26. Bear
I t was hell to sit back and watch these two shit stains drooling over my goddess. What made it even worse was her plan was working, those two men were spilling their guts without a second thought. However, I noticed her tense and look to Apollo at the mention of this man, Silvio. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Ballio.
Bear:
It’s Bear, Wolf needs you to look into a guy named Silvio Bernardi. He’s a new blood for the Zuccaro Family, but Wolf doesn’t feel right about him. Dig deep and make it fast.
Ballio:
On it.
I don’t think Von ever realized how valuable a man like Ballio was. She wouldn’t have the freedom to come and go like she did without Ballio keeping up with the day-to-day shit. Ballio had good connections, but if this man Silvio was one of the moles, then chances were high the name was a fake.
Bear:
Hound, it’s Bear, I need a favor.
Hound:
Lay it on me.
Bear:
I need to find out if a man going by Silvio Bernardi is who he says he is. I’m sure your woman told you about the traitors who managed to slip into ranks of the new bloods. This guy is setting off Von’s alarm bells, but he isn’t a man you go after without all the information.
Hound:
Yeah, Astin filled us in on everything. I’ll work on digging up what I can but can’t promise how long it will take me.
Bear:
He’ll be last on tonight's list. There are ten more people for Von to deal with first.
Hound:
All right then, I better get to work. I’ll text you the second I have something.
Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I returned my attention to my goddess. I watched how her hands moved, coyly brushing her fingers on the arm or leg of both men. Von always talked about how jealous she was of Ivy and how effortlessly she could trap men with a single look. Clearly, my goddess didn’t realize the effect she had on others. She didn’t need lust to draw people to her, not when her commanding confidence was a magnet, pulling people close, then trapping them in her forcefield. Like a Venus flytrap, once she had a hold on you, that was it, you belonged to her.
“I had no idea you two would have such good gossip,” Von said excitedly. “Tell me more about the men who came tonight. Especially the man named Tony, he’s a little intense.”
Rug groaned, then slumped back against the couch and used the movement to slip his hand behind Von. I’d bet my left nut the bastard’s hand was on her perfect ass. Every muscle in my body coiled with the desire to rip off his arm, but I didn’t. I never imagined it would be even harder to control my possessive nature now that she was mine. I’d assumed it was so bad because I couldn’t have her, yet I could feel the vein on the side of my neck pulsing with my contained rage.
“Tony is a fucking bastard,” Rug announced. “He was once part of the Leoni Family and thinks he’s above us, claiming he shouldn’t have to go through the testing period.”
“Right, the guy thinks he should be able to walk in the door, give his blood and oath, and be accepted with open arms.” Bruno scoffed. “You’d have to think the Masters are idiots if you expect them to trust a man who was loyal to another family. Hell, Tony was eighteen when he joined, and the prick’s in his thirties now. I wouldn’t trust him ever, but I’m not the guy in charge.”
The Leoni Family, hmm? Why would he even try to join the ranks of another family? Tony must know they’d never trust him, yet he’s still alive and fighting for his place.
“I thought he seemed too comfortable with all this,” Von mused, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “Any other juicy details you want to share?”
Rug’s hand shot up like a damn teacher’s pet begging for her attention. “I have something.”
Von tossed back her head and laughed. I knew it was a fake laugh, but the men were eating it up just the way she wanted them to. “Tell me,” Von encouraged.
He twisted so his knees rested against hers and was more head-on gaining Von’s full attention. “When we first joined, there were double the number of guys. So a handful of us had to share a room until more space opened up.”
Von leaned forward and placed a hand on Rug’s thigh just above the knee. “Go on.”
I had to shut my eyes as all I could see was visions of ripping the man’s limbs off one by one and beating him with his own arm or leg. All I had to do was bide my time, these men had to leave this room alive so as not to draw attention to what was going on in this room. They didn’t know it yet, but they were both dead men walking, and I was counting down the minutes.