Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 25: Chapter 25

TERZO
“Danielle,” I called her name again.
My hope sparked a little when she turned to me.
“I don’t wanna hear another lie from you. You had your chance and you blew it.”
“I guess there are always two sides to men,” I started softly. Honestly, I didn’t have the strength to defend the mistakes I’d made. “One, no matter how bad he became, there’s always a good side to him when it comes to the people he cares about. I love my family, my sisters, and I will always protect them, no matter what terrible things I do to keep them safe. Your brother might be good to you, but not to everyone. Tomas—”
“Don’t say his name, you murderer!” She wiped her tears away. Fuck. She hated me. “You and my father ripped everything apart from me. You all are the same!”
“Your brother was hired by a man to hurt my sister and her grandmother. I did what I had to do, and I gave him chances to come clean. He didn’t take it. He didn’t give up the man who hired him. And he did that for money. I wish I could tell you how sorry I am for hurting and keeping the truth from you, Dani. But I’m not sorry for what I did. Call me however you want, but when it comes to my family, and that includes you, I won’t hesitate for a second to take down threats if it means keeping you all safe.”
“Oh, my God. You’re disgusting. I can’t even look at you right now without thinking of the people who were murdered in cold blood.”
“They’re not innocent, Dani. And I’m telling you now, if you’re father lays a hand on you, I’ll make him pay.”
“Stay away from me! I don’t care what you’re gonna do with your life. I’m not gonna be implicated in your murder escapades. Your hero complex isn’t saving people. You’re a murderer! You’re not someone’s hero. You’re a cold-blooded monster!”
“Dani.” I felt alarmed when she walked past Lynx, and they didn’t try to stop her. “You can’t go out. You’re not safe alone anymore. Your father wants that book.”
“So are you gonna lock me up here or put me away so no one can find me?”
“Mrs. Siciliano, your husband is right—”
She glared at Lynx. “Don’t call me that! I don’t wanna be tied to a ruthless, murderous family. God, I married a killer. And I don’t have the book.” Why did I feel she wasn’t telling the truth?
“Dani, please? Let’s talk about your safety before you act recklessly.”
“I don’t care. I want nothing from you, and I’m going back home.”
“I know you’re angry—” I hadn’t finished my words, she was quick to pull Memphis’s sidearm from his thigh, making everyone gasp.
My heart leapt into my throat.
For the first time, the five of us were alarmed. When she just cranked the safety, everything became clear. She knew how to handle guns before we even met.
She lied.
I underestimated her capability. I didn’t know what to feel right now— be impressed or be terrified. The bullet that shot me was precise. She might learn it during her stay at Ilya’s territory or even before she learned she was her father’s daughter.
“Dani.” I raised my hand the moment she aimed the gun at me.
“You killed my brother, I might as well shoot you again to avenge him.”
“Dani, taking someone’s life isn’t easy. Once you pull that trigger, you put my blood on your hands, and you don’t wanna do that. I know you’re angry right now, but think before you act, or you will forever regret it. If I die, every last man of my father will come after you.”
“Maybe you deserve it, husband.” When she aimed at my head, I held my breath.
“Maybe I deserve it, but you are not a killer. Put the gun down, Dani, please?”
“Then don’t come after me.” She stepped back towards the door. “I might not be able to kill you, but I will never forgive you for what you did to me.”
“Dani, please?” I sucked in a breath. A violent shudder rippled through me. I’d been in life and death situations many times, dodged bullets, shot at, got beaten, tied to a chair, pointed guns to my head, but watching her aim a gun at herself terrified me even more.
I stopped breathing as terror shook me to the core.
“Don’t even think I won’t shoot myself. I have nothing to lose. I’m forever tied to the mafia, my father wants something I don’t have, and he’s gonna hurt my friends. So maybe taking my own life will end things the way everyone wants, and he can’t hurt me anymore.”
“That’s not who you are, Dani.”
“Stop talking. I wish I had never met you, Terzo Siciliano.” This time, I let her walk away.
I let go of a shuddering breath when I didn’t hear any gunshots. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!”
“I’m sorry, Siciliano. What do you want us to do?”
“Your job is done, Lynx. Go home. Let me handle this situation with my people. I’ll send the final payment to the Osmium account.”
“You know for a fact I’m not doing this just for the paycheck.”
I swallowed hard, dragged myself down, and rested my back against the bed. “She’s out there alone without protection while her father just threatened her if she doesn’t bring the book by tomorrow.”
“Memphis, watch her back. Make sure she won’t make you. The way she handled your sidearm earlier, it’s definitely not the second time she held a gun. She’s more capable than she let on,” Lynx said to his man.
“Boss!” Marco just walked in, staring at us one by one.
“I just saw signora walk out of the hotel. She didn’t even look at us,” Gio said, confused.
“She knows,” I told them. I didn't have the strength to tell them the details, but they already figured out what I was talking about.
They both cursed and knelt before me.
“Tell us what to do, boss?”
I stared at Marco. “Do nothing, or she will harm herself more.”
“Maybe she just needs someone right now. A woman-to-woman conversation might help,” Gio said.
“You’re not suggesting Mrs. Winston, right? She’s the reason that piece of garbage is dead,” Marco replied to Gio’s suggestion.
“No. Signorina Celestina.”
“Call my sister, Gio. Tell her to come. I need to think about something and find out what that book is all about.”
“I have a feeling it’s a ledger, that’s why it’s so important to him. Maybe the list of the people involved in his business or names of people who owed him or he owed to,” Lynx said.
I couldn’t take any more ideas. My brain was stuck. My heart ached. “I’m worried about Dani that Francesco’s men might get to her and torture her to get that book.”
“Memphis is good at what he does. We’ll wait for his update. You need a drink.” When his men left, he offered his hand.
I grabbed it and got up.
“We got it, boss,” Gio said, nodding at Marco.
“I’d never seen you this vulnerable, even when your sister was in trouble.”
I watched Gio and Marco leave the room to bring drinks. “I knew there were men who looked after my sister, and her husband had more resources than I did. It just hits hard when the people close to you are in danger and you feel useless, incapable of protecting them.”
“And Dani hates your gut.”
I chuckled in pain. “And there’s that.”
“I understood what you did. I would have done the same thing. That man was an arsehole and did all that for money, not for loyalty.”
“She didn’t understand. What she knows is that I took her brother’s life.” But she also lied to me about guns. “Lynx?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you call Osmium to pull any files and data they can collect about Dani Souls?”
“What exactly do you want to know?”
“I fell for her lies. It’s a deceit that needs a lot of practice. This shot.” I pointed at my wound. “Was intentional and precise. It was merely an inch from my artery.”
“Well, damn.”