Angelo (Devil's Playground #2)

1. Chapter 1

1

Dead?

With this one word, her entire world ceased to move. Frozen and panic-struck, a bone-deep numbness took over. Elyse's mind went blank. It took a few harrowing beats for time to turn once more. Then, breath by breath, terror began to rise, rattling and raging in its cage, escaping seconds later to wrap around her throat like a fucking noose.

Alessandro couldn't be gone.

Every beat of her heart rejected the possibility of losing him.

No.

No.

No.

This couldn't be real life. She refused to wear a black dress so soon after the white one. Countless bullets tried to kill Alessandro in the past, but he'd evaded the reaper each and every time.Devils, after all, were meant to live forever.Still, a small, treacherous seed of doubt took root, taunting her relentlessly. Signor Vitale is dead, Signor Vitale is dead, Signor Vitale is dead…

Both lungs seized up. Mierda. She couldn’t seem to get enough air. Was this how Alessandro felt when Cara nearly killed her? Elyse didn't know. All she knew was, Dios , the bastard possessed a talent for screwing with her sanity. What if his luck finally ran out? Would she be forced to charge through fire and brimstone to wrench him back from hell? For a crazed moment, Elyse despaired over the worst case scenario. She caught herself right then. Enough. Fear was making her irrational.

Elyse forced herself to calm the fuck down.

Their recent brushes with death kept inching too close for comfort, and she loathed them with a vengeance. Gritting teeth, she willed away the tides of distress. Elyse clung to logic and sense. She felt almost certain that Luca was referring to Mr. Vincenzo Vitale and not her Mr. Alessandro Vitale, but the split-second of uncertainty was giving her a heart attack.

" Which ," Elyse growled, "Mr. Vitale are you talking about?"

A sheepish look flashed across the younger bodyguard's face. " Mi scusi, Signora Vitale. It was your husband's father, Signor Vincenzo Vitale , who passed away. I did not mean to alarm you."

Fucking Luca! Each fluttering pulse slowed to steadier beats. Bone-deep relief flowed through her. Thank God it wasn't Alessandro . Selfishly, she thanked the universe for reaping away the evil, old fucker while leaving her man untouched.As she regained her composure, terror was soon replaced by a stunning realization. Her feelings were undeniable . She'd been ready to charge through an inferno for the bastard.

With a somber expression, she offered, "I'm sorry to hear about my father-in-law. I hope he's at peace now."

From the driver's seat, Monte gave a grunt of solidarity.

She glanced at Luca. "How's my husband handling the news?"

The younger man responded in hesitant tones, "He seems… fine."

Bullshit. A grimace flattened her mouth as a new wave of fears set in. Their lives would never be the same again. The old capo was gone. Whether or not he was ready, Alessandro's fate as the heir to the throne was, at last, sealed.

"Alessandro has enough on his plate," she mumbled. "Let's do what we can to help him through this difficult time."

"Of course, Signora Vitale ."

Perhaps, she could take on the logistics for the funeral arrangements? Elyse didn't know the first thing about planning a proper Sicilian memorial service, especially when the deceased happened to be the old king of Cosa Nostra . Fortunately, she knew exactly who to turn to for help.

In measured tones that hid her anxiety, Elyse probed, "Do you know when Malina will return from Salemi?"

Luca reported back, "She may be away for a while longer. Carmen and Valentina are choosing to be... uncooperative."

Elyse's nerves frayed a bit more. Fuck the Rizzos . As if they didn't have enough problems to unfuck. Vincenzo's passing was already fracturing age-old alliances. A power struggle between the clans was inevitable. The longer Carmen and Valentina were left to their own devices, she suspected, the more havoc mother and daughter would unleash in the mayhem to come.

Elyse was afraid for Malina as well. Her housekeeper wasn’t safe in Salemi. Something needed to be done about the Rizzo women. On the drive home, her mind spun at breakneck speeds to find a way through these obstacles. Plans started taking shape. A quiet tenacity simmered within Elyse, gathering momentum to brave each looming threat.

They arrived back at the palazzo around noon. The moment Elyse entered the house, her feet flew through the foyer, racing down the hallways. Anxious and breathless, she found Alessandro in his study.

