Chapter 27
Sitting at my desk while my two brothers laugh and smoke cigars, all I can think about is my order to Marcella to have someone pack up Livia's things. I've been wrestling with my decision and thoughts over the last few days.
While I care for her like I have never cared for anyone else, she still lied, she still broke my trust.
And how can I start a relationship without trust?
"Zo, look, I feel I'm going to regret fucking asking, but," Gio says, taking a big puff from his cigar, "Livia. We haven't seen her, and you haven't run your mouth about her in days."
I clench my jaw, feeling the muscle twitch. "It's complicated."
Marco leans forward, biting on his cigar. "Complicated how? Last I checked, you two were all lovey-dovey. What happened?"
"She did something. Something that disobeyed my direct orders and violated my trust."
Gio's eyebrows shoot up. "Shit, Zo. What'd she do? Fuck someone else?"
"Jesus, Gio, come on," Marco says.
"First, fuck you, and secondly, no, nothing like that," I say, more serious than intended. "I asked her not to do something, and she went behind my back and did it anyway."
"Don't be cryptic, what the fuck did she do?" Gio asks.
And this here is the crux of everything. Normally, I'd be able to confide in my brothers, but the truth is, they don't know about the diary. They don't know what our grandmother wrote, they don't know the full story.
"Look, I don't want to get into the details," I say. "But it's made me question everything. The marriage, our future, all of it."
The room falls silent. I can feel their eyes on me, waiting for more. But I don't have more to give. The truth is, I'm lost, and I don't know what to do.
"You love her," Marco says rhetorically. It's not a question.
I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Yeah, sure I do. But love isn't always enough, is it? What about loyalty?"
Marco leans back in his chair, blowing out a stream of smoke. "Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's the only thing that matters."
Gio scoffs. "Since when did you become such a romantic?"
"Shut up, and Enzo, think how happy she made you. Whatever she did, is it worth throwing away everything you two have built?"
I stand up abruptly, pacing behind my desk. "You don't understand. It's not just about what she did. It's about trust. How can I trust her now? How can I build a life with someone I can't trust?"
Marco watches me carefully. "Have you talked to her about it? Like really talked to her about it. Not mad, not upset, just listened to what she has to say?"
I stop pacing, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me. "No," I sigh, "I've been avoiding her."
"Jesus Christ, Zo," Gio exclaims. "You're acting like a fucking teenager. Talk to her. Hear her out."
I shake my head. "It's not that simple."
"It is that simple," Marco interjects. "You're making it complicated because you're scared."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut.
Am I scared?
The thought had never crossed my mind. I'm Enzo Bonventi. I don't get scared.
But as I stand there, facing my brothers, I realize Marco's right. I am scared. Scared of being vulnerable, of being hurt. Scared of letting someone in so completely that they have the power to destroy me.
"Fuck," I mutter, collapsing back into my chair.
Gio leans forward, his face serious. "Look, Zo, I don't know what she did, but if she's been faithful, there's a way. I mean, I've never seen you like this over a woman before. That's gotta mean something. Don't throw it away without a fight."
I nod, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Anger, fear, love, confusion. It's all there, battling for dominance.
"Wow, Gio, coming from you, it's almost poetic," Marco says, laughing.
"Fuck you," Gio says.
"Maybe you're right, but it's too late."
"What do you mean?" Gio asks.
"I've had Marcella order someone to pack up her things."
"You what?" Marco asks, his voice sharp.
Gio leans forward, his cigar forgotten in his hand. "Are you out of your fucking mind, Zo?"
I clench my jaw, feeling a surge of defensiveness. "She broke my trust. There are consequences."
"Consequences?" Marco says. "This isn't some business deal gone wrong, Enzo. This is the woman you love."
"You think I don't know that?" I snap. "You think this is easy for me?"
"Then why are you doing it?" Gio asks. "Why push her away like this?"
I run my hands over my face, feeling the stubble that's grown over the past few days. "Because, because it's easier than facing her. Than dealing with this mess."
"Easier? Since when do you take the easy way out, Enzo? That's not the brother I know." Marco says.
Bastard is right.
"He's right, Zo," Gio chimes in. "If you're done with her, man up and talk to her. Tell her to her face. Don't hide behind Marcella and some faceless maid packing her shit."
Shit. He's right, too.
"Dammit, what the hell am I doing?"
"Being reactive to feelings, bro," Marco says.
"Okay, say I change my mind now. What if I can't forgive her? What if this changes everything?"
Gio snorts. "Of course it changes everything. That's what relationships do, you idiot. They change you, they challenge you. The question is, are you man enough to face those changes?"
"Seriously, who the fuck is this guy," Marco says, pointing at Gio, "Mr. take-home-any-girl-from-the-club is suddenly Romeo."
We all laugh, and it feels good. I haven't smiled since my fight with Livia.
"You're right," I say, standing. "I'll talk to her. I'll—"
The door bursts open, slamming against the wall. One of my men, Tony, stumbles in, his face pale and sweating. My brothers are on their feet in an instant, hands reaching for their weapons.
"Boss," Tony pants, his eyes wide with panic. "It's Alex. He's been shot."
"What? Where? How bad?" Gio asks.
Before he finishes his line of questions, a cold dark thought enters my mind. If Alex is hurt, then…
"Livia," I call out. "Where's Livia?"
Tony swallows hard, his eyes darting between me and my brothers. "They took her, boss. Rossi's men. They ambushed them outside a sandwich shop across from the library."
The world tilts on its axis. I grip the edge of my desk. "How?" I yell, fury rising in me like a tidal wave. "How the fuck did this happen?"
"We don't know all the details yet," Tony stammers. "Alex is unconscious on the way to the hospital, but it was a coordinated attack. They knew exactly when and where to strike."
My mind can't process the words. The Rossis didn't just hit us; they struck at the heart of what matters most to me.
They took Livia.