planned to kill you, too, Enny. They see you as a threat. A pesky little fly buzzing around and demanding answers. I’m not lying to you.”
He takes a deep breath and drops his head. “Do you think… Do you think maybe you heard it wrong because of the anxiety?”
I sigh. Enzo’s not trying to hurt me, but I need him to believe me. To trust me. “No, I heard everything clearly. My anxiety settled down when I heard that they were talking about you. I wish I’d remembered to pull out my phone and record them, but I was too hyper-focused. If you want, we can sit and wait until the ketamine wears off and he can speak for himself. He’ll probably lie, but I hope you believe me.”
I sit in front of him so he can look at the truth on my face. He’s still bruised, but not nearly as much as when I first saw him. Still, I hate that he’s battered and bruised. I don’t care that he chooses to fight and does it for money. He should never be in pain or suffer. “I love you. I would do nothing to harm you or put you at risk unless it’s necessary.Thisis necessary.” I finger back his fallen bangs again. “I told you I would burn the fucking world to protect you. Just as you worry aboutme, I will always worry about you. While I may not be as big or strong as you, I have my ways.”
Enzo leans forward and presses his forehead against mine. “This fucking sucks.”
“I know, Angel. I’m so sorry. They deserve to die for what they’ve done to you. You know I don’t kill out of anger or vengeance, but I will for you.”
He straightens upright and looks down at Mario, watching us with glazed eyes. Then, he reaches over and tugs on the end of the bow to pull it loose. Tears start to slide down his face, but there’s no anger in his eyes. At least not yet. He must process this new information. He must come to terms with the fact that he’s been betrayed by his family.
Chapter 19
Enzo
Ican’texplainallthe emotions warring within me right now. My grief has renewed, and it hit me like a sledgehammer. Just when I thought I was coming to terms with my loss, I learn that Mario and Alfonzo betrayed me. Yeah, I believe Constantine. He has no reason to lie to me. He has no reason to throw them under the bus. He only met them at the fight two days ago.
But what the fuck do I do with Mario? The rage is trying to punch through my pain. Before I do anything, I need to hear it from Mario. So, Constantine and I wait. He stands on his knees behind me, massaging my shoulders and neck, working out my tension, but he doesn’t have the finger strength. They can’t penetrate the muscles that are clenched so tightly that they’re nearly at their breaking point.
Yeah, I know we’re all criminals. I understand everything we do is about wealth and power. That life can be fleeting. Still, the betrayal cuts deep. Enrique didn’t deserve to die simply for loving someone. Who cares if she’s with another faction? There could’ve been other ways. Maybe they could’ve joined forces? Does that make me naïve? I guess. Probably. You don’t get ahead in this sort of life by being gentle.
Soon, Mario grows more lucid. His eyes are darting back and forth between Constantine and me.
“He’s coming around,” I say.
“Yes, ketamine doesn’t last very long.”
Mario grows angry and starts to thrash in his bonds, nearly knocking over his Christmas tree, still on full display. One glass ornament falls and shatters. His face turns green, and he’s sweating, dampening his hair. I’m all too familiar with the effects of too much ketamine.
“I’m going to fucking kill you!” he snaps, though his words are slurred. He gags a few times, but he never throws up. “Fuck…”
“Did you do it? Did you kill him?” I have no idea where this calmness suddenly comes from because I’m boiling on the inside. “Did you kill Enrique?”
Constantine is practically draped over my back, his chin resting on my shoulder, like he’s my protective shield.
Mario’s dark brown eyes land on mine. I can see the lie forming in those deep pools. “Your fucking plaything is lying! Why would we kill Enrique? He was family! You know me, Enzo. How long have you known this fucking twink?”
Constantine stiffens behind me. “I’m not lying. You know I’m not lying. I heard every word you and Alfonzo said. You just didn’t see me hiding between two cars. I was sitting there, trying not to panic about Enzo getting hurt, when you two started talking.”
“Bullshit!” Mario snaps at Constantine.
That right there makesmesnap. I feel my face burn as I sit up, still on my knees. I stare down at Mario, debating whether to control myself or lose it on him. I choose the latter as my fist comes down on his fucking face. The crack of his nose is fucking gratifying. Blood streams down his scarred face, and he groans from the pain.