Brown and blue-gray eyes snapped up to meet her troubled gaze. "Cuore mio..."

As their eyes locked, her heart felt as though it was beating for him, only for him, always for him. She became hyper-aware of how still and quiet he seemed to be. Tension radiated from his being. But Alessandro's face was unreadable.

What could be running through his mind?

Instantly, Elyse went to his side. He glanced away. She placed a hand on Alessandro's stubbled cheek, gently guiding his gaze back to her. An earnest, unwavering green searched a turbulent brown and blue-gray. "Tell me what you need, and I'll make sure that it gets done."

His jaw ticked beneath her palm. Her offer fell on deaf ears. In a tight voice, Alessandro made it clear that he didn’t want anything from her and asked instead, "How did it go with Mariposa?"

There was no anguish on his face. He didn't look like a grieving son. He was all business. She could sense the wall he was building between them. Elyse retracted her hand from him. Gently, she replied, "She agreed to help us."

"Good."

"Alessio, are you alrigh—"

He interrupted, "Are you meeting with Antonia later today?"

"Well, I was thinking about rescheduling since—"

" Do not reschedule ," Alessandro insisted, cutting her off again.

She cast a worried look in her husband's direction. "Are you sure?"

"I need to know where the Svizzis stand. We cannot lose their support, especially at this time."

"I understand, but I'd rather stay by your side today. I'm sure the Svizzis would understand if we took some time to… grieve."

With an indifferent expression, he muttered, "But there is nothing to grieve. I feel fine."

Was he telling the truth? She couldn't read him. Elyse wanted nothing more than to ease the distance between them, but, if Alessandro wished to focus on business right now, then they'd talk business. After a moment of hesitation, Elyse inquired, "If that's how you really feel, would you like me to take the lead on the funeral?"

Unfazed, her husband gave a brusque nod. " Per favore ."

"I'll get on it right away."

Before Elyse could say another word, he clipped, " Grazie ."

The finality in his tone suggested the conversation was over. Her husband seemed to have no interest in discussing his dead father's funeral. Alessandro cleared his throat, abruptly shifting subjects, "By the way..."

She eyed him expectantly.

"Are you still visiting your grandfather this weekend?"

"Yes."

"Take me with you."

"You're welcome to join us," Elyse said after a slight pause. "Although, I'm curious. Are you coming for chess? Or did you want something else from him?"

With an unsettling smile, he revealed in tones that felt too pleasant for a man who’d just lost his father, "My recent chat with Aberto was… enlightening. There may be rats among us. I thought it might be fun to share the names with Benedetto, so we can remove the little fuckers together."

"I see," Elyse hummed. More dead bodies were about to pile up. But there was only one corpse that she cared about at the moment. Her worries flitted back to the funeral. "Alessio?"

"What?"

"Should I invite Carmen and Valentina to attend the service?"

Alessandro's handsome face darkened. "Carmen will stay in Salemi. Indefinitely . Valentina will be given a choice, though."

"What kind of choice?" Elyse asked uneasily.

"She can swear her allegiance to me and marry Gaspare De León as a sign of good faith," he explained, "or rot in Salemi alongside her mother. Without my protection ."

For women tied to the mafia, exile from their clans was a death sentence. Elyse gave a wince. She almost pitied Valentina. Gaspare De León was Mariposa's eldest brother. According to Malina, the man was an idiot and ten years older than Valentina. Was this marriage really going to cement the blonde’s loyalty?Or would it only cause her resentment to fester even more?

Her gaze fell on Alessandro again. She studied him intently. His eyes, Elyse realized, mirrored his soul to perfection today. Duality was very much at play. She saw a darkness that was frightening, and a light that called to her soul. In this moment, Elyse glimpsed the devil hiding behind the smoke and mirrors of shameless charisma and easy charm. Gone was his shine, everything about Alessandro felt cold and calculating, cruel even , and this shift seemed directly tied to Vincenzo's death.

"Valentina won't be happy about it," Elyse remarked in warning tones. A gross understatement . Valentina was going to murder them if they forced her to accept a husband like Gaspare.

"Fuck her happiness," he rebuked. "Valentina should not have rammed a knife in my back if she valued a comfortable, easy life."

