“You’re saying they framed Thomas?” I asked in shock.
“Nico gave me Thomas’s name, because he wanted me to think it was Thomas. For me to think the attack yesterday was all a big coincidence. Nico planned everything. Even getting word to Thomas about the attack, which made him look guilty.”
Thomas is innocent. My heart slapped my rib cage with a hard whack. “Why would they do that?”
“A Trojan horse,” Constantine answered.
“I’m still not following.” I wasn’t dense, but this was still over my head.
Enzo swallowed the space between us and reached for me, guiding me to my feet. “Nico had those three men show up at my place yesterday not only as a distraction but to use it as a reason to get inside our home here. Open the gates for them, like we’re about to do, so they could apologize for the attack.”
Instead of a gift, the trap is an apology?
“Giovanni may not know Nico is working with the Brambillas,” Mr. Costa pointed out. “But if he does, he’ll do whatever is necessary to protect his family.”
“And if the Brambillas have Nico by the balls,” Constantine said, “they’re more than likely behind everything that’s happened in the last few days. The mastermind behind the plot.”
I turned back to the screen that was paused on this Nico guy. “But why’d he want to hurt Bianca? His wife is family.”
“We can’t really think Bianca fell in love with not just the enemy but a married man, right?” Alessandro asked. “And then he killed her because . . . why?”
“I don’t know,” Enzo said, his tone softer that time, and he squeezed my hand and faced Alessandro. “But Nico was there that night, and he’s about to be here now. And we know for certain the Brambillas hired the cleaner to cover for Bianca’s murderer. This is the only thing that makes sense, even if it doesn’t make sense now.”
“Can you cancel the meeting?” I asked what felt like such a silly question, because of course they’d cancel now that they knew the truth.
“They’ve been two steps ahead of us,” Constantine replied, “and if we cancel, they’ll know for sure we figured things out. If we let them walk in, they’ll assume we’re still in the dark. And they’ll believe the client list died with the cleaner last night.”
“So they may not attack once here?” I asked, searching for clarification.
“No, they’ll attack,” Enzo said, no doubt in his tone. “But this way, they’ll be the ones surprised. Because they won’t be expecting us to be prepared for it.”
“We need to get Mom, Izzy, and Maria out of here before they arrive,” Constantine said, eyes on me, and my heart jumped into my throat.
“No, I don’t want to leave. I’m safer with you.”
Enzo gently hauled me into his arms, crushing me against his chest as if preparing for a goodbye I didn’t want to hear. “War is about to happen here. You could be caught in the crossfire. I won’t let that happen.”
I listened to Constantine bark out orders, presumably to Alessandro. “You’re taking the women out of here. Assemble a team. Take the armored SUV you used this morning.”
“I’d rather join the fight. Hudson can take them,” Alessandro responded as Enzo released me.
“Hudson’s a better sniper. And Mom and Izzy need one of us with them,” Constantine said in a low, steady voice, and Alessandro reluctantly nodded.
No. This was all happening too fast.
“We have a secure site on Long Island that’s off-the-grid. You’ll be safe there.” Enzo cupped my cheeks, searching for my gaze, but I didn’t want to look at him, not with him sending me away.
“If it’s safer, then shouldn’t we all go there?” I pleaded, finally giving him my eyes. “And isn’t this still speculation? What if Thomas really was behind the attack and it was a coincidence? Maybe Nico just liked that club and left shortly after Bianca, and it was bad timing?” But as I said the words, I knew they were bullshit.
“We can’t take any chances. We need to prepare for the worst and assume anyone walking into our house today is an enemy. Even Giovanni,” Mr. Costa explained. “And if Nico really is working with the Brambilla family, they’ll be coming, too, and it’ll turn into a bloodbath.”
Bloodbath? I was going to faint, but Enzo kept me upright and in his arms. He leaned in and brought his mouth to my ear. “I can’t do this with you here. Please. I need to know you’re safe.”
Because I’d already distracted him enough, hadn’t I? I battled back the tears, trying to keep my cool. But this whole situation was miles outside my wheelhouse. “Please come with me.” I had to try one more time.
He only shook his head in apology, then peered at Constantine, who was giving Alessandro a few more instructions. “I’ll have Maria waiting for you by the garage in three minutes,” Enzo told him, breaking my heart; then he quickly walked me from the room, holding on to my arm like I might refuse him.
“Don’t do this,” I protested as we went upstairs, but he didn’t talk again until we were in the guest room.
“I have to.” He let go of my hand and knelt by his bag and unzipped it.
I fell to my knees on the other side of the bag, allowing the tears to glide down my cheeks. This was happening too fast. And there were still too many unknown variables. He needed more pieces of the puzzle. More clues. I was going to lose my mind. Officially. Choking out a sob, I barely registered what was in Enzo’s hand.
“Bianca’s rosary.” He set the necklace in my palm and curled my fingers over it. “Keep it with you.” He leaned over the bag and brushed his lips across mine, offering a tender kiss. “You can give it back to me when this is over.”
My hand trembled as I held the rosary, trying to find the right words to convince this man not to go through with this.
“I wanted it to be Thomas. I really did. Because I hated him, and I wanted any reason to go after him, and for that, I’m so fucking sorry,” he murmured, his hand still covering mine. “Plus, if he’d been responsible, that’d also mean it wasn’t my fault you were in danger.”
“Whoever murdered your sister is why I was in danger. Not you,” I reminded him, because he didn’t need any guilt eating at him. “You’re not prepared, and you barely slept. Can you please try and, um, reschedule?” Reschedule war? What the hell is wrong with me?
“This is what I do,” he whispered. “I’ll be okay as long as you’re not here.”
“This isn’t what you do. Not anymore,” I pleaded. “You’re a chef now. You’re . . . you’re mine. I—I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t.” He helped me to my feet and gathered me in his arms. “When this is over, I can finally be free of the past, Maria. I can be free of it once and for all.” He held my cheeks and bowed his forehead to mine. “Don’t you see? This is why I was never truly able to let go and move on, because justice was never really served.”
I pulled back to find his eyes. “And she wouldn’t want you dying to get it.”
He brought his lips close to mine. “I won’t.” He kissed me. “We have a list to check off.” Another kiss. “Memories to make.” More kisses. “Babies to have.” A softer, longer kiss this time that nearly distracted me from what he’d said.
And then, before I knew it, he had me in the garage.
Just outside the SUV, I listened to protests from his mother and sister as they argued with Alessandro.
Enzo held me tight and brought his mouth to my ear. “I love you, Maria. I won’t die on you.” He swiped the pads of his thumbs over my cheeks, catching my tears as I processed his words. “I promise I’ll see you again, Tesoro,” was the last thing he said before tucking me into the car and closing the door.
TWENTY-NINE
Enzo