61. Cole #2
“Yes. Let’s take it to my office,” he said, getting to his feet.
I cast one final look to the stairs before following Enzo and the guys to his office.
“Talk to me,” Enzo said.
“You asked if I had any information on Roberto Virelli. Here is what I have dug up.” Dom shifted forward in his seat. We’d sat at the fireplace where Enzo had a wraparound couch and a few chairs.
“You know why he’s back in Chicago, right?” Dom asked.
“Never could figure it out. Assumed he knew my parents died and that Matteo was dead and figured he’d be able to get a jump on a collapsing city but wasn’t anticipating we’d be here,” Enzo said.
Dom nodded. “That makes sense, but it’s not completely accurate. Sure, that’s one reason, but he’s really here to fuck you over.”
“Of course he is,” Enzo muttered.
“Tell us.” May as well lay it all out on the table. I wanted to be of any help I could be before I had to duck out.
“Enzo, man, have you spoken to Emilio?” Fallon asked.
Enzo frowned. “Not really. He’s currently out of the country. Said he wanted to visit family in Italy.”
“What the fuck did he do?” I demanded. I liked Emilio. He’d mostly fallen out of the mafia world, but he did pop in from time to time. It would fucking break Enzo if Emilio had fucked up.
“Not really so much as what he did, but who he knew,” Dom said grimly. “Emilio Valetti is not just a Valetti. His mother was Jasmina Virelli.”
I opened my mouth and looked to Enzo, who sat forward.
“What?” he growled.
“Valetti by maiden name,” Dom continued. “Married into the Virelli family. Was a major player. She was the matriarch, but she often hid in the shadows, pulling strings. Fazio Virelli, her husband and the don, ran a tight ship.” Dom exhaled and stared at Enzo. “It’s twisted.”
“Roberto is Emilio’s brother,” Fallon said softly.
“Jasmina is his mother. She was killed with Fazio during a raid your father led many years ago. From our intel, she wasn’t always the nicest woman, and Emilio and Ricardo, the twins, cut ties with her and their family before the raid, and it’s said that the twins fed Anthony the information to take them down. ”
“What the fuck?” I shook my head. We had no idea.
“Emilio is a twin?” Enzo frowned.
“Fraternal,” Dom said. “He and Ricardo are twins but aren’t identical.”
“Roberto took over what was left of the empire. He slouched off to the west coast. He and Everett Church were quite close growing up, so we believe Everett helped him get back on his feet. Not like we could ask Everett, of course, but maybe…”
“Dante,” I murmured. “He’d know, right?”
Fallon shrugged. “Maybe, but he’s a monster too, so do with that information what you will.”
“Your father, Anthony, worked for many years to end the Valetti Family. And then Liam—Skin and Bones— came along and made it all happen. That didn’t sit well with the Virelli family, obviously, and they tried to take down Nico, but Nico is…
Nico. He’s been in the game a long time and knows how to fight.
Roberto gathered what was left of both empires and rebuilt instead.
He was involved in the deaths of your parents.
Helped the Ivanovs and Everett make it happen.
And now… he wants what you have. You’re young.
You’re not a threat to him, from my understanding.
” He paused. “And honestly, he’s after what I have because my mother has ties to Ricardo.
They’ve been burning my shit to the ground this week.
They’ve threatened my sons’ lives. They’ve threatened our queen.
” Dom’s voice shook. “No one threatens my family. I came here today to ask you to join the kings in taking down the Virelli family. We were fine with remaining neutral, hoping nothing big would come of it, but I cannot sit back when my family has been threatened. Rumor has it, your name is on their list. Your family. Your son. And with Rosalie back, her and Ellis too. I don’t believe her stalker is random, Enzo.
I don’t. I think it’s all tied together.
Everyone knew you loved Rosalie. They’re using her to bring you out. To fight. That’s my theory.”
“So what do you want?” Enzo asked softly. He didn’t seem surprised at the information dumped on him, and that immediately made me think he already knew some of it.
“War.” Dom’s green eyes darkened. “And I want to not only kill Roberto Virelli, but I also want every extended family member, every friend, every person who has spoken to him on the street to die. I want no survivors because I know they’d leave none for us when they come.”
I sat back in my seat, feeling numb.
“So we’re asking if you want to form an alliance,” Fallon said. “With the kings. To kill the Virelli family. Because if they’re coming for our family, then if intel is correct, they’re coming for yours too.”
“You want war,” I repeated, my mind immediately going to my family. My chest ached at the thought of them getting hurt because of this shit.
“I want the fucking apocalypse,” Dom said darkly. “Whether you’re in or not, I’m still moving forward with it. So, Lorenzo, do you want to join the kings?”
Enzo said nothing for a moment before his soft, even words met my ears.
“We all have something to fight for. I will join. Let’s start a war.”