Alarm trickled through Elyse. As much as she disliked Valentina, it seemed unwise to punish a daughter for her mother's crimes. Elyse knew a thing or two about being forced to pay for a parent's sins. Marrying Valentina to a horrible man seemed like a surefire way to ignite her wrath.

"I know that Carmen intended to betray the clan. She deserves to rot in Salemi." Then, Elyse surprised herself by speaking up for her nemesis, "But is there proof that Valentina was involved as well?"

"No evidence yet," Alessandro admitted. "I know my stepsister, though. She is simply a stealthier snake than her mother. I am certain she means to harm us."

"I'm not a fan of Valentina, either. But you shouldn't jump to conclusions. At the end of the day, she's still family."

Brown and blue-gray eyes flashed with irritation. "Valentina may be family, but she is not an ally. Never was. Never will be. I intend to strike first before she gains the upper hand."

"I don't think we should force Gaspare on her until we have the facts."

Glaring down, his arm slid around her waist, pulling her to him. "There is no need to question my judgment. What I need is your trust . Know that every move I make is meant to keep you safe."

The ice in Alessandro's voice set her on edge. Elyse leaned closer to kiss his cheek, attempting to soften his steely countenance. "I can tell that your heart's in the right place, and I'm grateful for it, but I wonder…"

He prompted archly, "Go on. "

"What kind of leader do you want to be, Alessio?"

Silently, he glowered at her.

Undeterred, Elyse continued, "Domenico will turn everyone against us if you rule through paranoia. As capo , especially a new capo , you shouldn't fuck with Valentina— or anyone else —until the evidence is solid and the timing works to our advantage."

"You do not know how Cosa Nostra operates. Kindness is weakness. Weakness will get us killed."

"Recklessness might get us killed, too."

Alessandro snapped, "Do you know what my father said before he died?"

"Tell me."

"He claimed that I reminded him of my mother."

"Was it meant to be a compliment?"

Laughter rose from his chest, but there was no joy in the sound. "My father died with the belief that I will destroy the empire he built. Apparently, like Mamma , I am too fucking soft."

"What's wrong with being soft? Anything can be a weapon if you know how to use it."

A scowl graced his face.

"You're the one who gets hard," she argued in a murmur, "but I can bring you to your knees by being tighter, wetter, and… softer ."

Alessandro's eyes flashed with anger, but his cheeks flushed for entirely different reasons. He shifted on one foot. "That is not a fair comparison."

"Why do you care about what your father thinks?" Elyse stressed, "There's more than one way to win a war."

"No one has time to strategize every goddamn move. I must act the moment we are threatened. My father thrived as capo because he never hesitated to gun down his rivals before they could pull the trigger. I need to be more like him."

"Or you can be better."

He shook his head. "I do not think that is possible. I have always been my father's greatest disappointment. Ever since I was a boy, I did everything I could to stay out of the way while my brothers fought for my father’s approval. I watched them kill each other. One by one . It is laughable that I outlived them all. I never wanted the fucking crown."

"Alessio…"

"It is funny. Because my mother never wanted to be the capo's wife, either. My father was right. Our lack of ambition makes us useless."

"I disagree."

Alessandro fired back, "My mother died because she was too weak."

Instantly, his admission stole her breath. Elyse became still and quiet. "What happened to her?"

He stated bluntly, "She was killed, of course."

"By who?"

"Her father's men."

"Why?"

"She tried to escape."

Like a phantom serpent, dread slithered over Elyse as her husband's harrowing admission sank in. Renata's murder sounded like another cautionary tale. The moral of this fucked up story? Escape from the mafia was only possible when one's heart ceased to beat.

Elyse's anxiety clenched with distress.

Had her mother suffered a similar fate? Against her will, fear roared back to life like a creaking merry-go-round in an abandoned amusement park. Dismay sank in as dots began to connect. Last night, Benedetto hadn't been able to finish his story about Gianna. Did her grandfather have a hand in her mother's death?

Elyse recoiled right then. She couldn't allow her mind to wander down this sinister road. She rested her cheek against Alessandro's chest. Elyse no longer knew whether she was trying to console him or seeking comfort for herself.

"How old were you," Elyse asked softly, "when she passed away?"

