The rustic cottage on this property was built for the security men to use during their rest periods, but has evolved into a place to take intruders. As I walk through the door, I find a very scared young soldier, Amadeus Tremento, trying to look tough, but his eyes give him away. His father stands by his side with a hand on his shoulder for support. The kid is barely out of diapers, late teens, maybe. What the fuck was he thinking?
“Mr. Di Morte—” his father begins.
“Quiet.” I make my way closer to Amadeus, stopping just a couple of feet away. I look him over from head to toe. “Leave us.” To his credit, Amadeus doesn’t even look at his father when he’s guided out of the room by Francesco. The other men also leave. Ivo, the last man, is walking away when I call him, requesting that he remain.
“Normally, I wouldn’t give a damn about your reasons for letting a psychotic bitch into my home and into my bed, especially when I was coming back from having just gotten married and was bringing my wife home for the first time. But if nothing else, this story should be entertaining.” I walk around the young man once, then throw out a hand. A gesture for him to begin.
He raises his eyes to mine. “I won’t disrespect you further by offering excuses, sir.”
“Indulge me,” I say, pulling a chair over and straddling it while Amadeus sweats it out.
“I was at the gate, and Ms. Davenko drove up. She said she was expected. I checked the list and told her she wasn’t on it. At first, she tried to sweet-talk me, but I refused her. Then she told me that you were going to make me pay for keeping her away and that if she wasn’t where she was supposed to be by the time you got home, you’d lose your mind. She showed me her overnight bag. I still didn’t believe her. It wasn’t until I saw the text from you on her phone. It was quite sexually graphic, sir.” He pauses and lowers his eyes. “Anyway, it said that you were leaving your wife at the hotel overnight, and you wanted one last night with Ms. Davenko. It was your phone number, sir. That’s when I tripped up and let her in. She asked me to sneak her upstairs so the surprise wouldn’t be ruined.”
I stand and come around to him. “She showed you this text?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re sure it was my number?”
“Yes, sir.” He rattles off the number.
“Do you realize that she could have been sent by the enemy to kill me or my wife?” I ask. His head shoots up, and I can see that the thought never crossed his mind. “Women are capable of murder. She could have been looking for documents or personal information, especially since you gave her free rein of my bedroom.”
“I’m sorry isn’t enough. I know this. I accept any punishment. I deserve it,” he says with a shaky voice.
I make a fist and smash it into his cheek. Even without the might I would normally have used, Amadeus ends up on the floor. Blood spurts from his mouth. He shakes it off and comes to stand before me again, waiting for my next blow, not even trying to defend himself. Another fist to the ribs. The crunch tells me that I did some damage, yet still Amadeus stands before me waiting for more.
“Ivo, call the doctor,” I say, never taking my eyes off Amadeus. I pull him toward me by the collar. “Listen very clearly. This is your one and only warning. Never let me down again. From this moment on, you report to Ivo and only Ivo. He will make a proper soldier out of you, or you’ll die trying to please him. You’ll also write down every detail of that text. Every fucking word.”
“Yes, Capo. Thank you,” he slurs. I might have broken his jaw. I must say I’m impressed that he’s actually trying to stand straight and speak.
“Don’t thank me, not yet. Ivo is almost as cruel as I am.” I give him a smirk. “Learn or die, Amadeus.”
I swing the door open. Gino, Amadeus’s father, waits for me to pass before he rushes into the room, where Ivo is telling him the doctor is waiting for him at The Underground. I hear footfalls behind me, and Ivo catches up to me.
“He’s still alive.” He states what I already know.
“He is, and it’s your job to make sure Amadeus understands his future depends on his wit, strength, and loyalty. One more slipup and I’ll end him.”
“Why not end it now?” he asks with a smirk.
“I was feeling benevolent. The moment, however, has passed. I want to know how they replicated a text with my number. Then I want Monika questioned.” I turn to him and add, “Thoroughly.”
“She may have been duped, as was the boy,” Ivo says.
“Or she was part of the plot, and I want to know to what end.”
“I’m on it.” He moves past me and into his wing of rooms, and I go back to the kitchen.
* * *
I specifically choose to go to the kitchen sink and wash the blood off my hands. I need Evangeline to see that I’ll do as I see fit with my men. She needs to know her place is as my wife. Ultimo Morte is mine to command. My men need a strong leader.
I can see her watching me from the corner of my eye. Drying my hands on the towel, I take my place next to her as Peppa puts a fresh waffle on my plate.
“Strawberries? Syrup? Whipped cream?” Evangeline asks, although I note a small tremor in her voice.
I nod and watch as she loads me up. Her gaze deviates to the window. I follow her line of sight and see that Amadeus is standing unaided as he enters the waiting car.
A small smile comes to Evangeline’s lips. Ignoring it, I cut into the waffle and take a bite. When her lips touch my cheek in a soft kiss, I turn to her.
Her eyes are bright, as if a heavy weight has been lifted off her shoulders. “Thank you.”
I’m about to tell her I didn’t spare him for her sake, but it would be a lie, or a partial lie. It’s true. Her words rattled around in my mind, and when I saw Amadeus, I could see that the simple ignorance of youth played a part in his folly.
“You can thank me properly later, tesoro,” I tease, taking another bite of my breakfast.