14. Believe #2
I took a deep breath and then went to work again, gripping the rope with both hands and hauling until he was hanging, his body thrashing as he suffocated.
“Someone must have helped him get that job. He’s likely working for someone else, possibly the same person who fed Piero the information about the shipments.”
I let go of the rope a second time and met Max’s eyes. He raised an eyebrow, and I threw my head back with a groan. For fuck’s sake! I spun around and kicked Damiano in the back to vent my frustration. Max was about to tell me we had to keep him alive.
“Always ruining my fucking fun, Maximus!” I stormed towards my phone and blasted the music until I could get back to a happier state.
I had to hum the lyrics with my eyes shut when Max walked over to Damiano and removed the noose from his neck.
He spluttered and choked while Max ordered my men to put him in the car.
Max slapped my shoulder. “His time will come. Just think about all the ways you’ll get to torture the information out of him. Get cleaned up. You’re needed in Verona tonight. We’ll take the prick with us so we can keep interrogating him.”
I whipped around, not liking the idea of leaving Rome because that meant leaving Aria. “What for?”
“Cecilia. She wants to see you.”
Ah, merda, if there was a woman I could never say no to, it was my mamma. When she needed me, I’d drop everything.
“Fine,” I exhaled, shoving all my weapons into my backpack and slinging it over my shoulder. “Meet me at my place. I need to shower.”
He nodded and headed for the car. I threw on a shirt and climbed onto my bike, speeding back to my penthouse like a bullet. I slowed as the building came into view, and I noticed the flashing lights on top of the police car sitting outside.
Fuckkkk.
The gates to my underground private garage opened, and I sped inside, parking the bike. I grabbed a packet of cleaning wipes I used to polish my bikes and started scrubbing my hands and arms, racing towards the elevator doors when the intercom buzzed from the main entrance.
“Pronto.”
“Good evening, Signor Buccini?”
“Si.”
“It’s the polizia. Commissioner Marrone. Do you have a minute?”
“Of course, officer. I’ll buzz you up.”
The lift doors closed just as I saw my men and Max arriving in the garage, a confused look on my cousin’s face that said, ‘what the fuck?’.
This couldn’t have been about Damiano. My men had been diligent, sweeping him off the street with no witnesses.
And I had left no trace of myself at his house.
No, this had to be something else. But if they saw the blood coating my skin right now, it would be hard to explain away.
I had about one minute and forty-three seconds to scrub my skin raw and change my clothes before the doorbell rang. I checked my reflection in the mirror once more, making sure there wasn’t a single speck of red on me, and let the officers in.
“Good evening, officers. Can I help you with something?”
The tallest man, who I knew to be the straight-collared commissioner Marrone, walked through my penthouse, his eyes sharp and taking in everything.
The second, who was on my payroll, gave me a curt nod.
It set me at ease a little, knowing I had at least one of them on my side, but not much.
I never trusted cops, even if they did work for us.
At any point, they could turn and hand us over to the ‘good guys’. It would end their lives, but still.
“Do you know Signorina Arianna Caruso?” Marrone asked, glancing at the expensive painting my sister Elle had created for me on the living room wall.
I tried to hide my amusement that she’d actually gone ahead with her threat and called the police. My gutsy girl had a backbone. I liked that.
“Si.” I nodded. My smile dropped as I feigned concern. “Why? Is she okay? Has something happened?”
Marrone eyed me cautiously, assessing my worry. “She’s fine. But she believes you may have entered her apartment without her permission today.”
“Me?” I said with surprise. “Why would she think that?”
The doorbell rang again, and I knew it was Max. “Scuse, it’s my cousin. We’re supposed to be going to a family gathering this evening.”
Max walked in with an ‘everything good?’ look in his eyes, and I smiled wider to soothe his concern.
“This is Commissioner Marrone. My cousin, Maximus Buccini.”
Max shook his hand, dragging his other through his long beard with a deep frown. “Is there a problem, officer?” He was nearly as good an actor as I was.
“I hope there won’t be. Signor Buccini, how would you describe your relationship with Signorina Caruso?”
I folded my arms across my chest with an arched eyebrow. “Well, I don’t like to kiss and tell, Officer. I’m a gentleman.”
He cleared his throat and stood a little straighter. I tried not to laugh at how awkward he suddenly appeared, knowing I’d just implied I was fooling around with the mayor’s daughter.
“It’s still early days, and we’re keeping it out of the public eye for now, but if I had to put a label on it,” I sighed. “I’d say we’re seeing each other.”
“Unfortunately, that is not the impression she has, Signor Buccini.”
I frowned, tilting my head. “Oh? How so?”
“Signorina Caruso states that she has very clearly told you she is not interested and would like you to leave her alone on several occasions.” He rested his hand over his gun on his hip.
I wasn’t sure if it was just a habit, a threat, or a precaution for his own safety. “Which you’ve apparently ignored.”
I glanced at Max, who was staring at me with an expressionless face. Yet, I could see in his eyes the hell he was planning to give me later.
“I don’t understand why she would—” My head snapped back to the officers. “Wait. Was her father with her when she made this report, by any chance? Mayor Caruso?”
“Why would that matter?” Marrone said, his eyes slanting slightly.
I snapped my fingers and tutted as if everything had suddenly fallen into place.
“Okay. I understand what’s happening. Mayor Caruso…
Piero… he doesn’t approve of our relationship.
He’s very protective of Aria, and no man will ever be good enough for his little girl.
I mean, he’s right. She’s fucking perfect.
” I raised my hand up. “Excuse my language. That’s why we’ve tried to keep it quiet.
The sneaking around, my bringing her lunch and sending her flowers at work.
Because if he found out we were dating, she thought this might happen. ”
There was a loaded silence as Marrone sized me up, trying to decide if he believed my version more than theirs.
“Signor Buccini. Are you aware of Article 612-bis of the Italian Criminal Code?”
“I am. Atti Persecutori. Stalking. A very serious offence.”
“Then I shouldn’t need to remind you that if someone does not consent to being followed, showing up in places that person is, sending unwanted gifts, messages or phone calls, or threatening them in any way, is a crime.”
“And they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” I said seriously.
“I can assure you, Officer. I’m not stalking Aria.
There’s a mutual interest. But… I hear what you’re saying.
Her father disapproves, and there’s been a misunderstanding.
I’ll take a step back.” I took a physical step back just to emphasise my point and winked. “I’ll let her come to me.”
That seemed to satisfy him enough that he nodded, and they both headed for the door. I followed them out, thanking them for their time. As soon as I turned around, Max was on me with his ‘I-told-you-so’ bullshit.
“Wow.” He started slow-clapping as I walked past him. I gave a small bow for my performance just to rile him more. “She’s really head-over-heels for you, Romeo. Completely smitten. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a restraining order.”