"Sixteen," Alessandro muttered as his arms tightened around her, "I was in London for school when I heard the news. My father would not let me come home for her burial. He did not even give her a funeral. I am pretty sure he was already fucking Carmen behind my mother's back at the time."

His voice was steeped in bitterness. Elyse could feel his pain. "You adored her, didn't you?"

" Sì ," he admitted, "she was nothing like my father."

"Why did your mother try to leave?"

Alessandro smiled tritely. "The same reasons, I imagine, that make you unhappy. Our way of life takes a toll on some people. Those who are not soulless, anyway."

Truer words had never been spoken, and it was troubling as hell. Elyse burrowed herself into Alessandro's embrace. In the quiet of the study, she clung to him like a drifter lost at sea. Fighting the turmoil within, Elyse mumbled, "You make me happy, Alessio. But our way of life? I fucking hate it . Even angels are forced to kill for survival."

"I will play the diavolo ," he assured her, "so you do not have to."

With a heavy heart, green eyes drifted to the ink on his wrist. Its significance wasn't lost on her. The angel who saved the devil. As though drawn to it by an unseen thread, Elyse's hand soon followed her gaze. Alessandro froze when she touched him. Their gazes clashed. This time, though, Elyse didn't pull away. She started to caress his wrist, mindlessly tracing the wings and blade with her fingertips.

"No," she said, "we're in this together."

One of his eyebrows rose. "You wish to burn with me?"

Her hand slipped away from him as she gave a shrug. "Pretty sure we're already going to hell. Might as well follow you into the fire."

His eyes flickered. "Why would you sacrifice so much?"

"Because you're the man that I lo—"

Elyse caught herself and tucked the word back inside her heart. Alessandro's arms tensed around her, prompting, "What, Elyse?"

"Nothing."

"Fucking say it ," demanded Alessandro.

"I care for you," she offered after some reluctance, "more than I ever expected."

He gave her a hard, piercing look. "Is that all?"

Green eyes flicked up to his face. Her voice caught with emotion. "N-No. There's more. So much more. You have no idea."

Indeed, now , Elyse cared so much to the point where her husband's welfare, his sorrows, and his joys were intimately embedded with hers. Elyse feared for his life as much she feared for her own. He was her man, she was his woman, and Elyse was more than willing to burn alongside him.

Alessandro drew in a sharp breath. His gaze continued to bore into her. "Tell me, cuore mio. Per favore. I wish to hear it."

"I can't," Elyse murmured, shying away from him, "not yet."

She'd tell him once the worst of their storms passed. Right now, it felt too dangerous to hand over her whole fucking heart when he might not live to see tomorrow morning. Everyone was out for his blood. She was acting like a coward. But Elyse didn't know if she could survive the heartbreak if Alessandro died on her.

Disappointment clouded Alessandro's features. He scoffed, "Cruel wife."

"Not cruel but frightened ," Elyse flung back, "I'm terrified for us."

Terrified of losing you .

He winced. "I will not let anything harm you, I promise."

"It's you that I'm worried about," Elyse said with a sigh, "which is why I want us to be careful with every decision. Let me deal with your stepsister, so you can focus on more important things."

Alessandro appeared to be weary of their conversation. " Cuore mio ..."

"Give me some time to investigate before marrying her off."

" No ."

"Just a few days? Please ."

He ground out, "Why does she matter so much to you?"

Exasperation drew her mouth into a scowl. Did she have to spell it out? Valentina mattered because she was their first test . If they didn't pass with flying colors, neither of them would live to see the aftermath.

Alessandro claimed that his stepsister hired a hitman to kill him in New York.

If Valentina was, indeed, guilty, she deserved a punishment far worse than a shitty marriage. They'd need to make a violent and savage example out of her.

If his stepsister hadn't sent the hitman, however, forcing her to tie the knot with Gaspare would be overkill, and it'd give a vengeful woman, such as Valentina, the perfect excuse to join hands with Domenico and retaliate against them.

Elyse expressed firmly, "The way I see it? If you already found evidence that Valentina paid Tommy Wilkes, she'd be dead by now. The fact that she's still breathing tells me that you're questioning her loyalty, but her betrayal has yet to be proven. I think, deep down, you know these first steps will set the tone for the rest of your days as capo . Don't rush into battle until the war is ours to win. If we fuck up now, we're fucked all the way through."

