Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
GAbrIEL
“ W hat’s going on?” Letizia asked a minute after I sat down in my usual spot for breakfast. Her gray eyes narrowed, little crinkles feathering out from the corners as she looked me up and down. “You seem… different .”
I shook my head, trying to fight back the smile that threatened to lift my lips. I brought my cappuccino up to my mouth to cover it. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do.” She cocked her head to the side as her scrutiny intensified. “I haven’t seen you this way in years. Not since you were much younger.”
I shrugged and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I poked at the screen as I picked at my breakfast, half hoping that Letizia would lose interest and turn away.
I should have known better.
A few seconds later, she thwacked the kitchen towel that had been draped over her shoulder on the counter in front of me, declaring, “I’ve got it!”
I lifted my eyes from my phone. “You’ve got what?”
“You’re happy,” she said. “That’s what’s different.”
I started to open my mouth to tell her she was being ridiculous but stopped myself. Instead, I shrugged.
As usual, the woman wasn’t wrong.
Usually, I tried not to think about my life in terms of intangible emotions like happy or sad. Business was either up or down. Relations between the D’Angelos and other families were tense or peaceful. Days were busy or calm. Since my mood usually didn’t play into any of those things, it wasn’t worth dwelling on.
But today, there was no denying I was feeling pleased.
And apparently, both Letizia and I knew the reason.
“I knew Miss Olivia would do you good,” my housekeeper beamed. “The moment she first stepped foot inside this house, I could tell she was a special one.”
True—Liv had proved just how special she was last night.
No threat had compelled her to apologize. Nothing was hanging over her head. There was no favor she wanted from me. Nothing that she hoped to gain by manipulating my emotions.
All she’d wanted to do was admit that she’d been wrong—because she cared.
There was no way she could have known what those words would mean to me.
I could count on one hand the people in my life who truly cared about me, and they were all family, either by blood or by circumstance.
Sure, my men were loyal to me, but that was different. That allegiance didn’t spring from emotion. It came from the understanding that I looked out for their interests. I was the source of their living and their protection. I was the one standing between them and either a bullet in the head or a life sentence in prison. I was the reason their wives didn’t complain about spending money, and their kids all had college funds.
But they also knew that if I died tomorrow, someone else would take my place and fill that role. Probably not as well, but they slept easy knowing one of my brothers could step into my shoes.
With Liv, it was different.
She didn’t have to care. In fact, I’d given her countless reasons not to. If I ended up in the morgue or was sent away by the feds tomorrow, nearly all of her problems would disappear. She would be free. Her brother would be safe. Her family could keep their cash and their business.
And yet, she still cared about me.
A part of me—the street-hardened part that lived and died by the sword—couldn’t understand it. But another part did.
The loving, still-human part of me that felt the same way about her.
I looked up at Letizia and shot her a knowing wink. “Don’t tell anyone,” I whispered conspiratorially. “I can’t have anyone thinking I’ve gone soft.”
Letizia’s smile only widened. “Of course not.”
She went back to scuttling around the kitchen while I finished my coffee. I had just drained the last few drops when the text alert from the secure app on my phone chimed. I looked down to see the notification from Tony.
Trouble. Call me.
I groaned as I stood up from the stool, annoyed but not surprised. The world didn’t care if I was having a nice moment or not. It kept right on spinning.
“Excuse me,” I said to Letizia, stepping through the kitchen door and out into the hall so she wouldn’t hear the conversation I was about to have.
Just as I stepped out, I saw Matteo coming down the stairs. I held up my hand to stop him as I dialed Tony. All I had to say was one word—“business”—and he nodded in understanding.
As soon as Tony picked up, I put the call on speaker so my brother could hear.
“Apologies for bothering you so early, boss,” Tony immediately said. “But this couldn’t wait.”
“It’s fine,” I assured him. “I’ve got Matteo with me, Tony. What’s the trouble?”
“I just got a call from one of our guys in the FBI. He said Theo Collins is in town.”
My brows pulled together as I looked over at Matteo. Clearly, he was thinking the same thing I was because he asked, “Why the hell does the FBI care about Theo Collins’ movements?”
“Because apparently, he contacted the office out here, saying he has evidence against Gabriel for a whole list of crimes, including kidnapping.”
“Theo went to the feds?” My blood began to boil. Any good feelings I’d been holding on to evaporated in an instant. “That asshole is a dead man.”
Fortunately, Matteo was able to keep a cooler head and ask the important questions. “What kind of evidence is he talking about?”
“Voicemails,” Tony answered. “Our guy says the feds have only heard a few short ones so far, but that Theo swears he’s got a big juicy one—some long conversation between you and Theo’s sister that’s going to put you away for life.”
Shit .
It had to be from that first meeting when Liv had dropped her phone. The call had kept going, and Theo had heard every word. Now, he was trying to use it against me.
“If it’s that incriminating, why hasn’t he handed it over yet?” Matteo asked, his expression serious and grave.
“He’s keeping it as security until he gets everything he wants from them—protective custody, immunity from prosecution, witness relocation. The whole nine.”
“And does our guy think he’s going to get it?” Matteo asked.
“Yeah,” Tony admitted with a heavy sigh. “Apparently, he’s already secured the protective custody part. The feds have put him up at one of their safe houses near the Brooklyn Bridge. Now Theo’s just waiting for them to clear the rest of his demands with the Marshals and the DA.”
“So we still have time to shut him up,” I said, nodding at Matteo.
Thank God for bureaucratic red tape. It would be days before three government agencies could get all their paperwork in order and approved.
“Did you find out the address of the safe house where they’re hiding him?” Matteo asked.
Tony gave an address off Madison Street—one of the old housing authority buildings by the water.
“You want me to take a team down there tonight?” Tony asked.
“No.” Even though he couldn’t see me, I still shook my head. “There is no need for you to put yourself at risk so soon after your job with the Giordanos. I’ll talk to my brother Dorian. He can go in tonight and clean things up so the feds won’t be able to point their finger our way.”
That was Dorian’s specialty, after all. He was a ghost. Known as the Angel of Death across the city, he was able to take out any target without leaving a trace of evidence behind.
Sure, he wouldn’t be happy that I was asking him to get back to work so soon after announcing his engagement, but he’d do it. The moment I explained what was at stake, there would be no stopping him. His loyalty to our family was unmatched.
“You know what’s best, boss,” Tony agreed before ending the call.
And judging by the nod Matteo gave me right after, my twin agreed.
It was the right call. Probably the easiest one I’d make all day.
So why was my chest tight and my heart heavy?
Liv .
I tried to shake off the feeling as my brother walked into the kitchen to start his day like usual, but it refused to budge. I wasn’t sure why.
I’d known this day would come.
So did Liv. I’d been brutally honest with her from the very beginning. But I still couldn’t help but feel this strange ache deep in my belly. A pain I could push away. The same one I’d felt the day I ordered my Uncle Sal’s death.
Guilt .
That’s what it was.
Guilt over knowing that what I had to do might be necessary and justified, but it would also cause someone I loved so much pain.