Silent love

Chapter 43

On the previous chapter...

I couldn't help but smile at the ridiculousness of it all.

Jacques, who had been eerily quiet up until then, piped up with a smirk. "Honestly, I think we should have a fashion show. Silvio in a dress, Federico in a suit, and I'll just come as the mysterious, brooding one who looks good no matter what".

Federico raised an eyebrow at Jacques, his lips curling into a smirk for the first time this morning. "You'd be the mysterious one who looks like he's late for a funeral".

Jacques grinned and winked at Divine as she blew a kiss to him. "Well, as long as I look good doing it, I'm fine with it".

"Typical". Fiorenzo muttered, probably still irritated that we woke him up from his beauty sleep. "You guys are all insane".

Immanuel laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos unfolding. "Come on, Fiorenzo, join the fun. You know you want to see Silvio strut around in a dress".

Fiorenzo gave him a deadpan look. "No, I'd rather not".
"We always make this an optional event". Silvio said, his grin widening.

"But I'm telling you, once you see me in a wig, you'll be jealous you didn't join".

    ʚ FEDERICO'S POV ɞ

The basement smelled like concrete, mildew, and blood.

He was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. Arms behind his back, shirt torn, face a mess of sweat and dried blood.

I'd cracked him once, hard enough to daze him but not enough to break anything permanent.

I'd been down here for over an hour. Long before anyone else in the house had even started to stir.

The man tied to the chair in front of me was barely conscious now. Blood crusted his temple where I'd split the skin. His breathing was shallow, one eye swollen half-shut, the other darting between me and the exit like he thought he might actually make it out of here alive.

He wouldn't

"Where does he stay?" I asked calm, like I wasn't itching to break another rib.

The guy didn't answer. Just breathed heavy and stared at the floor.

"I'm not going to ask again". I said.

Still nothing.

I slammed my fist into his side, hard and fast. Heard the breath leave him, watched his jaw clench against the pain.

That got his attention.

"Valerio doesn't stay in one place". He rasped. "He moves around. He's paranoid".

"Where was the last place you saw him?"

His mouth worked like he was trying to come up with something smart. "He's been bouncing between safehouses. Last few times I saw him, he was working a lot with Enzo-".

Enzo.

I hadn't heard that name since I put a bullet through his skull. Since that night at dinner with Yaqueline across from me and Enzo's wife smiling like she wasn't married to a fucking coward.