Chapter 27
Marco
I close Elena's bedroom door behind me and stand there, running my hands down my face.
This is so fucked. Elena has been carrying all of this weight on her shoulders, and it's not even hers to bear.
I understand she was trying to protect her dad—from both the Costellos and the Rossos.
If Vito found out Elena was helping Elio, he might see it as betrayal and banish her the same way he did her father.
My loyalty is to Vito—always has been, always will be. He needs to know that Elio is causing this trouble and that it's now on our doorstep. The Costellos have threatened his family. That cannot be allowed.
But I finally have Elena's trust. And I don't want to break it.
I walk to the kitchen and grab my phone. Call Vito.
"What is it?" he answers.
"Can you meet me at Elena's? Now."
There's a pause. Vito knows I wouldn't ask unless it was necessary. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
He hangs up without another word.
Twenty minutes later, I'm sitting in his Rolls Royce parked outside Elena's building. I've given him the rundown—carefully framing it so he understands Elena is a victim in this, not a conspirator.
"That fucking weasel." Vito's voice is cold. Controlled. The voice of a man calculating exactly how he's going to destroy someone. "I should've killed Elio when he betrayed us."
"But you didn't because of Bianca," I say quietly.
He nods. "I promised her I would protect Elena. Killing Elio would have hurt Elena, so I let him walk." His jaw tightens. "But this? Using his own daughter as a shield? Putting her in danger to save his own skin?"
"It's worse than we thought. The Costellos have been threatening her for months. Following her. That man who grabbed her in the alley—" I pause, weighing my next words carefully. "He gave her something."
I pull out my phone and show him the photo I took of the ultrasound. "This."
Vito stares at the screen. His entire body goes still. I watch the color drain from his face as he reads Rina's name at the top.
"They have access to Rina's medical records," I say quietly. "They know about the pregnancy. They're using it to threaten Elena."
For a long moment, Vito doesn't move. Doesn't speak. When he finally does, his voice is deadly quiet. "How long have you known about this?"
"Elena just showed it to me today. She's been carrying this for weeks. Since that man grabbed her in the alley."
"And she didn't tell anyone." It's not a question.
"She was trying to protect Rina. Thought if she could handle it alone, they'd leave your family out of it."
Vito's hands clench. "Security on Rina doubles. Today. I want someone on her at all times. No one gets near her without going through our people first."
"I'll call Dante now."
"No." He pulls out his own phone. "I'll handle it. This is my wife. My child."
I nod and give him space while he makes the call. His voice is calm, controlled, but I can see the tension in his shoulders. The fear he's keeping locked down.
When he hangs up, he's quiet for a moment. Vito runs a hand through his hair. "Rina wanted to wait to tell people. Until the second trimester."
"Congratulations," I say. "I know the timing isn't ideal—"
"The timing is never ideal in this life." He looks out the window. "But this changes things. My priorities. Every decision I make now affects not just Rina, but our child."
I nod, understanding what he's not saying. The weight of responsibility just doubled for him.
"I gave the note to Ren," I tell him, shifting back to business. "He's taking it to Rafa. Hopefully we can get a match on fingerprints."
"Good. What else?"
"I know how to contact Elio. Elena communicates through the cafe down the street. I don't know the exact process yet, but every time she goes there, she has a meeting within twenty-four hours. Once I get the details, we can lure him out."
Vito's eyes sharpen. "Do it. I want that coward brought in."
"There's one complication. Elena still cares about him. She's been trying to protect him this whole time. If we bring him in—"
"She'll understand." Vito's voice is firm. "She's smart enough to know her father created this mess. And she's strong enough to handle whatever comes next."
I'm not so sure about that, but I don't argue.
"How are you holding up?" Vito asks, and the question surprises me. "With Elena, I mean. This assignment."
I choose my words carefully. "It's complicated."
"You care about her."
It's not a question. Vito reads people better than anyone I know.
"Yes," I admit. "I care about her."
"And she cares about you. I've seen the way she looks at you." He studies me. "I told you to keep it professional."
"I know."
"But that ship has sailed, hasn't it?"
I meet his eyes. "Yes."
Vito is quiet for a long moment. Then he sighs. "Elena is family. She's Rina's cousin, practically a sister. If you hurt her—"
"I won't."
"If you hurt her," he continues as if I hadn't spoken, "I'll kill you myself. Slowly. Painfully. Are we clear?"
"Crystal."
"Good." He straightens. Puts his Don mask back on. "Fix this situation with the Costellos. Find Elio. Protect Elena. And Marco?" He looks at me directly. "Don't make me regret trusting you with this."
"I won't."
He nods once, dismissing me. I step out of the car without another word. Vito's not one for prolonged goodbyes, especially after showing any vulnerability.
As his car drives away, I stand on the sidewalk for a moment, letting the weight of everything settle on my shoulders.
I have to fix this. Find Elio. Send a message to the Costellos. Protect Elena and Rina.
And somehow navigate this relationship with Elena without destroying everything in the process.
I head back into the building, my mind already working through next steps. Elena trusted me with the truth today—more than she's shared with anyone, I suspect. She's been carrying this burden alone for too long.
But she's not alone anymore. Whether she realizes it or not, she's mine now. What happened between us last night changed everything, and I'm not letting the Costellos or her coward father hurt her anymore.
I let myself back into the apartment quietly. The silence feels different now—not tense like it has been for weeks, but settled. Like we've finally stopped dancing around each other and admitted what's building between us.
Now I just need to make sure we both survive long enough to see where this leads.
I pull out my phone and start making calls. Time to bring the full weight of the Rosso organization down on this problem. Elena may have been trying to handle this alone, but she's family now—in more ways than one.
And we protect family.
The Costellos are about to learn what happens when they threaten what's mine.