"I am capo ," Alessandro countered, "even when I fuck up, I am never wrong."

"Is that what you believe?" she challenged. "Or what your father believed?"

His brow pinched. " Basta , Elyse. That is enough." Stop.

"Alessio—"

In dismissive tones, he didn't let her finish, "Funerals don't plan themselves."

With a tight expression, Elyse growled, " Fine . I should get going."

"What you should do," muttered Alessandro, "is toss him in a ditch and be done with it. "

Even though her husband was acting like a bit of an ass, she couldn't blame him. Death was a monster to process. Wretched, complex, rife with regret and conflict . The dead had a way of forcing the living to question everything about their existence. Elyse rose on her toes to kiss him again, whispering as she pulled away, "I know today isn't an easy day for you, so I'll let you win this round. And maybe even the next one. But mark my words. We aren't done here ."

He groaned in protest, "I—"

Her hand trailed down the hard ridges of his abs. Alessandro's breath caught as Elyse's fingers skirted over the outline of his cock. Elyse gave him a light, teasing tug through his trousers as she added, "Come to me when you're ready to take a good, hard look at the shit that matters. Then, I promise, you can do whatever-the-fuck-you-want to me."

Alessandro groaned again at her touch. This time, though, it was in blatant approval. He growled, "Or we skip the first part. And jump straight to whatever-the-fuck-I-want ."

She bit back a smile and shook her head. "No."

"My wife is a killer of joy," he lamented.

"I know," Elyse sighed, "but you married me, so learn to live with it."

This drew a lopsided grin from his lips. "You are insufferable."

"Am I?"

" The absolute worst ."

"You must be a saint for putting up with me."

He agreed shamelessly, "My patience is truly god-like. Never forget, cuore mio , I am the only man on earth who can tolerate your shit, so you are stuck with me."

She called his bluff, "Even if I'm stuck, you're free to walk away at any time."

Alessandro reached for Elyse, clasping her hand. "But I want to stay and suffer."

"Don't be a masochist. Divorce me . If you have the balls to do it."

"I would set fire to my balls before divorcing you."

"Setting shit on fire doesn’t solve problems.”

He raised her hand to his lips. "Mikey would disagree."

Elyse held back a scoff. Her husband was right, but he was also wrong. Without hands, Mikey could no longer hurt her. In fact, he’d never touch her again. The asshole was dead . Their lives, however, were still full of danger even with one less Mikey in the world.

A slight shudder passed through her. "You’re right. Mikey won’t ever bother me again. But violence isn’t always the answer. A world on fire might destroy our enemies. But it burns us, too."

"True," admitted Alessandro, "but do we have a choice? We kill them. Or they kill us first ."

Her expression softened. "If only I could take you away from here. You deserve so much better than this hell."

Pressing a kiss into her palm, he muttered under his breath, "Do not try to save me. Just stay by my side. Whenever I look at you, even hell feels like heaven."

“Oh, Alessio…” whispered Elyse. In truth, she felt the same way about him. He was fast becoming her heaven and hell.

Brown and blue-gray eyes flickered. "I only wish that you did not have to burn with me."

The bastard was going to wreck her with his words. A small smile graced her face. "I don't mind a bit of heat."

Then, Elyse removed her hand from Alessandro's grasp even though, more than anything, she wished to stay at his side. However, despite the obsessive, doting way he looked at her, Elyse knew, the wall he'd built between them wouldn't be easy to break down. Elyse ached to comfort him. Most men could take time to grieve. They could make errors in judgment and live to see old age. Her husband wasn't most men , though. Alessandro was capo now. Arguing with him on a day like today was the last thing Elyse wanted to do. But her husband wasn't analyzing the ever-changing battlefield. He was blindly following in his father's footsteps.

One wrong step and they'd both die young.

A sigh fell from her lips. She was determined to protect the beautiful bastard from himself. As Elyse turned to leave, it pained her to walk away. For now, Alessandro didn't need her advice. What he needed to find his own way forward. Sooner, hopefully, rather than later. And she had a funeral to plan.

She tossed over her shoulder, "Have fun setting the world on fire, husband."

Alessandro smiled coolly as he called after her, "I will lay the ashes at your feet, wife."